Art Nalls, a former Marine test pilot, enlisted a gang of volunteer wrenchers to breath new life into a 31-year-old decommissioned Sea Harrier jump jet—and it gladly returned the favor.

A Royal Air Force Tornado jet speeds through the Dinas Pass in Snowdonia, Wales, known in the aviation world as the Mach Loop Credit: GETTY A Harrier jet flies low over a farm in Snowdonia.

The USSR wanted its own jump jet, and developed the Yakovlev Yak-38. The platform was meant to mimic the Harrier, but the Yak-38 did not survive the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The British succeeded with the Harrier jump jet. Today, the United States is attempting to create a similar plane: the F-35B . Here’s how Germany tried to do it during the Cold War.

The Harrier Jump Jet made its first flight on this day in history, August 31, 1966. The warplane is known for its ability to take off vertically and hover like a helicopter. Fox News Media ...

Developed in the 1960s, the Harrier is marvelous for its ability to hover like a helicopter. The jet engine pumps air through four nozzles, two on each side of the fuselage, right under the wings.

But when it comes time to cover some distance, the AV-8B Harrier II is also highly capable as a regular horizontal flying jet aircraft, capable of reaching a top speed of 673 MPH.

The 700mph Harrier GR3 was noted for being able to take-off and land near vertically, making it ideal for service on aircraft carriers, the jump jet became an icon of aviation history.

The Harrier Jump Jet is known for vertical take-offs and landings. It also has an accident-prone track record, but that didn't dissuade one pilot from buying his dream plane.

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Here, in pictures, former Marine test pilot Art Nalls shows how he and a gang of volunteer wrenchers breathed new life into a 31-year-old decommissioned Sea Harrier jump jet.