Vickers VC10

The sad day finally arrived today when the last ever flight of a VC10 took place as ZA147 flew into Bruntingthorpe & into history. Many thanks to Hydealfred, Nigel & everybody else who we chatted to during what was a great but very sad day. Also thanks to David Walton, the airfield owner for allowing us access to the airfield & aircraft.

The flight was much delayed due to thick fog throughout the morning & it was still very misty when the aircraft finally appeared in the Bruntingthorpe circuit -

We where treated to two very nice & loud missed approaches -

..& then the sad moment came as she flew in on finals to land...forever -

Moments from kissing the tarmac (that's not a grave dug for it to land straight into by the way lol!!) -

Touchdown...Didn't manage to catch the smoke off the tyres though! -

The crew -

Graffitti from the crew inside the aircraft -


A few more to come..

Very sad. And a beautiful machine. It's another piece of "back in my day" RAF machinery gone. Just the Puma left, I think.

That particular VC10 was one of the ex BA airframes, the VC10 still holds the record for the fastest subsonic journey London-New York. I wonder why the RAF didn't buy more than a squadrons worth in the sixties?

As for longevity yes its the 39 Sqn T4s, one of which was on the TV on Friday, 1954-2005.

ZA147, along with all the RAF K.3s, was an ex EAA aircraft, never BOAC / BA. The K.4s were ex BA.
14 VC-10 C.1s were plenty for the RAFs' original early 1960s strategic transport and VIP role, the K.2, K.3, K.4 & C.1K conversions were gradually brought in from the late 1970s to mid 1990s as the existing tanker types fleet dwindled and the AAR requirement (Falklands, Gulf etc) increased.

Very sad that the last flight has taken place, but nice that some have made it into preservation including '150 at Dunsfold.

As the VC10 could carry more fuel than a Victor I still think it was shortsighted of the RAF not to buy more VC10s in the sixties. Much as I like the Victor the 10 was better in the tanker role, and the VC10 K2/3 also had the passenger seats that were ideal for groundcrew on trails.

Ive just been looking on Wiki about the VC10 and Im worried. It states that XR808 was flown in to Bruntingthorpe for display at Cosford "but now its future is uncertain". I was under the impression that its RAF policy for an example of all types the RAF has flown to be in the museum after they've retired. Anyone know anything more?

I suppose the need wasn't that great back then, AAR mainly in use for long transits and deployments to the many stations around the world, and keeping QRA Lightnings aloft rather than supporting a war as such. The Valiants covered it until the fatique issues, then replaced with the Victor B.1Ks as they were made redundant in the bomber role by the B.2, which in turn were of course converted to the highly successful K.2s tankers.
As the Victor K.1s wore out the need for a replacement tanker to supplement the K.2s was more important as many of strategic bases and the RN big carrier fleet had gone, that's when the VC-10 K.2/3 conversions came in, the Falklands and later Gulf, showed how important AAR was to getting combat aircraft to the front-line over vast distances was and thats where the K.4s and C.1K conversions stepped in.

I think the XR808 move has saddend alot of people, it was hoped that this true RAF VC-10 would go to Cosford directly from service, my understanding (and others may know more) is that it will be preserved at Brunty, moving it by road would require some fairly drastic surgery.

Im wondering if in the future someone will find that its full of corrosion and it turns in to another Beverley?

The crew said yesterday that XR808 WILL be going to Cosford. Unfortunately ZA147 will be scrapped & one of the remaining ones at Bruntingthorpe will be a ground runner. -

XR808 -

...& a few more from yesterday -

The sad fate of the majority -

Im surprised they haven't considered a one off flight in to Cosford, after all they got a Vulcan in to Winthorpe.