I worked as a steward for BOAC/British Airways from 1971-1976 on this magnificent aircraft and I can tell you that after all these years, I still get a lump in may throat every time I see or hear this magnificent beast! Looking at the VC10, she could have come off the drawing board only recently; completely ageless and, of course British!!
I recall the inaugural flight of both the VC-10 and Tridents on TV - so many years ago. I recall the dreams these planes represented. it certainly reminds me I'm getting really old.
Two distinct things remind me of this beautiful aircraft. The Massive raked sculptured T Tail, and the distinctive howl of the conways as they pass you. This aircraft used to be my 08:00 morning alarm as it approached EGCC RWY 24. We lived on finals. Now gone forever, so sad.
I flew back from RAF Changi in 1969 aged 9 yrs old , refuel at Cyprus and on to Brize Norton , a fantastic flight and a lot better than the 4 stops we had to refuel on the Bristol Britannia 😀
What a sad end. I wish I could have been at Brunty that day but I was at Brize watching her last ever take-off and then touch-and-go about half an hour prior to this arrival. Another beautiful British aircraft, missed by so many.
When I was growing up, we lived about half a mile from the end of RAF Benson and looked right down the runway from a slightly elevated position. The base was usually busy in those days with Hercules and Andovers of the Queen's Flight, but once in a while it was visited by a VC-10 to do bump-and-go circuits. The VC10 was awsome when it flew over our house so low.
i live on the edge of Brize Norton base and have lived under the path of the VC10 for decades. i miss that unmistakable roar. also had the pleasure of some trips in the 70's when i was a child in the ATC when i could just phone up and get on a training flight of one kind or another during summer holidays. beautiful aircraft!
Chris cummins thats true, great times,called air experiance, and you put it in your book, so tonight lets go to prestwick, and circuits and bumps, or a nav excersise to iceland, oh well lets get up to 42000 feet then, and all in the cockpit, GREAT TIMES INDEED😁😊😊😆😆
A truly sad day in British Aviation indeed, was down there at Brunty in may amongst the VC10s, still a world record holder for a subsonic crossing of the Atlantic......thanks for posting this great video of her last flight
I've always felt like the quad engines were, aesthetically, the only blemish on a gorgeous bird. However, the performance of those engines made it beautiful through the sheer capabilities and I love it.
It is extremely sad to see the VC-10 permanently grounded and past of as scrap. I have to believe that it's gone forever never to hear this beautiful Airliner roaring. Anyway, all good things come to an end at one time or another.
Did many flights in Africa, grass strip at Lusaka. Used to sit at the back for take off just to hear the descending howl of the engines before brakes off.....
The crackle of the Conway engines on take off at Heathrow superb,how could the chairman of BOAC go on record and criticise this superb aircraft,been on one and it was so nice the only other aircraft if traveled on was Concorde thus too a classic 😢sad no more
there's one at Dunsfold Aerodrome first flight of the Harrier and the Top gear building and test track Top Gear was the best TV show on free view with Clarkson, May and Hammond
Speak to a BOAC pilot of the VC10, it was an exceptional aircraft that flew like a bird. Sit behind the wings where the engine noise in most aircraft is awful, and you would be astonished at how quiet it was. The stretched version could also carry 180 passengers. The inferior 707 was launched at a time when the US Gov't forced airlines to buy American. The Comet disasters didn't help our cause.
I wonder whether people will bother to show up for the last flights of today's and future aircraft. Perhaps A380s and 747s, but after they're gone, jet aviation will consist of low tailplane twins with underwing engines, in varying sizes, and yet more of the same, with one type being replaced in time by another that looks much the same.
I wouldn't bother showing up for the the Last A380 flight personally. IMHO, its one ugly looking aircraft, proportionality speaking, but thats subjective, I guess. I'd go to see a 747 tho, if I had the chance...a lot more visually proportioned design.
scrap ?? why ? WTF !! i am sure many many American museums (just to say that ....) would love to have that beautiful jet on permanent exhibit !! Me and many of my friends would love to travel just to see the VC10 here in the US ..!!
Sad to see a great plane like the VC10 go for good I work for the RAF Tengah base in Singapore taking care of the ground equipment for the VC10 and other RAF aircraft the good old days
Quite simply, the most superbly engineered passenger airliner, ever. And it provd its worth with the RAF. And listen to those engines! What a shame the Soviets had to copy the VC-10. A fantastic aircraft
Such a pleasure to watch this magnificent bird - albeit enjoying one final flight before landing perfectly! Are any VC 10s still able to be seen in the flesh in UK??
I just hope someone higher up the chain has the grey matter to preserve one of these at Duxford or the like, instead of rotting away on the apron at Bruntingthorpe.
Already an ex BA one at Duxford (now in BOAC colours),plus 3 other civil ones preserved.Of the RAF ones an original C mk 1 at Cosford,plus of the ex civil ones bought by the RAF one kept live at Bruntingthorpe and does fast taxi's on open days (last one in August this year).one preserved at the museum at Newquay and the Brooklands museum K3 located at Dunsfold.
First aircraft I ever flew in , and nothing since has come close to the acceleration down the runway , or the impressive climb out . I so wish one could be preserved in flying condition , along with one Comet , Concorde and Vulcan , for display purposes. The 60th anniversary of the VC10s first flight is coming up next June ; it would be great to see one of the taxi-able survivors doing a fast taxi run to mark the occasion .
A once in a lifetime event, one that should have been televised (as Concorde's was) Rather strange though that as with the Nimrod MR2 & Victor K2, the VC-10 wasn't phased out because she had been surpassed (she was so good the USAF preferred her & the Victor to their own tankers) but because the individual airframe's are reaching the end of their lifespan. I'd certainly rather my taxpayer's money was going to newbuild aircraft than some technically inferior replacement from Boeing or Airbus
when only the raf operated the type it was almost worth a brit falling off a mountain somewhere in the world so you could be repatriated with a little vc10derness!!!
I was fortunate to spend 2 full days riding in the cockpits of 4 United Airlines Vickers Viscounts. ( formally owned by Capitol Airlines) in September 1963. My father ( a free lance movie maker) was contracted by United to film the instrument panels (particularly altimeters and radio altimeters) as these 4 airplanes-2 each day- were flown in continuous circuits around ACY at the FAA's test facility. The experience really stoked my fire to want to learn to fly, which I did 4 years later. George Merriken, Leesburg, Va. putney303@gmail.com
Still looks like a Modern Design- Thin Wings- Very Streamline & Elegant- as apposed to a Boring Boeing or Air-Bus- Design - Its ashame it wasnt more Sucessful it Clearly was a Better Plane- But Maybe not as Profitable! Thats all that Counts Today- Thanx for the Upload- Cheers-👍🍺🍻
ACtually, when looking at the Airbus 380,its quite ugly, looks old fashioned from the sideview, however, they didn't have the designers Britain had but they DID have a government who assisted them, with great pride, too late to worry now, Britain has gone from being a massive producer of technologies of many disciplines to a shabby, down at heel bludging society bringing into the nation, the parasites of the earth.Why has the government acted in this way have they no pride?
Bean counters realized the 707 was a much better choice. Even the British government didn't back it. Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge VC 10 fan and have a BOAC Super vc10 cutaway model 87 inches long .
To sum up , I would like to think that our British Aircraft Industry is simply sleeping , and not designing its own Aircraft , but designing and building Wings for Airbus plus great Aero Engines by Rolls Royce, BUT we could do so much better , and have allowed Airbus to take the lion share of all its Aircraft Building to France and Germany, Our Political leaders have probably a lot of guilt there in letting it happen, So the future ? well its up to Britain , to be beaten out, to to build World Beating Aircraft, which we can, and to make sure we are not just ' Tin bashers' for others.
The days when Great Britain made fantastic airplanes only to be gazumped by BOAC for Boeing. All the great pioneering manufacturers gone. Sold out to the yanks. You bet I'm bitter. No class anymore.
