Cosford VC-10

Yes, I think you’ve nailed ’em – XV103, ZA142 & the cockpit of ZA144 🙂

Except………………….

Sorry to reply after so long, but if you do google into St Athan, then you will find a 4th VC10. if you follow the line of the North-South runway further North, you will find the St Athan Picketson site where Crash and Smash are located, you will see that they have the remains of ZA144 (incidentally this is now on the south of the airfield!)

That is definately XV103 being dismantled, as I was there at the time.

If the engineless airframe at the VC10 hanger is ZA142, then that makes the mystery cockpit ZD235 (or vice-versa) which was scrapped around the same time.

I would guess that the google picture was taken about 2002 as the DARA super hanger, Personnel services flight, and the all weather pitches are not built, and the sports stadium is still there!

I can’t think of a better home for her. Congratulations on a safe recovery.

If all has gone well then the complete fuselage of G-ARVM should by now have arrived at the Brooklands Museum. These photos were taken yesterday and show the arrival on thursday, and unloading of the forward section. The rear section should have arrived by now.

The fuselage has been sectioned by dismantling an old manufacturing joint, the first time this has been done on a VC10. Once put back together again the fuselage will be structurally complete and in original state.

More to follow.

looks like it, I only saw it ‘end on’ & noticed its light grey/silver in colour.

Such a weighty responsibility to be borne by such a tiny (comparatively) aeroplane. MiG 21 representing the whole of the Soviet bloc air forces during the Cold War 😀 😀

Roger Smith.

Not sure as I have not seen it.

This one?

Regards,

John.

No not from Duxford Farnbrough I am led to belive

Would that be the Gold Mig 21 frum Dux?

John.

just to let people know, fuselarge was being loaded onto trailers as I left work today! But more interestingly a Mig21 turned up!!

As some of you are aware by now, the speculation over the fate of VM has come to a conclusion. Brooklands is taking the whole fuselage, and the intended method of display as an exhibit will be anounced shortly. What can be said however is that Brooklands have been working on this from the outset back in January, but there have been many obstacles to overcome. One of these is simply the logistics of actually getting it into Brooklands. The luxury of the airfield entrance by which Concorde was delivered no longer exists due to the Daimler-Chrysler development, besides this would place VM in an unsuitable position within the museum with reference to future developments.

All we can add further is that we are working on de-riviting at the forward production joint rather than cutting, as we feel it is essential to keep any exhibit as original as possible. This was always a risky option due to uncertainty of the butt strap seperating cleanly from the fuselage skin, but test sections have seperated so far.

There have been instances of individuals entering the compound and removing parts. Can we remind you all that the compound is private, and the airframe along with any parts removed are not public property. Besides, you may also be removing parts that were destined for A40-AB at Brooklands.

Should anyone wish to declare an interest in items from VM, then e-mail me and I can put you in touch with the relevant person.

There are some thoughts about those photos here: http://www.vc10.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133 I think they are ZA142 (which is the one on the Airliners.net photo TobyV linked to) and XV103. The cockpit could be the remains of ZA144 of which the front section might still be around (see here for a photo).

Yes, I think you’ve nailed ’em – XV103, ZA142 & the cockpit of ZA144 🙂

Interesting… slightly off-topic, but looking at St. Athan with Google Earth at the north-east of the airfield there’s a VC-10 in the early stages of being broken up. It has roundals on the wings which would make it one of the transports rather than a tanker. These Google Earth images are usually a couple of years old – generally 2003ish, so any ideas which VC-10? If you look carefully there’s a cockpit from another one nearby. Also, in the north-west side there’s an engineless VC-10 tanker – awaiting the same fate ?

There are some thoughts about those photos here: http://www.vc10.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133 I think they are ZA142 (which is the one on the Airliners.net photo TobyV linked to) and XV103. The cockpit could be the remains of ZA144 of which the front section might still be around (see here for a photo).

“British Airways is working closely with Brooklands Museum to preserve as much as possible of the fuselage of this aircraft, the last standard VC10 to serve with the airline.
Allan Winn, Director, Brooklands Museum

I’m most grateful to you, Allan, for taking time to post this excellent news.

Unfortunately it raises as many questions as it answers. What does ..”as much as possible of the fuselage…” mean?

This statement has something of the air of British Airways’ Geoff Want’s original statement that the BA Collection was to “..be saved”, when in fact he knew the Trident, the 707, and VM were to be shredded. How much of the fuselage does Brooklands want?!

There has been an air of secrecy about Brooklands and VM ever since the Cosford bombshell – but why? If Brooklands had said they wanted more than just the cockpit I’m sure funds could have been raised to secure the whole aircraft. VM had a major role in BOAC and BA pilot training in the 60s and 70s. I’m sure many former BOAC/BA aircrew would have put their hands in their pockets, but the impression was given that Brooklands had its own VC10 and little interest in VM.

There is a quite mistaken, in my opinion, view that when the RAF disposes of its VC10s there will be plenty of good airframes to go round and therefore there is no urgency to save the airline versions. In fact the Air Force ones are being cannibalised at such a rate to keep an ever diminishing number in service that there will be very few parts left, let alone airframes, when the final one lands.

It would be good if Brooklands, as the home of the VC10, could take a leading role in managing the preservation of this aircraft – or we shall end up with all the civilian ones in the open corroded to destruction and just one RAF version preserved under cover.

and as such we would rather see a VC10 in a colourful airline livery as oppossed to a drab military colour scheme.

Steve

I wonder if it’s just me but I think the massively understated RAF schemes look fantastic on the VC10, and look forward to seeing one hangared at Cosford. Obviously, grey appeals to me as an accountant, but the white and blue cheat and the other schemes are masterpieces of design which complement the VC10 wonderfully. To me, a RAF VC10 looks fresh even after 40 years; a USAAF 707/KC135 just looks old. The BA scheme is as fresh as a Betamax video.

End of rant, I’ll get back in me box.

Hmmmm…. XV103 is my favourite for the one with the roundals and tail-less.

In fact, if those shots are as old as 2001, which is not entirely impossible, then it could be this one:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0483543/L/

Its probably one of the K.2s (the ones featured in the Airfix kit!), civilian standards converted later in life for RAF use. They were first to go, mainly because the airframes of course arrived in RAF hands with a large number of hours already ‘on the clock’.

was the VC10 really that bad condition wise though?

I remember reading about the prototype Super VC10 being flown into St Athan for scrapping. No public outcry over that one either?

Interesting… slightly off-topic, but looking at St. Athan with Google Earth at the north-east of the airfield there’s a VC-10 in the early stages of being broken up. It has roundals on the wings which would make it one of the transports rather than a tanker. These Google Earth images are usually a couple of years old – generally 2003ish, so any ideas which VC-10? If you look carefully there’s a cockpit from another one nearby. Also, in the north-west side there’s an engineless VC-10 tanker – awaiting the same fate ?

Bac 1-11 loaded on trailor ready for departing Cosford today when I visited the Museum