VC10 IS 50

Anyone else out there got one of these?

Got one? I made them ( together with my fellow apprentices)

XV103 Picture as requested

XV103 Edinburgh Turnhouse 1976

🙂

As we’re still in the anniversary year for the VC10 I figure I should still be able to plug some interesting new stories on my site here:

http://www.vc10.net/Memories/Trialstribulations_2.html

This is the second part (third and final part also available through this page) of an ex-groundcrewmember who was involved in the tropical trials of the Standard and Super VC10 models, amongst other interesting occasions.

Another addition to the site is this page about the first production VC10, G-ARVA:
http://www.vc10.net/Photos/cn_804__garva.html

I am planning to build more pages like this one about the other VC10s and would welcome any photos that people could provide of VC10s, please get in touch!

To find out what happened here, click on the link above:

VC10 is 50

Indeed Archer, a great day. The same day saw the fuselage of G-ARVM officially opened as an exhibition about the VC10. Some 350 people attended the event, which was over subscribed. Perhaps the museum will run a repaeat event again?
And, when will be see VC10s display before the end of an era next year?

The VC10’s birthday was celebrated at Brooklands today by a very large group of people connected to the type, with several talks by designers, pilots, cabin crew and others. A wonderful way to pay tribute to this 50 years old, but timeless design!

Many happy returns 🙂

With just one day to go to the VC10’s 50th I’ve added the first part of the memories of a first generation VC10 ground crew member to my site: http://www.vc10.net/Memories/Trialstribulations.html

In this story Maurice tells us about the first days of the prototype, the Farnborough air show and a lot of details about developing this great airliner at Weybridge and Wisley. This is just the first part of his story, you can expect a lot more including photos from test flights to Spain and South Africa.

VC10 is 50

I hear the anniversary event at Brooklands Museum on 29 June is a sell-out with a waiting list! Rumour has it they may try to run another event later. By all accounts the fuselage of G-ARVM is getting real close to being opened that day as an exhibit.

If Duxford get rid of their BOAC VC10, there is always Brooklands to view two and a half!

What was happening 50 years ago at Weybridge? In the runup to the 50th anniversary of the VC10 I’ve created a page which shows selections from Vickers’ own progress reports. A look at the development and production of this great British airliner, in Vickers’ own words.

The VC10 – 50 years ago

Use my picture all you want Archer. My photo shows it as it is starting to climb!
I’ll see if I’ve got any more of this flyby.
Is it VC10 photos in general you are looking for?

Seen some really low Tens and some ermmmmm odd ones, The VC10 formation display team was one memory, 4 101sqn Tens in formation doing fighter breaks was one memory….. The most unusual was a certain Wing Commander doing a display practice that was off the centreline, he banked the thing over then cranked it round to try and get it on the display line, it was the only time I ever saw vortices off the wings and a shock wave condensation forming over the inboard wing… We just all stood there in the line office not believing what we were seeing, the cockpit G meter had been reset before we got to it and the figure the crew mentioned was low, needless to say they wanted it keeping quiet, but we had to do full over G stress checks on it as we did not have an accurate figure, so their trying to cover it up meant we had to go the whole hog., so it went through on the daily state and some dummies got spat out of several prams..

Other memories are of the poor Girl that caught Aids…. No one knew what it was at the time and no airline would touch her, so the RAF brought her home..she was brought back to the UK in an isolation tent in the Ten, the crew and attendants all were in full NBC kit, it parked over the far side of the airfield as she was transferred off to die in Hospital, she must have have been petrified to see everyone dressed like that, the Ten then went off for full decontamination…. Simply no one knew what it was then..

Not really, it was lower than that ;):

I can let you have a XV103 photo if you’ll let me use yours for my website…. :D:D

G-ARVM was previously at Cosford and was ‘infamous’ for its VERY low fly-by at the Queen’s Jubilee Air Show at White Waltham in May 1977.

This? 🙂

Has anyone got a picture of XV103 by any chance? Somehow I never got round to taking one and that VC10 took me to Kai Tak in ’75 and back again in ’77.

Going back to the VC10, 50 years ago Vickers was busy testing all the components and structures in preparation for the VC10s first flight. On 22nd May 1962 a static load test was undertaken which simulated a 2,5G turn at 330KT and 1000 feet altitude. The resulting wing deflection was just over 8 feet but the airframe passed the test, thereby validating the structural safety of the VC10 prototype.

Have a look here for more about the tests carried out during those days: http://www.vc10.net/History/Individual/testspecimen.html

Here’s a military aircraft design that was 50 years old when the VC10 first flew…..

Not still in service in 1962, but it is in 2012!! :diablo:

What? A Tiger Moth?:diablo:

Unfortunately the following was posted on the Brooklands museum web site last week:

“We have now heard that a flypast by 101 Squadron will not be possible due to operational issues.”

It would be rather fitting to be able to use Wisley for some form of celebratory event.

———————
Shame, but at least one did fly close on 19 May en route to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee flypast at Windsor
= J

VC10 at 50 event Brooklands museum

Unfortunately the following was posted on the Brooklands museum web site last week:

“We have now heard that a flypast by 101 Squadron will not be possible due to operational issues.”

It would be rather fitting to be able to use Wisley for some form of celebratory event.

I don’t have one of those, but I do know where the full story of why it was taken out of service is located: http://www.british-caledonian.com/G-ARTA.html
More about the aircraft is here: http://www.vc10.net/History/Individual/GARTA.html

Anyone else out there got one of these?

Here’s a military aircraft design that was 50 years old when the VC10 first flew…..

Not still in service in 1962, but it is in 2012!! :diablo: