re Duxford, I didn’t catch on about the VC-10 getting in and staying there, I can’t see why the place would want an ex RAF one when they already have their lovely BOAC liveried example.

Well, Duxford is the Imperial War Museum, and the VC10 fleet has been permanently on operations for nearly two decades.;)

I suspect you are right though, one will go to Cosford, and I suspect that’ll be it.

I think it may be a bit of an urban myth that nothing else could touch the VC10 for speed. As I understand it the first widebody jets, and indeed earlier US jet transports like the 707, were actually designed to be able to cruise faster than they usually did in service. The slower speeds generally adopted from the 1970s on were for fuel economy reasons rather than performance limitations. I certainly recall hearing 747s on the North Atlantic reporting cruise speeds at M=0.86 and even on one occasion I think 0.88. In my 1992 edition of “Flying the Big Jets”, the author (Stanley Stewart, at the time a BA B747 captain) states that the 747’s maximum speed is 0.90 Mach. If this is its certified maximum, I assume there is also some margin above this which it could actually attain.

You’re quite right, the 747 does/can cruise faster than the VC10 does routinely, and appears to have a lower Mne of M0.92 (the ’10 being M0.94). The VC10 certainly is capable of these Mach no’s, but with fuel efficiency at a premium, M0.84 indicated is the norm.

I do believe, with the demise of 10 Sqn, they are no longer passenger carrying.

Still carrying plenty of passengers on a weekly basis.:)

So it probably could operate into Duxford

Probably could, but as you know St Athan’s tight, and Duxford’s 1000ft shorter.

Stall speed on the VC-10 is around 150-154knts (according to the engineers outside my office who have been ground running ‘109 for the last few hours!), from memory top speed of the Vimy rep is around 120mph?

The threshold speed of a very light VC10 is around 120kts, so in theory 135 -150kts with approach or land flap could be possible. Wouldn’t necessarily be at all practicable or prudent.

Could make an interesting air to air sortie though.:D

Is it just me or does anyone else think the DH twin Airliners are some of the most beautiful aircraft made!!!

The four engined ones weren’t bad either.:)

For those on the cutting edge of technology or those that just want to count rivets on the Spits or stitches on the Hurricane’s fabric, the Battle of Britain movie is now available on Blu-Ray.
Its currently only available as a Play.com exclusive but is part of their “2 for £22” promotion.

Worth noting it’s only for pre-order, play.com quoting a release date of 25th May.:)

With the recent news that half the Tornado fleet is being retired early even the knackered Typhoons may be needed….

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5151936/Shut-down-of-RAF-squadrons-to-go-ahead-a-year-early.html

EIGHT* aircraft left to defend the UK skies…….

So the Typhoons covering the other QRA at Coningsby aren’t there to defend the UK skies then?;)

Can’t see the fuss about the F3’s “early” demise (apart from those who work on/with them) – they were going in 2009, then put back to 2011, and the remaining aircraft will cover their only essential taskings – northern UK and South Atlantic QRA (which it’s in open source will be taken over by the Typhoon by the end of 2009). I’m sure as taxpayers we’d prefer not to see our money wasted on keeping a larger fleet of non-essential assets running, and offer better support to the really stretched fleets that need it, namely the support helicopters and air transport chaps and chappesses.