Last days of the VC10

The RAF retired the Vickers/BAC VC10 from service in 2013, as reported in the November issue that year of Aviation News

 

After 47 years of service the RAF retired the Vickers/BAC VC10 from service on Wednesday, September 25.  On the previous Friday, September 20, the type made its final air-to-air refuelling mission when 101 Sqn launched K3s, ZA150 'J' and ZA147 'F' from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire at 10:00 using the callsigns 'Tartan 51 and 52' respectively.  They headed out to the North Sea to refuel two Panavia Tornado GR4s from 617 Sqn and two Eurofighter Typhoons from 1(F) Sqn.  Some practice contacts between the two tankers also took place though no fuel was passed.

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