RAF VC10

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21 years 1 month

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On Tuesday of this week I got a phone call at work asking if I wanted to join a group on a VC10 flight from Brize Norton - after a nano seconds though I said YES!

Thursday 10am 2 of us set off for Brize Norton - we had to be there by 12 so we had plenty of time. We met the rest of the group and were escorted to the aircraft - XV108 VC10.

Took off at 13.40 and returned 3 hours later having been over the North Sea acting as a filling station for some fast jets. On returning to Brize we were still heavy so a low pass was performed to burn off some fuel - 2nd time round we had to do a go-around as something was in the way.

All in all a stunning afternoon - one of the other people on board said "I have died and gone to photographer heaven" - which sums it up very well.

Hope you like the pictures ;)

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20 years 11 months

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Mate, they are absolutely superb shots it looks like you had memorable few hours, are the VC-10's ex BOAC birds

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21 years 1 month

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Steve,

glad you liked the shots - nobody else here has noticed them yet ;)
(they are very small file size so quality is not that good - originals are much better)

Some of the RAF VC10's are ex BOAC (ZA series I think) but the one I was on is a original RAF one (XV108) so still had a full pax seating arrangement with tanks in the belly for refuelling.

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21 years

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Should have put this in the main forum for sure!!!!! You flipping lucky bugger!

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20 years 10 months

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WOW! You lucky person and what incredible shots. :)

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21 years 1 month

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cockpit shot of VC10 - should have been the 2nd RR Conway pic but hit wrong button.

I could have but as it was a trip report I thought it best go here - am sure people will see it somehow

Yep - definately a lucky *******

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19 years 11 months

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lovely stuff. out if interest, is the seating forward or rear facing?

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21 years 1 month

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rear facing in the cabin

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24 years 2 months

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Truly excellent stuff. I was supposed to be doing a similar trip in a Nimrod from Kinloss last month but they cancelled at the last minute.

Some mates got to do some air to air with US Navy Hornets from the Omega Air Tanker 707 recently. Lucky sods the lot of ya ! :D

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20 years

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Speechless and green with envy!

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19 years 8 months

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Paul, nicely done!!!

Andy

Oh and by the way - I hate you! :p :diablo: [JOKE!]

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21 years 1 month

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Andy,

thought you might say that ;) - see you at Popham sometime - events on 12 & 19th September wx permitting

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19 years 8 months

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Stunning shots , what do you do that got you up there in the first place?

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20 years 1 month

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You are one hell of a lucky so and so.....
Do you need a hearing aid cos of it?! LOL!!

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20 years 1 month

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VC10, I love them, been all around the world on them, with the backwards facing seats (RAF 1960s safety idea)

The original RAF VC10's XR and XV series were a hybrid Standard with the performance and range of a Super VC10

The ZA series was split, ZA140-144 were originally BOAC standards , owned by BA but leased to Gulf Air, converted to K2 standard they were the oldest airframes and have now all been scrapped.

ZA147-ZA150 were ex East African Super VC10s and represented the remaining 4 of the original 5 supplied to that airline. They were converted to K3 standard and are still in service. They were also the last airframes built.

Finally The ex-BA super VC10s. The RAF purchased 14 airframes in 1981 storing 11 at Abingdon and 3 at BZN. 5 were eventually selected for conversion to K4 standard. ZD230, 240, 241, 242. ZD235 has been scrapped.

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19 years 11 months

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WOW!!! that's looks like a once in a lifetime experience you had there!!

I'm very jelous, however I did get to go on a VC-10 at RIAT 2004 and meet the crew. They were really friendly and told me everything about the a/c. It was its 38th birthday on the day! lol it had balloons tied to the refuelling spike! The seats were facing backwards and it was not an ex BOAC bird. I doubt I'll ever goet to fly on one though...

I'll try and see if I can get some photos of it later but no promises as yet.

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21 years 1 month

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Swift,

nothing to do with my work at all - it was organised by a aviation group I belong to.

CaptainBe,

no hearing aid required - lovely noise. Flew over Newcastle on return to Brize so you may have see/heard us (approx 15:45pm I think)

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19 years 9 months

Posts: 374

I to had this kind of oppurtunity and it truly is a great experience, My trip was about ten years ago and i would love to do it again. The sound of Conways at full fettle used to wake me up most mornings and the VC10 will always be on of my favourites. Nice pics anymore ?

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21 years 1 month

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Have loads more but all similar to those posted + not got slides back yet either

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20 years 9 months

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i still remember my flights on the vc10 brize norton - decimumanu via brugen and back when i lived in sardinia was strange when i went on my first flight facing forward was scary facing backward taking off wen i was 5 always good flights on them glad some still have seating in them.