The VC-10

The latest addition to my hangar, here is some brief history below:

The history of the Type 1101 BOAC Standard VC10 can be traced back to 1951, when BOAC was shown an

early prototype of a Vickers Valiant modified for military troop deployment. The Valiant’s maiden flight had taken

place in May 1951 and, due to its range and speed, the V-bomber was considered to be suitable as the basis

for a military transport capable of transporting 120 passengers 2,100 nautical miles. This specification, whilst

demanding at the time, sowed the seeds for a capable transatlantic jet. The prototype was designated the

Vickers V-1000.

The V-1000 was powered by the then new turbofan Rolls-Royce Conway, which offered greatly increased power

and range. Vickers intended to make the military-designated V-1000 into a six-abreast civilian airliner, the VC-7,

to be pitched at BOAC.

As the prototype of the V-1000 was developed, it became increasingly apparent that it was suffering from being

overweight. Vickers felt that increasing power with the new, more powerful, Rolls-Royce Conways and changing

the way that the aircraft was manufactured to lower some of the weight penalties would make the V-1000 more

viable. The Ministry of Supply felt differently in 1955, however, and cancelled the V-1000.

This was to be a very controversial move. At the time the American manufacturers were readying their new

transatlantic jets (the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8), and with Pan Am’s large order of 707s and DC-8s the

time was right for a British-built alternative. With the government’s cancellation and some reticence within BOAC

to purchase the VC-7, however, this opportunity was missed. In fact the government decided to allow BOAC to

purchase 15 Boeing 707s with the caveat that no further money should be spent on American-made aircraft. It

was at this time that there appeared to be a reversal in the direction of the government concerning the VC-7, but

the damage was done and the inaction had lost any real competitive advantage that the British aviation industry

might have had.

A year later BOAC sent out proposals for a high-performance long range airliner to operate on their African and

Asian routes. This proposal was sent to both de Havilland and Vickers. Both firms were reluctant to take on the

proposal but Vickers was the first firm to respond, and in early 1958 this resulted in the signing of a 35-airframe

contract with options for 20 more.

The VC10 was born. This wasn’t going to be a return to the now three-year-old design of the VC-7 but a

completely new aircraft. It was to have features and capabilities designed to meet the challenges exclusive to the

African and Asian air routes, the most significant being the short length of the runways compared to those found

on the transatlantic routes. This meant that the 707 and DC-8, which both required long runways, were not well

suited to the African and Asian routes. High altitudes and high temperatures were also involved, so Vickers was

handed a very demanding requirement, which led to the iconic design of the VC10.

The Vickers design group overcame the issue of shorter take-off requirements by moving the engines to the rear

of the aircraft; this allowed a much larger flap and control surface area. The power of four Rolls-Royce Conways

allowed for a much larger payload to be carried off the short runways when compared to the equivalent 707 and

DC-8s.

The negative effects of high altitude operations were negated by the clean wing principle. Unlike their

competitor’s airframes with pod-mounted engines, the engines were in the rear of the aircraft, which allowed for a

clean wing that utilises 100% of the available area of a wing to maximum effectiveness. The power of the engines

and the excellent flight characteristics afforded by the clean wing principle also allowed the VC10 to make longer

non-stop flights, which was ideal for the BOAC routes.

Unfortunately for the VC10 project, the popularity of the 707 and DC-8 airframes resulted in the runways on

BOAC’s routes being lengthened to allow these types to operate from runways which were once exclusively the

domain of the VC10. As the world’s airlines moved to the Boeing and Douglas airframes, the VC10’s advantage

was ebbing.

Throughout the development of the VC10 the specifications were expanded – quite literally in the case of the later

Super VC10 which featured a stretched fuselage – but the key design principles of rear-mounted engines and a

clean wing remained. Following their retirement from the commercial airline world, VC10s served for many years in

the Royal Air Force, being converted into troop transport, tanker and cargo aircraft before finally retiring in 2013.

Very nice, Khalid! Nice presentation and a dialogue to go with it! Have you ever checked out HJG, Historical Jetliners Group? You would have some fun over there. You put together your own download, based on personal preferences! I have done several. Instructions can seem a little intimidating at first, but when you have done your first aircraft, you will be able to do the next ones in, 15-20 minutes, if that! Let me go find the link and I will edit a line in here for that!

simviation.com/hjg/main.htm

Rick :cool:

Very nice, Khalid! Nice presentation and a dialogue to go with it! Have you ever checked out HJG, Historical Jetliners Group? You would have some fun over there. You put together your own download, based on personal preferences! I have done several. Instructions can seem a little intimidating at first, but when you have done your first aircraft, you will be able to do the next ones in, 15-20 minutes, if that! Let me go find the link and I will edit a line in here for that!

 

simviation.com/hjg/main.htm

 

 

 

Rick :cool:

Thank you Rick for your great suggestion, and your kind words. I will look it up. My main passion is props, classical! of the likes of the DC3, the Electra, the DC2, the Catalina, The DC4, the DC6 and the Connie! Is there a group for people with such interest?

I really like the VC-10, was also great to see them in real life. Well done Khalid! :cool::cool::cool:

Jan thank you for your nice words and encouraging my humble posts. I remember as a child the road to our home ran parallel to the hold position at the end of the runway at the old Baghdad International (Al-Muthanna) airport which was downtown. This was in the 1960s. Whenever we drove past there and there was an aircraft taking off, we can tell by seeing it taxi off the apron, or if landing, especially at dusk, the runway lights would be lit, my dad used to pull over his car and we both get out and watch it do so. This was one of the most important things that instilled the love of flying into me since childhood. I still remember the VC-10 in BOAC colours with its musical shrill of pure turbojets stopping at the threshold and revving up to test the engines, then revving down and a couple of moments later start their take off run. I distinctly remember the VC-10 as a more vocal and a bit smokier than other passenger jets of its era. And there is a side to every aircraft that we overlook, the aesthetics of the model. This was a very beautiful clean sleek aircraft. I remember BOAC ads in magazines and publications bragging about the VC-10 for a long time, too.

Thank you again and best wishes.

Khalid

I've worked on the BOAC VC-10 years ago, I once got locked in the front hold, I was tying freight down and the engineer didn't see me, one of the crew I was with told him and he opened it again, I nearly went to New York free of charge lol.

I would have survived the flight because there were dogs in the hold too, so it would have been OK for fresh air and temp etc.

I've worked on the BOAC VC-10 years ago, I once got locked in the front hold, I was tying freight down and the engineer didn't see me, one of the crew I was with told him and he opened it again, I nearly went to New York free of charge lol.

I would have survived the flight because there were dogs in the hold too, so it would have been OK for fresh air and temp etc.

Amazing story, nearly a stowaway on a VC-10! Thanks for sharing :cool: Were they flying Heathrow - JFK?

Khalid, my father did the same at Rotterdam Airport in the 60's. Pulled over when he saw a plane on the runway, or coming in and told me what kind of plane it was. It was the time of the DC-3,-4 and -6, the Carvairs, Dove's, Heron's, the Bristol Freighters and all other British birds that crossed the North-Sea. Was a great time, it helped a lot to develop my hobby! Great memories also. You see, doesn't matter where you live.:)

That's just amazing, identical experiences. No it doesn't matter at all where you live, the flying bug transgresses everything out there. :pilot: In a way I feel sorry for the children nowadays eyes glued to their ipads and mobile screens.

I second that Khalid! Means we're getting old......:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Speak for yourself! I, on the other hand, am getting younger by the second, Not a grey hair on top of my head!:p

;):D Haha, I'm loosing mine too! :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Yeah, I noticed!;) I was thinking about doing mine like Dilbert's pointy-haired boss:eek:

Jan, Rick and Charlie, lets just say we are ageing gracefully

Very nice shots of the VC-10 and a really good history description of it Khalid. :cool: :cool: :)

You had asked if there was a group specializing in classic propeller aircraft. In fact there is. http://www.calclassic.com/

Very nice shots of the VC-10 and a really good history description of it Khalid. :cool: :cool: :)

You had asked if there was a group specializing in classic propeller aircraft. In fact there is. http://www.calclassic.com/

 

Thank you Larry, the excellent short history narrative is actually off the packaged manual. I know and absolutely love California Classic Propliners page and it has a bookmark in my favourites for quite some time. Rick's Historic Jetliners Group link also leads to a treasure trouve.

There is this great website too, Classic British Flight Sim, The home of Classic British Freeware for Microsoft Flight Simulator

https://cbfsim.co.uk/

You may wish to have a look. Best wishes.

Khalid

I second that Khalid! Means we're getting old......:rolleyes::rolleyes:

If I might suggest, WISE..........

Excellent work.

Graphic I created yesterday with the town I grew up in 1962 - 1972 with a view of final to JFK.

Thank you Rick for your great suggestion, and your kind words. I will look it up. My main passion is props, classical! of the likes of the DC3, the Electra, the DC2, the Catalina, The DC4, the DC6 and the Connie! Is there a group for people with such interest?

Oh yes, there's a lot of us. IMO if it flies it's cool! ;)

Michael