Yes Moggie, will admit that that the VC10 is a fast aircraft...and indeed still in service with the RAF.
Having said this, the TriStar was
designed to cruise at M.865, and indeed did so for a
very long time at the ME airline that I used to work for...
rushing to the cheap fuel (then 18 US cents/gallon, at that time).
Come to think of it, the TriStar is
still used by a few pax aircarriers....something the VC10 can only dream about.
Having said this...the VC10, HS121 Trident (
first autoland aircraft, least anyone forget), CV990...and the TriStar were designed when fuel prices were cheap(er)...and it was
great to cruise faster.
