VC-10s at Bruntingthorpe

[Navy_Adversary]

To the south of Leicester at lunchtime today I saw a 2 VC-10s flying quite low with their gear down, I thought it may be some new idea for using the Vickers Funbus.
I then saw them turn in the direction of Bruntingthorpe where it looked like they landed after a couple of approaches.

Can any Ppruners satisfy my inquisitive mind as to what was going on?
TIA

[Nanook10]

Coming soon to a store near you, probably in the form of a disposable razor.

VC10 recycling begins: key.Aero, Military Aviation (http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=1865&thisSection=military)

[NutLoose]

They are all supposed to be going to have spare reclamation then scrapping at Brunty

Knew the first were due this month but did not realise so early.


2 VC-10's To Be Retired 31st march 2010 (http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20084)

[WE992]

Yep. they arrived today. Another sad day!

[NutLoose]

Pics of them here............................ Sad Sad day as an Ex Eng on them.

Unlike the Grimrod these seem to getting disposed of almost under the table, without much fanfare after a superb service life, how many will survive and how many will be the unique C1?


So have the first VC10's arrived at Brunty today? - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=99326)

[dagama]

.... and to think that I did the airframe acceptance checks when XV 109 arrived at BZN sometime in the previous century! Very sad indeed. :sad: :sad: :sad:

[Spurlash2]

Unlike the Grimrod these seem to getting disposed of almost under the table, without much fanfare after a superb service life, how many will survive and how many will be the unique C1?

The C1's are all C1K's now.

[uffington sb]

Came over my house in Peterborough heading north in a very, very, close formation.
A lovely sight.

[NutLoose]

The C1's are all C1K's now

I realise that, but the C1 was a unique model specific to the RAF and not someone else's cast off's whether it has been bastardized into a tanker w*nker version or not :) and as such it should be the version saved if possible, after all there are a couple of Civilian versions out there already. :)

[Lyneham Lad]

A very sad, but inevitable day :{

The video (http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/plazzdaman/VC10/?action=view&current=VC10s.flv) and photos on the Key Aviation link are well worth seeing. Quite a crosswind component at Bruntingthorpe today!

[Navy_Adversary]

Thanks for the input guys, BBC East Midlands actually covered the arrival and I watched it this evening whilst having my tea.

It may be available on BBC iPlayer, not sure, also 0755 in the morning on BBC1 if you can get BBC East Midlands news on your digital TV.

I guess that these aircraft were part of the collection in BA colours at Abingdon that I could see from the A34 about 25 years ago.

[brit bus driver]

And what a snip they were......:}

Sorry, couldn't resist - trust you had a good flight today.

:ok:

[NutLoose]

I guess that these aircraft were part of the collection in BA colours at Abingdon that I could see from the A34 about 25 years ago.

Nope, they were the C1's and the original fleet members of the RAF

[ARCHIE1]

Sad day. I remember these two from as far back as 1976, my first tour on 10 Sqn. At the time, XV109 seemed to be undergoing a very deep major in Base Hangar and bore the logo 'Enola Gay' daubed on her fuselage side. On my return to the fleet in 1989, XR807 was reported to have failed her pressurisation checks ex-major and 'will never fly again'. Of course, they both soldiered on for many more years, as did the rest of our once splendid strategic transport fleet (OK, I did the tanking thing too). Unfortunately I am in NZ right now, about 12000 miles from my logbooks as the crow flies, so I can't check any first flown/last flown dates or interesting route stops. However, by sheer coincidence, I was looking at a whale's t-tail today (on a postcard I hasten to add) and remarked to my wife on its uncanny resemblance to that of the VC10! I'll raise a glass of NZ's finest tonight.

[acmech1954]

I think you will find that the C1s where delivered direct new from the factory. The ex BA frames at Abingdon became the K2 and 3 and spares.

[Sam Dodger]

The BA ac at Abingdon were coverted to K4s, the K2s were ex Gulf Air and the K3s were ex East African.

[forget]

Speaking of VC10s, I was aboard this one, out of Cottesmore. "The VC10 pounds powerfully through the inky darkness of the early morning ......... " Bollox, it was broad daylight. We'd taken off at 7. The guy next to me, electrics I think, had a window seat and spotted the problem before the crew. I kid you not! He said to me, "There's land down there and there shouldn't be". Two minutes later - a very hard left turn and lots of vehicles and flashing lights when we landed at Gander.

Incidents and Accidents (http://www.vc10.net/History/incidents_and_accidents.html#Navigation_error_over_the_North _Atlantic)

[NutLoose]

and the K3s were ex East African

Za149 and XZA150 they had an extra 68psi? switch in their cabin compressing ducts........ odd the things you remember off your VC10 course many many moons ago :p

[coldbuffer]

Looking at the cockpit photo on the Key Aviation link, the Vickers badges from the centre of the Contol Columns have gone missing, no doubt they both fell out on landing :)

[Jhieminga]

Looking at the cockpit photo on the Key Aviation link, the Vickers badges from the centre of the Contol Columns have gone missing, no doubt they both fell out on landing http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif
... and picked up by the aircrew as a FOD prevention measure? ;)

[BEagle]

When Lucy flew the last K2 into St. Athan, I seem to recall that the control column centre boss badges were particularly loose after landing, so a certain Air Engineer took the necessary precautions to ensure that they didn't become loose article hazards.....

Why aye, mon....:ok:

[NutLoose]

What are the RAF going to do with the surplus stocks of Squash Balls now the aircraft is being retired............. An engineer will understand that one, the rubber ball in one of the Valves on the VC10 is actually a squash ball believe it or not :)

[Sgt.Slabber]

A Dunlop "Yellow Spot"? Item Consuption Rate increased alarmingly - of the Float Valve, that is. 1992/3? Someone at "waste-o'-space" forgot to remove the Dunlop outer packaging prior to popping them into the little brown box for issue into the stores system... allegedly.

[Dan Winterland]

Isn't that valve in the toilet system?

[Sgt.Slabber]

Dan,

I believe that is the case. A colleague at the RAF CSDE was at a "Modifications" meeting at a B*e site not long after the issue came to light. End of meeting, AOB - asked if they had any spare squash balls. He had an interview with the boss when he got back... in so far as, the boss came into the office, saw N*** and told him to consider himself interviewed :E ...allegedly.

[NutLoose]

From

So have the first VC10's arrived at Brunty today? - Page 3 - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=99326&page=3)

and are not hanging about :sad:

http://www.andymartin.btinternet.co.uk/BTY05.jpg

http://www.andymartin.btinternet.co.uk/BTY06.jpg

http://www.andymartin.btinternet.co.uk/BTY04.jpg

[brit bus driver]

Surely those pics were taken at Brize....I'm sure they used to look like that when I was there...:ok:

[NutLoose]

They appear to be going to town on 109 looking for those loose articles that fell off in the cockpit :{

[FFP]

Is BOB still flying ? (808 ?)

[TMK1]

808 has gone for major. The vickers badges were removed prior to the flight as part of the disposal prep, it has been mentioned that they may go to the RAF Museum.

[Navy_Adversary]

Thanks for the images Nutloose, looks like Brunty is the UK version of Davis Monthan.:)

Just reminded me, I was having an overflight over DM several years ago and took some piccies of Vickers funbuses which were accompanying some F3s, possibly on the way back from Red Flag.:cool:

[On_The_Top_Bunk]

Get them cut for scrap. That's all they are worth realistically. You people need to let go.

[NutLoose]

Thanks for the images Nutloose, looks like Brunty is the UK version of Davis Monthan.

Not mine, simply linked you to them, cracking shots I must admit. :)

[StrathmayStacker]

I had a limited involvement in trying to make sure that some VC10s ended up in museums. I was surprised that there seems to be no longer a formal notification to the museum community that aircraft are being retired. A Google search identified details of aviation mueums in the UK. I contacted half a dozen of them by email, and had expressions of interest from 2; the RAF Museum and IWM Duxford.

The RAF Museum wanted, as they put it, a proper RAF VC10 with a bit of history, and not an ex airline example. The IWM wanted to increase their tanker collection so were after a K3, which will not be available until 2013.

The aircraft that best suited the RAFM's needs was XR808, which was one of the first 2 to be retired (along with XR807). This also seemed to be a popular choice with the Sqn. To cut a long story short, the RAFM submitted a formal bid for it and my successor and I pressed hard for it to be gifted. It seemed that we would be unsuccessful as the first 10 frames for disposal are scheduled for a degree of spares recovery (100% in the case of the early aircraft). Clearly, the RAFM did not want an aircraft that has been stripped. Ultimately, common sense and decency prevailed and 808 and 109 were swapped in the disposal plan. 808 will still go to the RAFM, but as the last C1K in 2013.

[MaxedOutMan]

Ah the squash balls! I remember these well......when the consumption suddenly increased, and it seemed Squash became a popular sport at BzN, I had to hold the squash balls in my drawer, add a Degree of Control to them, and only release them for genuine demands! At £75 a pop, they were dear old squash balls! As a BAe counterpart informed me, the reason they were so expensive was because BAe had to rigorously test each ball prior to issuing....any idea what the test involved??? Yep, squeezing them to make sure there wasn't any holes in them. Then bagged up (this time in the correct little black plastic bags), before 20 of them were thrown in a big polythene bag and shoved my way.

And as for the column badges.........now that's another story, but they were safely locked away in another drawer (believe at the time they were something like £650 each and often found themselves appearing at leaving speeches)! Oh the fun we had with the MoD plod and the badges!

[NutLoose]

:{ A little update

VC10's at Brunty - Page 4 - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=99326&page=4)

from that thread, lot more pics on the above link, look away now if you love the old Ten..:(

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/plazzdaman/VC10/0005-1.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/plazzdaman/VC10/0003.jpg

Odd they have taped up the door gaps considering they live outside

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/plazzdaman/VC10/0024.jpg

[twoteapots]

Squash Balls, I remember well getting a call from a Range Manager at Harrogate, who told me to draw the item from Bzn Tech Stores, unpack it and tell him what exactly I was looking at. Could have told him that without opening the box, but when I did tell him, all I got was a stunned silence at the other end. He just discovered what most of VC10 & Belfast Line + Base Hanger had known for years!! Seem to remember they made it V&A thereafter, but it made little difference as, for some strange reason, it still remained one the highest consumed items on the ten!:}

[handleturning]

Was working at Bruntingthorpe today as they took delivery of a Nimrod.

[6foottanker]

Ah, come on, it'll do a trip.....!

[Robby NL]

Another VC10 has just circled Lutterworth wheels down into Bruntingthorpe. The wing refuelling pods had been removed so it 'appears' its another one due to be RTP'd and disposed of.

Does anybody know which tail No. it is?

PS: Shame it couldn't have landed in time for the fast running day on Sunday, Comet Victor, Nimrod & VC10 would have been a great picture!

[TEEEJ]

Robby wrote,

Does anybody know which tail No. it is?

It should be XV105

Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums - View Single Post - Bruntingthorpe Cold War Jets Open Day 28th August (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showpost.php?p=1793262&postcount=13)

TJ

[jamesdevice]

so do we have enough tankers left to get a bomber or maritime patrol aircraft down to the Falklands and back ?

[Wrathmonk]

jamesdevice posted

so do we have enough tankers left to get a bomber or maritime patrol aircraft down to the Falklands and back ?:mad:

Oh dear. Now that Libya seems to have been "won" without a UK (FW) carrier along comes another attempt to divert a perfectly good thread into the carrier/Harrier bore-a-thon.... :ugh::ugh:

[lj101]

Yes

so do we have enough tankers left to get a bomber or maritime patrol aircraft down to the Falklands and back ?

We do.

Wrathmonk - It was a perfectly reasonable question.

[Navy_Adversary]

I was working outside today just south of Leicester when about 1430 I saw the VC-10 preparing to land at Brunty.
It seemed to do a flypast, then a couple of missed approaches, I got a reasonable view of it on the downwind legs. Another one bites the dust.:{

[lj101]

With 4 more to be disposed of very very soon (apparently).

James - Come back and ask the same question then....

[The late XV105]

"It should be XV105"

:{

[Exascot]

"It should be XV105"

Yes and it should be nice and shiny.

http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/small/403/403112.jpg

Got a photo of XV109 on the wall of my office (shiny :ok: )

[bvcu]

well we dont have any maritime patrol left or bombers ......... could send a C130 instead i suppose !!!

[Groundloop]

well we dont have any maritime patrol left or bombers ......... could send a C130 instead i suppose !!!

I think you'll find the Tornado is a bomber (as is the Typhoon after Libya)!:ok:

[donotscrapXV108]

It was 105
High pass - followed by low overshoot and a tidy landing - but within minutes it was parked up and the Conways were shut down for the last time.:{
XV108 must not meet the same fate!:=

[Pete268]

Just out of interest and providing it is not classified information, can I ask how many VC10's the RAF still have flying, both on pax duties (if they are still allowed) and on air to air refuelling?

I understand that the tri* K1 that Marshall's were playing with will not fly again, so are we a running a little short of pax aircraft and tankers nowadays?

Peter

[Exascot]

Pete, I was thinking just the same but out of personal interest how many of the old 10 Sqn ones are still flying especially as 105 is now grounded?

[Jhieminga]

I try to keep track of them on this page: RAF VC10s (http://www.vc10.net/History/RAFVC10s.html)

If you count the ones marked 'active' in the table at the bottom of the page, there are 12 VC10s still in service with 101 Squadron.

Edited to add: 7 of those are ex-10 Squadron VC10s from the original batch of 14 C1s.

[Exascot]

Jhieminga thank you for that. I know of this site but didn't realize it was kept so up to date. They even have the demise of 105 listed. I see 10 Sqn had 14 VC10s I thought they only had 13. I know our establishment was 12 and we kept one up our sleeve, so as to speak, but were they hiding one from me?

[ICM]

14 aircraft were delivered to 10 Sqn of which one was later taken to be the RB211 testbed and never recovered to squadron service, leaving an Aircraft Establishement (AE) of 13. The revised AE post-the 74/75 Defence Review was, in fact, 11 plus 2 In-Use Reserves (IURs) - ie 11 aircraft were funded for crews, fuel, spares etc but all 13 remained available for use at unit level. The IUR scheme was a neat device for those of us concerned with tasking, but I was never certain that Eng Wg was quite so happy with it.

[The late XV105]

Jhieminga thank you for that ... They even have the demise of 105 listed.

You can actually thank Jhieminga (http://www.vc10.net/Misc/Personalstory.html) for the site, because "They" is "Him" - and it his kind work that we benefit from! :)

[Pete268]

Thank you Jhieminga (http://www.vc10.net/Misc/Personalstory.html)

A very interesting website.

Peter

[Exascot]

Thank you Jelle great site.

XV105 I have been looking for your obituary in The Times but have not seen it yet. Perhaps you are just in retirement not deceased?

[Jhieminga]

Guilty as charged M'lud ;)

I'd say that XV105 is currently in the ICU, and not expected to walk out of the hospital. Sad but inevitable.

[VictorPilot]

As a matter of interest, the VC-10 was planned to land prior to the Open Day - in fact it flew 3 approaches on Friday, but could not see the runway at minimum BOA so it eventually diverted back to BZN for another try the following Tuesday when you saw it.

[Exascot]

A very remote village, no road no electricity no mains water. On a very remote Greek island. A very chaotic study but - look what is on the wall top left :ok:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/32684975/DSC06556.JPG

I am in the office at the moment I will check which one it is when I get back home.

[brokenlink]

Beagle,
Yes the badges were very nice, so much so that for the last few years of servicing at St Athan as soon as the aircraft landed the badges were removed and locked safely in someones desk!
We also had issues with part of the toilet flush mechanism which contained a squash ball made by a well know tyre manufacturer, they tended to be under lock and key as well!