There are 3 main types of RAF TriStar:
The 3 C2s are all ex-Pan Am. Virtually no mods needed - they even removed the IFE kit to make the misery of the trip to the Islas Malvinas complete.
The 6 tankers are all ex-ba TriStar 500s. Converted by Marshall Aerospace, the 4 KC1s are the most versatile as they have a proper upper deck freight door which the 2 K1s don't. They K s also have twin under fuselage hose drum units and extra fuel tankage.
Damien - notorious b£oody thing and always viewed with trepidation by those due to escape from the Malvinas on it!
There was once a plan to fit wing AR pods to the TriStar, but after £millions had been wasted, the idea was shelved.
For some oscure reason, a C2 is often known as a 'Timmy', whilst the KC1 is referred to by many as a 'freighter' (although it is, in reality, a multi-role tanker transport) and the folks down in Base Area Gringo, Islas Malvinas (Maggie's Poxy Airfield - MPA) as a 'Tommy'.
As regards the VC10, only the VC10C1Ks of 10 Sqn were bought from new. Originally they were mere trash-haulers and were known as the C1; later they were all converted to multi-role tanker transports by Flight Refuelling Limited. The VC10Ks of 101 Sqn are single role tanker-only aircraft; originally there were 5 third-hand ex-Standard VC10s which had been through the hands of BOAC and subsequently Gulf Air. They were the VC10K2. The other 9 consisted of 4 secondhand Super VC10s (with freight door, but rendered inoperative for the AR role) bought off BAC who'd re-possessed them from a bankrupt East African Airways Corporation. They were the VC10K3; the other 5 were ex-BA Super VC10s which were parked at RAF Abingdon for well over 10 years before being converted ( as had been the K2s and K3s) by BAe at Filton and were termed the VC10K4. The K2s are now all dead ( a third generation VC10 captain flew the last one to its final resting place - both her father and grandfather had also flown it!); all RAF VC10 aircrew now fly the VC10CIK and VC10K3/4 and all are trained in both air refuelling and air transport flying - the squadrons use eachothers aircraft and aircrew as tasking dictates.
Last edited by BEagle; 27th Jan 2004 at 04:33.