RAF TriStar Retirement and A330 Into Service

[Skipness One Echo]

Hey chaps (and chapesses!), had a good old google but does someone have a retirement timetable for the TriStar?
T'internet seems to think two stored at Cambridge and remainder still flying. What's this weeks plan for retirement for the L1011?

Also I make it 14 Airbuses on order with only six built thus far so are we expecting a gap in capability? What with the VC10 going as well?

Thanks !

[lj101]

Skip

I did hear last week that its the back end of next year for the Tristar now but an unconfirmed rumour.

UK MoD reviews retirement plans for RAF transports, tankers (http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-mod-reviews-retirement-plans-for-raf-transports-tankers-380893/)

Use of the TriStar will continue beyond a planned July 2013 end date until March 2014, for an additional cost of £7 million, the NAO says. This would be just two months before the AirTanker consortium is scheduled to declare full capability with a new fleet of Airbus A330 Voyagers, three of which are already in use in the passenger transport role. Release to service approval for the incoming type to begin in-flight refuelling activities is "imminent", AirTanker says.

The imminent is still rolling but they've changed 'their baskets' that didnt work for 'our' baskets that did (apparently - according to a reliable source).

VC10 exit September 2013 ish -