4 VC10 K3/K4's at ACE

[El Grifo]

Just back from a shoot in Fuerteventura, to be told of a joint refuelling excercise between 4 RAF VC10 K3/K4's from Brize and F/A 18 Hornets from 46 Fighter wing from Gando in Gran Canaria.

This is said to have been based out of ACE Lanzarote.

Can anyone throw any light ?

[lj101]

It's not true.

[El Grifo]

Been promise the pictures tomorrow :eek:

[Rhino power]

Spanish AF have a DACT exercise on at Gando until the 20th, no mention of RAF involvement though...

-RP

[lj101]

Gosh, the K4's are out of service and there is only 1 K3 available and I think 3 VC10's (but maybe 4) left in service.

Last Flight of Final Royal Air Force VC10 K4: key.Aero, Military Aviation (http://www.key.aero/view_feature.asp?ID=143&thisSection=military)

News (http://www.vc10.net/news.html)

Could be wrong but fairly confident it's not true.

[El Grifo]

When I was told, I did not believe it. Where they could park the tankers alone was a mystery. I am getting the press shots tomorrow, so time will tell.

I am assured that it was based out of ACE and there were 4 RAF "VC 10's" from Brize Norton involved.

[ICM]

There are just 4 VC 10s still in squadron service- and it would appear that one of them (a K3, ZA 147) has been in the Canaries in recent days.

It's all here: A Little VC10derness (http://www.vc10.net/index.html)

[El Grifo]

Quite a lot of avenues to go down ICM. Can you point a little more sharply :ok:

[Ironside0]

Za 147 was definatley there last Tuesday ,if only i had been a bit quicker with the camera as we taxied out!,-wait pics as promised with anticipation

Regards

Dave

[Ironside0]

Just an aside,earlier this year there was talk of a VC-10 at RIAT,there is no mention of it in the RIAT website,anyone any ideas on this one,i realise it's early days yet but there is very little confirmed as attending,a sign of the times i suppose but there must be a VC-10 making a final appearance before retirement??

Dave

[Jimlad1]

Does this news mean that the Spanish Air Force PPRUNE equivalent is having a thread running about how the Spanish Air Force is a third rate force for exercising with foreign tankers? :E

[lj101]

One frame was in situ (Tenerife) last week.

[El Grifo]

ZA147 stiil around. Took off at 9.30 this morning. Didn't see it but sure as hell heard it.

Got the press shots now but they are still embargoed.

One image shows an RAF crew consisting of around 9 photographed along with another group in camo consisting of around the same number.

Would that constitute one crew or would it be indicative of more ?

[lj101]

4 flight deck, one ALM or Cabin supervisor plus 5 or 6 ground crew is normal - They may have 2 crews if used for training.

[Jhieminga]

Just an aside,earlier this year there was talk of a VC-10 at RIAT,there is no mention of it in the RIAT website,anyone any ideas on this one,i realise it's early days yet but there is very little confirmed as attending,a sign of the times i suppose but there must be a VC-10 making a final appearance before retirement??
They did promise one right here in this press release: RAF DELIVERS AIR TATTOO 'XMAS GIFT' (http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow/Newsroom/news/RAF-DELIVERS-AIR-TATTOO-XMAS-GIFT)
But I guess they haven't confirmed it yet...

[Davita]

Just found this site and thread, and this is my first post.
So the VC10 is being scrapped...so sad.
As a Flight Engineer I transferred from Hastings onto the first RAF VC10. It was so new I did the ground training/simulator at BOAC Cranebank.
I became a VIP Crew F/E and we often transported Ministers and Royalty in luxurious modules that were slid into the A/C thru' the freight door...indeed, I was on the crew that took Prince Charles; PM Wilson and Leader of Opposition Heath to Australia for the requim for the Australian PM who went missing, after a swim in the ocean, and never again found.
The VC10 was an outstanding aircraft and technically advanced for its time, especially the RAF variant.
After retiring from the RAF I joined an airline and converted to the B707, a much lesser technical aircraft than the VC10.
I recall the first day of training and the instructor asked "Any questions about the B707?" Someone put up their hand and asked "where do you shovel the coal?":E

A couple of years ago I saw a VC10 Tanker take off from Vancouver airport. I was so proud to see this majestic machine climb steeply out but....oh boy!... those Rolls engines can roar.

[54Phan]

He was Harold Holt, and the U.S. Navy named a destroyer after him. He was a strong supporter of U.S. efforts in Viet Nam.

[TBM-Legend]

....H.Holt quote>>> "all the way with LBJ!"

[Davita]

Yup...Harold Holt it was.

The USAF Air Force One was parked next to our VC10. After the remembrance ceremony President LBJ took-off a few hours ahead of us. His B707 lumbered-off the brand new runway at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne. We learned later he went directly to visit the troops in Vietnam.

We were only fuelled to go to Perth so very light...we elected, instead of de-rating, to show-off and do a full power V2 climb...the excitement in the voice of a local radio announcer, as we climbed almost vertically with the stick-shaker rattling, was palpable. :ok:
Our VC10 power to weight ratio was roughly equivalent to a 5-engined B707.

[El Grifo]

Here are a couple of snaps of one of the tankers departing ACE

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad253/crapestnamever/VC10takeoff_zps24cf3852.jpg (http://s941.photobucket.com/user/crapestnamever/media/VC10takeoff_zps24cf3852.jpg.html)


http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad253/crapestnamever/VC10takesoff_zps37252915.jpg (http://s941.photobucket.com/user/crapestnamever/media/VC10takesoff_zps37252915.jpg.html)

El G.