VC-10, XV104 engine pod to caravan conversion on Channel 4, July 1st, 9pm

[TEEEJ]

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, Channel 4, UK, 1st July, 9pm

XV104 engine pod to caravan conversion on Channel 4, July 1st

Season 9 episode 3 of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces will feature Steve Jones’ incredible VC10 engine pod to caravan conversion. It will air on Channel 4 on Wednesday 1st July at 21:00. The project started out with the engine nacelle from XV104, which has been halved (only the outboard half has been used) and mounted on a trailer with the inside converted into a mobile home. Steve has posted some teaser photos on Facebook, but we'll have to wait for the episode to air to get the whole story. Footage of ZD241 at Bruntingthorpe may well be included in the show.

http://www.vc10.net/news.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/239881210091714/?post_id=728858051194025

[Jhieminga]

If you missed the programme, there is more about this amazing pod here: https://www.facebook.com/The-VC10-caravan-pod-108438714152064/

[treadigraph]

I did see some of the programme, amazing what he ended up with - be even better if XV104 was still flying though.

My old military aircraft log has just surfaced, apparently I saw her at Heathrow on 3rd January 1978. (Love to know what happened to the civvy logs, sure I didn't chuck them out...)

[Jhieminga]

If you saw XV104 at Heathrow, it may have been operating a VIP flight, it was often used for that purpose. No way to find out what the occasion was unfortunately.

[treadigraph]

Probably "Sunny Jim" Callaghan off somewhere, it wasn't the Queen departing on a State Visit. Log says I also saw XV103 at Heathrow in April '78. The rest of the C.1s were all seen at Brize on several visits, other than XV101 which displayed at Biggin Hill in '76.

Just remembered the last time I saw any VC-10 fly was at the Biggin Air Fair in 2010 - great to see one flying at the event again but it landed too and stayed the night. I saw it the next afternoon heading west past Kenley at a couple of thousand feet while I was driving back from a Rapide flight at Shoreham! That was also XV101 apparently.

[ARCHIE1]

I navigated (remember them?) XV104 all over the world many times between '77 and '94. Destinations such as Hong Kong, Washington Dulles and Calgary feature frequently in my logbooks, with Thumrait (Op Granby) and 65N 00E/W precisely (a SATCOM trial) much less often. I see XV104 took my young son and nephew on a Brize Norton families flight in '78, with time on the flight deck, an event these 50-somethings still remember with glee. My last trip in XV104, and penultimate VC10 flight, was another flight trial (TACAN) in '94 followed by delivery straight to St Athan for a major service. Fond memories; however I could only watch a few minutes of what I'm sure was a great programme on Channel 4 the other night - speck of grit or something in my eye.

[Jhieminga]

Judging from the photos on this page: Flightline UK - Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2010 - Review (http://www.airshows.org.uk/2010/airshows/biggin-hill-international-air-fair-review.html) it was XV106 that visited the Biggin Hill Air Fair in 2010. I can just make out the 'W' on the fin on the photo shown here.

[treadigraph]

You're right, it was XV106 - my google search bought up XV101 in conjunction with something else while also referencing Biggin Air Fair 2010! Oooops! You can just make out the serial in the video below and the W is quite clear!

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2p8sex

[TEEEJ]

Thanks for the link, Jhieminga. :ok:

__BB4FlINYI

[ICM]

XV 104 seen at LHR on 3 January 1978 - at a guess, to pick up Foreign Secretary David Owen for one of several flights into Africa around that time, in pursuit of a resolution of matters in Zimbabwe dating back to Rhodesian UDI in 1965. He was the most prolific VIP user for quite some time.

[ICM]

After a bit of asking around, I'm now reliably told by one of the crew that the 3 January 1978 flight was at LHR to pick up the PM, Jim Callaghan, for a tour of India and Pakistan. (And the crew member concerned did one of the David Owen flights I mentioned.)

[treadigraph]

Blimey, thank you ICM! :ok:

[Jhieminga]

And another little bit of XV104's history emerges. I have added it to the timeline here: https://www.vc10.net/Airframes/cn_834__XV104.html With thanks to treadigraph and ICM!

[treadigraph]

Looking at your excellent site, you could also add XV101 performing at the Biggin Hill Battle of Britain Day on 4th September 1976 - just a flying visit.

[Jhieminga]

Good point, I have just added it, thanks!