My Godfather worked as a draughtsman at Vickers Armstrong’s at Weybridge in the 50’s and 60’s as a stress engineer and did work on the design of the undercarriage
The "Vicky 10"! Was based at Brize on Air Movements from '74 - '78. Very first flight ever in anything was on XV 105. I was 17 and the flight was an air test... shouldn't have been on it but strings got pulled! Fell in love with flying after that! Pros; speed, comfort, great food! Cons; loading the the 2 part towing bar in the rear hold when it had a tech 3 pack, unstacking the "vent" baggage compartment and loading freight pallets! As for reliability... XV 104 & XV 109... ? Let's say they were unpopular frames! Almost guaranteed to go tech delay or frame-change...! Still, the aircraft still holds the subsonic record London to New York and is one of the best looking planes ever put in the sky. Too many tales to tell on this plane...
I flew out to Singapore on the VC10 chartered from Eagle Airways whilst in the Army I think it was 1965 or 66 with a stop at Sri Lanka it was known as Ceylon then we had Air bases everywhere in them days Reply
Nice to see the '10 getting some exposure. Comically loud aircraft on take off. Made a Phantom sound positively demure. Great interview, Mike. Thanks. :-)
I was stationed at RAF Brize Norton from 1986 -1990 as a member of Tac Comms Wing ( UKMF ). The VC-10 was a common sight and sound during my time living and working on the base and I along with my colleagues got to fly on one several times on exercises overseas. Met a girl from RAF Cranwell during this time as she was down on a interview to be an air stewardess on the VC-10's , ended up married to her and have 3 sons. Great times.
I did two tours of duty on 10 Sqn in 1985 - 1989 then 1993. - 1996. as an Air Steward best job I have ever done. I saw a lot of the world and spent a lot of time in the USA and Canada, not forgetting Hong Kong and the far east.
When I was in cadets, I did an overseas flight experience in one of these, from Brize Norton to Cyprus - and back same day. I remember people used to ask "what was the point in that, did you see much of Cyprus?" And I'm like....I saw the building, I saw the way the RAF dealt with the officers when it came to things like passport control and customs, and how they briefed for the flight back. It was a great time, and how they made extra bit of pocket money (they bought stuff like cigarettes cheap, and sold it upon landing). I really enjoyed my day with them, I recall listening to some of the stories of the pilots (they were older pilots, operating as VR(t) who used to fly fast jets in their younger days)
I did my air experience as an air cadet in early 70s on a VC 10 doing circuits and bumps at Brize. It had only 60 seats , the rest of the fuselage was empty and we were so bored we made a football with our socks and then played a game . The plane soon landed as an emergency and both pilots came out of the cockpit white faced until they realised the reason for the the uncontrollable pitching was due to 60 burley air cadets moving from front to back of fuselage!
I flew down to Belize from Brize Norton in April 1992 in a VC-10, via Washington. That was an interesting experience, particularly as the aircraft was escorted into Belize by two Harrier GR3 which had glove puppets of Sooty and Sweep waving at us from the Harrier cockpits off either VC-10 wing. Once on the ground, with the doors then open, the Belize heat and humidity got to work so that quite a quantity of moisture formed inside the cabin which then streamed and ran along the underside of the cabin before pooling into quite a significant raindrop - which then dropped onto the poor unfortunate in the seat immediately underneath. It was a good soaking too!
As a child in the mid 60s, father was in the RAF, I flew on many VC 10 planes, and the Super VC 10, excellent planes, fast as well…comfy, and brilliant flight crew, often invited upto the flight deck, and the food….first class, once travelled from Brize Norton to Akrotiri in Cyprus sitting on webbed bags, no seats…that was on a Hercules….brilliant memories….I think that on some if not all, the seats were facing the other way….oh those were the days….lots of smoke and noise…..
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My Godfather worked as a draughtsman at Vickers Armstrong’s at Weybridge in the 50’s and 60’s as a stress engineer and did work on the design of the undercarriage
The "Vicky 10"! Was based at Brize on Air Movements from '74 - '78. Very first flight ever in anything was on XV 105. I was 17 and the flight was an air test... shouldn't have been on it but strings got pulled! Fell in love with flying after that! Pros; speed, comfort, great food! Cons; loading the the 2 part towing bar in the rear hold when it had a tech 3 pack, unstacking the "vent" baggage compartment and loading freight pallets! As for reliability... XV 104 & XV 109... ? Let's say they were unpopular frames! Almost guaranteed to go tech delay or frame-change...! Still, the aircraft still holds the subsonic record London to New York and is one of the best looking planes ever put in the sky. Too many tales to tell on this plane...
firstb ever flight in an aircraft , flew with the raf to canada in one named guy gibson , wierd facing the rear of the aircraft .
I flew out to Singapore on the VC10 chartered from Eagle Airways whilst in the Army I think it was 1965 or 66 with a stop at Sri Lanka it was known as Ceylon then we had Air bases everywhere in them days
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Nice to see the '10 getting some exposure. Comically loud aircraft on take off. Made a Phantom sound positively demure. Great interview, Mike. Thanks. :-)
I was stationed at RAF Brize Norton from 1986 -1990 as a member of Tac Comms Wing ( UKMF ). The VC-10 was a common sight and sound during my time living and working on the base and I along with my colleagues got to fly on one several times on exercises overseas. Met a girl from RAF Cranwell during this time as she was down on a interview to be an air stewardess on the VC-10's , ended up married to her and have 3 sons. Great times.
I did two tours of duty on 10 Sqn in 1985 - 1989 then 1993. - 1996. as an Air Steward best job I have ever done. I saw a lot of the world and spent a lot of time in the USA and Canada, not forgetting Hong Kong and the far east.
When I was in cadets, I did an overseas flight experience in one of these, from Brize Norton to Cyprus - and back same day.
I remember people used to ask "what was the point in that, did you see much of Cyprus?" And I'm like....I saw the building, I saw the way the RAF dealt with the officers when it came to things like passport control and customs, and how they briefed for the flight back.
It was a great time, and how they made extra bit of pocket money (they bought stuff like cigarettes cheap, and sold it upon landing). I really enjoyed my day with them, I recall listening to some of the stories of the pilots (they were older pilots, operating as VR(t) who used to fly fast jets in their younger days)
I did my air experience as an air cadet in early 70s on a VC 10 doing circuits and bumps at Brize. It had only 60 seats , the rest of the fuselage was empty and we were so bored we made a football with our socks and then played a game . The plane soon landed as an emergency and both pilots came out of the cockpit white faced until they realised the reason for the the uncontrollable pitching was due to 60 burley air cadets moving from front to back of fuselage!
16 A/C in 101 sqn represents nearly 1/3 of all VC-10's built!!! A very handsome looking airliner and tanker. Great interview as usual!
I remember watching the landings at Airport Camp, Belize. "Crap" or "Magic" according to Butcher radar.
Thanks Mike and Chris. I believe when in Civilian service the VC10 had the largest cockpit of all the airliners 👍😁
I flew down to Belize from Brize Norton in April 1992 in a VC-10, via Washington. That was an interesting experience, particularly as the aircraft was escorted into Belize by two Harrier GR3 which had glove puppets of Sooty and Sweep waving at us from the Harrier cockpits off either VC-10 wing. Once on the ground, with the doors then open, the Belize heat and humidity got to work so that quite a quantity of moisture formed inside the cabin which then streamed and ran along the underside of the cabin before pooling into quite a significant raindrop - which then dropped onto the poor unfortunate in the seat immediately underneath. It was a good soaking too!
Great vid. I flew on these in the early 90s during my time in the RAF.
Very interesting to hear about this legacy aircraft, and very enjoyably told. 👍
Hi chris nice to see you had your dream come true i used to instruct you in the days of 643 vgs at raf syerston
Neil cross
Hey Neil, I remember those days fondly, where it all started really!
@@chrisnash8814 yeh great times mate you still in the airforce what you flying these days.
@@neilcross462 afraid so, although I don’t want to ruin part 2 😉
@@chrisnash8814 ok buddy safe flying..
You too!
As tanking crew, did you have parachutes?
I don't want to know when you were trooping, I didn't want to know then.
Tanked many times behind these, great value!
Thanks for sharing your story 👍
Loved this Aircraft worked as a Air mover at Brize 2nd tour 90 - 97 spent a lot of time set in the ventral hatch with feet hanging out. Good times.
What he never tells you is....what the best squadron he held on was..... #emuas
Loved this Gents, more big jets please!
As a child in the mid 60s, father was in the RAF, I flew on many VC 10 planes, and the Super VC 10, excellent planes, fast as well…comfy, and brilliant flight crew, often invited upto the flight deck, and the food….first class, once travelled from Brize Norton to Akrotiri in Cyprus sitting on webbed bags, no seats…that was on a Hercules….brilliant memories….I think that on some if not all, the seats were facing the other way….oh those were the days….lots of smoke and noise…..
Pretty sure both 10 and 101 refuelled before they merged
Not the impression I got from the old and bolds on the squadron, but I could easily be wrong!
'Shiny 10' were the Transportand VIP Sqn, 101 were the tankers