Profile- Vickers VC10

The medium range Trident (refer AN. s profile, September 1985) was a victim of its sponsor airline, British European Airways. Hawker Siddeley was told by BEA to reduce the capacity and range of the aircraft as originally proposed, and after it entered service complained it couldn’t carry enough far enough. The result was a development program on the Trident which was started too late and thus allowed the revived and properly sized Boeing 727 to capture a vast market. The final score was 727: 1,832; Trident: 117.

The long range part of this British trio was the Vickers VC10, the Vickers company becoming part of the nationalised British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) in the 1960s. Here, the aircraft’s sales performance was even worse. Only 54 were manufactured, of which 14 were for the Royal Air Force. Immensely popular with its passengers, the VC10 was once again in many ways a victim of its sponsoring airline, in this case the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), these days – along with the former BEA – part of British Airways.

VC10 Genesis

All things being equal, the British should have had the advantage over the Americans in the early days of jet airliners. The well known problem with the early de Havilland Comets were a blow which was never really recovered from, although in the genuine long range field, the British, through Vickers had a chance to take the lead which was instead eventually grabbed by Boeing with the 707 and Douglas with their DC-8.

Vickers had begun developing a long range jet transport as early as 1950. The V. 1000 in its basic form was intended for the RAF, but a civil variant called the VC7 0/C for ‘Vickers Commercial’) was planned in parallel. Powered by four Rolls-Royce Conway turbofan engines mounted in pairs in the wing roots, the V1000NC7 would have been approximately Boeing 707 size and would have offered several advantages over the American aircraft, an important one being the use of economical turbofan engines rather than the turbojets offered on early 707s.

The RAF ordered six V . 1000s but in 1955 the project was cancelled with the first flight of the new aircraft only a few months away. The RAF order was rescinded and BOAC showed a total lack of interest in the project. This left British industry with no long range airliner program, allowing Boeing in particular to take

the lead in that market . BOAC, for its part, ordered 707s with

Conway engines. But Vickers continued investigating the possibilities, investing its own money into things like a jet powered development of the turboprop Vanguard, before settling on a configuration which was similar to the VC10 as it finally emerged – a six abreast cabin, rear mounted engines and T-tail.

By 1957 BOAC had evolved a requirement for a long range jet airliner of 707 size but for use on its Far Eastern and African routes where economical operation from the shortish and usually hot and high airfields in those parts of the world was difficult to attain. The Vickers Type 1100 0JC10) was developed to meet those requirements from the work already done, and a slight irony later developed when most of those shorter runways had to be lengthened anyway to cope with the hundreds of 707s and DC-8s which came into service in the 1960s.

In January 1958, BOAC signed a contract for 35 VC10s with options on a further 20, and Vickers was able to start full scale development of the type. The VC10 (or Standard VC10 as it became known when the stretched ‘Super’ came along later) emerged as a shorter aircraft than the 707, capable of carrying up to 151 passengers or 135 in a typical BOAC two class arrangement.

Power was provided by four Conway Mk. 540s each offering 20,370lb thrust. In order to meet the stringent airfield performance requirements, the aircraft featured a very efficient wing with leading edge slats, outboard ailerons, upper wing spoilers and enormous Fowler flaps. A feature was the use of split control surfaces, each driven by separate power units managed by two autopilots, each monitoring the other. The result was a very high level of system reliability which later allowed the VC10 to be one of the first airliners certified for completely ‘hands off’ automatic landings in nil visibility.

The original design life of the VC10 was set at ten years before major structural reworking would be required, although the superbly engineered design proved much tougher than that. In the case of BOAC’s Super VC1Os, 17 years’ service and typically better than 53,000 flying hours was achieved before this kind of work was required.

The decision to go against the 707/DC-8 ‘norm’ and have rear mounted engines and a T-tail was made on the basis of airfield performance at a small cost in operating economy and a greater cost in structural weight. Both of the latter became more important in later years, particularly when the price of fuel skyrocketed in the early 1970s.

A new assembly hall was built at Vickers’ Weybridge facility to take care of the VC10 and after what was a relatively rapid development program, the first Type 1100 VC10 recorded its maiden flight on 29 June 1962. The aircraft was painted in full BOAC livery for the occasion and registered G-ARTA. Also built were two static test airframes.

The Standard VC10s

Production of the Standard VC10 for the airlines reached only 18 aircraft, the result of BOAC deciding to change some of its order to Supers when that aircraft became available. More of the fun and games associated with that later!

As it had previously done with the Viscount and Vanguard, Vickers/BAG allocated individual type numbers to aircraft built for different customers. The basic Type 1100 (or V. 1100) applied to the first aircraft only, which remained in BAC’s ownership until 1968 when it began a period of service with several airlines (Laker, Middle East, British United and British Caledonian) which ended in January 1972 when it was damaged beyond repair in a heavy landing at London’s Gatwick Airport.

The designation V. 1101 applied to BOAC’s aircraft, 12 of which were delivered between December 1963 and September 1964, registered G-ARVA to ARVM. BOAC operated its first VC10 services on 29 April 1964, flying two aircraft to Africa on that day. The VC10 was soon in use on the airline’s other routes as well, including New York, Toronto and Central America as well as those for which it was originally intended.

Passenger acceptance was immediately high and continued to be so during the course of the VC10’s life. Load factors of around or better than 70% were normal and on the Central and South American services they were constantly in excess of 80%. Even after the dawning of the widebody era, BOAC found that many passengers still asked specifically for the VC10 in preference to a Boeing 747.

Two other airlines ordered new Standard VC10s, both of them in 1961. In 1960 British United Airways began investigating a replacement for its Bristol Britannias and placed an order for two V. 1103s the following year. These differed from BOAC’s aircraft in several ways, most notably by the incorporation of a large freight door in the forward port fuselage. BUA’s VC1Os also featured a wing of slightly increased (4%) chord, something which became a standard feature of subsequent Standard and Super VC10s.

BUA’s two V. 1103s (G-ASIW/ASIX) were delivered in September and October 1964, respectively, and were joined in July 1965 by a third example, G-ATDJ. In addition, the prototype flew with BUA for a period from March 1969.

BUA’s third VC10 was originally intended for Ghana Airways, which ordered three V. 1102s, one in full passenger configuration and the other two with freight doors similar to the British United’s aircraft. Ghana Airways quickly realised it had ordered too much capacity, so its third aircraft (with freight door) was sold to BUA before completion.

The other two (9G-A BO/ABP) were delivered in June and July 1965, the latter becoming one of several VC10s written off in unusual circumstances when it fell victim to an Israeli attack on Beirut Airport in December 1968 whilst on lease to Middle East Airways.

Nigerian Airways was another VC10 operator, but in a roundabout way. The airline ordered two V. 1104s but cancelled. One ex-BOAC aircraft was purchased in 1969 (G-ARVA) but this was soon lost in a landing accident at Lagos. Prior to that, Nigerian had jointly operated BOAC’s Standard VC1Os on its West African routes.

Gulf Air was another airline which purchased Standard VC10s from BOAC, obtaining five in 1974/75 and operating them for three years before replacing them with Lockheed TriStars.

The Super VC10

A stretched VC10 offering greater passenger capacity was an obvious step for both Vickers and BOAC, taking advantage of more powerful Conway variants and offering lower seat/mile costs than the standard aircraft. The result was an aircraft 13 feet (3. 96m) longer than the original, capable of carrying up to 174 passengers and featuring extended Kuchemann wingtips (which increased the cruising speed from Mach 0. 82 to Mach 0. 86), extra fuel (including some in the fin), plus thrust reversers on all four engines instead of just the outboard two as on the Standard. Weights were naturally increased, maximum takeoff growing from 314,000lb (142,430kg) to 335,000lb (151,950kg). Power was provided by four Conway 550s, each of 21,800lb thrust. Worth noting is the fact that Vickers’ original investigations into a ‘Super’ VC10 were based on a larger 200 seater, which BOAC rejected.

The politics of BOAC played no small part in ensuring that Super VC10 production reached only 22 aircraft, 17 for Britain’s flag carrier and five for East African Airways. BOAC, mainly through its Chairman, Sir Giles Guthrie, seemed to do all it could to damage the reputation of the aircraft, publicly criticising it and even demanding a government subsidy for having to operate it. The VC10 was actually a reliable aircraft which although not quite as economic to operate as the later turbofan 707s, was still able to more than pay for itself. And as mentioned above, its passenger appeal was second to none in its day.

The reason why BOAC took it upon itself to do so much unjustifiable damage to the VC10 has never been properly explained, but it certainly killed the aircraft’s prospects in the export market. One writer at the time was even unkind enough to suggest that perhaps there were some Boeing shares floating around the BOAC boardroom!

BOAC changed and cut its Standard and Super VC10 order several times. The original order for 35 plus 20 options was amended to just 12 Standards, and then increased to include 30

Supers, eight with the large freight door and reinforced floor. _ The

passenger only aircraft were designated V. 1151s and the n:11xed freight/passenger aircraft V. 1152s. The latter order was finally reduced to 17 only, and that was the total of V. 1151 Super VC1Os finally built for BOAC.

Of these, two fell victim to hijackers in 1970 and 1974, the first (G-ASGN) making dramatic television footage as it was blown up in Jordan by the hijackers in company with several other aircraft and the second (G-ASGO) suffering a similar fate at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airpor t after the PLO had hijacked it.

There was no prototype Super VC10 as such. The first aircraft was a V. 1151 for BOAC and it first flew on 7 May 1965. It, along with the next three Supers off the line, was delivered in April 1965, and the remaining 13 aircraft followed between then and May 1969. BOAC’s Super VC10s were registered in the block G-ASGA to G-ASGP, and then G-ASGR; ‘Q’ was not used.

The last VC10s built were five V. 1154 Supers for East African Airways, delivered between September 1966 and February 1970. These all featured the large freight door. One was lost in 1972 in a takeoff accident at Addis Ababa, while the remaining four were repossessed in 1977 after EAA collapsed. These Super VC10s were then sold to the RAF for conversion to tankers. Operators of second hand VC10s included Air Ceylon, which leased one of Gulf Air’s Standards, while ex-BOAC Standards also saw service as very impressive ‘bizjets’ in the service of the Qatar ruler and Sheik Zayed of Abu Dhabi. One of the former BUA aircraft was used by the Sultan of Oman, and like others of its ilk, was fitted out to a very high – indeed sumptuous – standard inside. The Supers remained with their original operators until they were repossessed as was the case of EAA’s, or retired from service in the case of the BOAC/British Airways machines.

VC10 in Uniform

The need for a long range strategic transport aircraft for the RAF led to the VC10 C Mk. 1 or Type 1106, 14 of which were delivered between July 1966 and July 1968 for use by No 10 Squadron RAF at Brize Norton. These aircraft were allocated the RAF serial numbers XR806-810, XV101-109 and were appropriately named after RFC and RAF Victoria Cross recipients.

The V. 1106 combined the Standard VC10’s short fuselage (with freight door and strengthened floor) with the Super’s engines, longer span wings and fuel capacity. Maximum takeoff weight was midway between the two civil variants at 323,000lb (146,513kg); an auxiliary power unit was fitted as was a flight refuelling probe and its associated plumbing.

When it joined the Royal Air Force, the VC10 was the largest and heaviest aircraft it had ever flown. Since then the type has operated all over the world, taking freight and passengers (including various members of the Royal Family) to wherever required. One RAF VC10 (XR808) was leased by Rolls-Royce for several years from 1969 with whom it was given the civil registration G-AXLR and used as a test bed for the RB211 large turbofan engine. The RB211 was attached to a new pylon on the port side in place of the standard Conways. The aircraft was flown by Rolls-Royce until 1976 when it was withdrawn from use and scrapped. 10 Squadron’s surviving 13 VC10s remain in service.

New Lease of Life

By the mid 1970s the VC1Os’ future looked bleak with British Airways planning their withdrawal by the end of the decade and few other operators showing interest in operating them after that. In 1978 the RAF formulated a requirement for more tanker aircraft, using second hand VC10s as the basis. Nine VC10s were acquired to fulfil the program, five former BOAC Standards (redesignated K Mk. 2s in RAF service) and the four surviving East African Airways Supers, which were renamed the VC10 K Mk. 3. Modification of the aircraft was carried out by British Aerospace at Filton and involved the fitting of three Flight Refuelling Ltd hose and drum units, one under each wing and one mounted in the lower rear fuselage. Five additional fuel tanks were installed in the cabin, each of 700imp gal (3,182 I) capacity, bringing the total maximum fuel load to 21,440 gal (97,466 I) in the K. 2 and 22,815 gal (103,7171) in the K. 3. The conversions involved a great deal of structural reworking to accommodate the modifications and maximum weights remained as per the standard civil aircraft. The first K. 2 conversion flew in June 1982 and entered service in July 1983. The first K. 3 took to the air in July 1984 and the last was handed over in 1986. The tanker VC10s received their baptism of fire in the 1991 Gulf War. More tanker conversions are underway. In 1981 the RAF purchased 14 recently retired British Airways Supers, plus a former Gulf Air Standard the following year. Six of the Supers were identified as being suitable for conversion to tankers (as K Mk. 4s) of which five have been approved to undergo the necessary work. These aircraft will feature only the two underwing hoses and no extra tanks.

In addition, eight of No 10 Squadron’s C . 1s will be modified to operate as tankers as a secondary role. These will be redesignated as the VC10 C Mk. 1(K) and like the K. 4s will have two refuelling points and no fuselage tanks.

The elegant Vickers VC10, for so long a victim of the airline that helpedcreate it, will continue to serve a useful purpose for some years, albeit not in civilian colours but those.