Vickers Vc10

“A comprehensive history of the VC10 . . . enhanced by the fabulous artwork and photographs . . . will take you back to the golden age of jet travel.” —Flight Line Book Review Designed and manufactured by the men who would make Concorde, the Rolls-Royce powered Vickers VC10, and its larger variant, the Super VC10, represented the ultimate in 1960s subsonic airliners. The VC10 was Britain’s answer to the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, but it could take off in a very short distance, climb more steeply, and land at slower speed than its rivals. These were vital safety benefits in the early years of the jet age. At one stage, the Super VC10 was the biggest airliner made in Europe and the fastest in the world. On entry into service, both the VC10 and the longer Super VC10 carved out a niche with passengers who enjoyed the speed, silence and elegance of the airliner. Pilots, meanwhile, loved its ease of flying and extra power. Yet the VC10 project was embroiled in machinations across many years and more than one government. Questions were asked in parliament and the whole story was enmeshed in a political and corporate affair that signified the end of British big airliner production. Yet the men who made the VC10 also went on to design and build Concorde. Many VC10 pilots became Concorde pilots. In service until the 1980s with British Airways, and until 2013 with the RAF, the VC10 became a British icon and a national hero, one only eclipsed by Concorde. It retains a place in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts the world over. “A good one-stop reference to the VC10.” —Scale Aviation Modeller International

This title presents the definitive history of the largest civil jet transport to be designed, built and enter service in the UK. It also covers all variants such as the V1000, VC11 and VC10 Superb, and includes a close-up-detail section for modellers.

“An excellent account of the political battles and the commercial skulduggery . . . and its outstanding service as a transport and tanker with the RAF.” —Firetrench The VC10 was the nation’s biggest jet airliner of its age and regarded as the world’s best-looking airliner. It was safe, fast, and designed to take off from short runways in Africa and Asia, at the request of its main operator BOAC—the airline that would later go on to become today’s British Airways. The VC10 and the larger Super VC10 were beloved by pilots and passengers alike and became icons of the 1960s. They were hugely popular all over the world. Yet the VC10 was eclipsed by Boeing’s 707 which sold by the hundreds, despite the fact that the 707 was less capable and could not initially operate from the runways of the Commonwealth and old British Empire routes, as the VC10 undoubtedly could. This book blends the story of VC10 development with a well-researched tale of corporate and political power play. It asks; just what lay behind the sales failure of the VC1O? Politics played an important part of course, as did BOACs tactics, and a whodunnit cast of politico-corporate events and machinations at the highest level of society during the dying days of Empire in 1960s Britain. Key players in the story, from Tony Benn to famous test pilot Brian Trubshaw (Concorde), are cited and quoted. By exploring this historical period in depth and highlighting all the various impediments that stood in the way of success for the VC10, Lance Cole adds an important layer to our understanding of twentieth century history.

Designed and manufactured by the men who would make Concorde, the Rolls-Royce powered Vickers VC10, and its larger variant, the Super VC10, represented the ultimate in 1960s subsonic airliners. The VC10 was Britain's answer to the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8.The VC10 was a second-generation jetliner designed in the 1960s and manufactured into the 1970s. It incorporated advanced engineering, new aerodynamics, and design features, to produce a swept, sculpted machine easily identifiable by its high T-tail design and rear-engine configuration.The VC10 could take off in a very short distance, climb more steeply and land at slower speed than its rivals the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. These were vital safety benefits in the early years of the jet age. At one stage, the Super VC10 was the biggest airliner made in Europe and the fastest in the world.On entry into service, both the VC10 and the longer Super VC10 carved out a niche with passengers who enjoyed the speed, silence and elegance of the airliner. Pilots, meanwhile, loved its ease of flying and extra power. Yet the VC10 project was embroiled in political and corporate machinations across many years and more than one government. BOAC got what they asked for but went on to criticise the VC10 for not being a 707 - which was a different beast entirely. Questions were asked in parliament and the whole story was enmeshed in a political and corporate affair that signified the end of British big airliner production. Yet the men who made the VC10 also went on to design and build Concorde. Many VC10 pilots became Concorde pilots.In service until the 1980s with British Airways, and until 2013 with the RAF, the VC10 became a British icon and a national hero, one only eclipsed by Concorde. It remains an enthusiast's hero.

Designed in the 1950s to operate on long-distance routes, the four-jet Vickers VC10 saw service with BOAC and a number of other airlines from the 1960s to 1981. It enjoyed a further career with the RAF as a strategic transport and later as an aerial refuelling aircraft. The last VC10 K3 tanker was retired by the RAF in 2013. Keith Wilson examines the design, construction and use of the VC10, using as his centrepiece ex-RAF VC10 C1K (XR808) and VC10 K3 (ZA147) tankers at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.

Boeing claimed the 707 as the airplane that made the world smaller and horizons larger. The DC-8 was developed a little later than the 707 and as a result was always playing catch up. Despite being a fine aircraft, the VC10 was too late to seriously challenge the 707 and DC-8, but today soldiers on in military service with the RAF as tankers and transports. This detailed work is filled with highlights of each aircrafts development plus a broad overview of its operational history. Legends of the Air 6. Sftbd., 8 1/4x 11, 186 pgs., 225 bandw ill., 60 color.