BAE Systems provides a support service for the Royal Air Force's fleet of VC10 tanker aircraft. Ensuring their fleet of VC10 tanker aircraft are up to the job, while at the same time reducing …

The VC10 was characterised by its soaring 'T-tail' and four rear-mounted Rolls-Royce Conway engines which provided a quiet passenger cabin and was exploited in the contemporary BOAC advertising with the slogan ‘Try a little VC-Tenderness’.

The Vickers VC10 is a retired mid-sized, narrow-body long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and first flown at Brooklands, Surrey, in 1962.

The VC10 aircraft has been used by the RAF since 1966, initially as long range transport, and since 1982 as an air-to-air refuelling aircraft, supporting fast-jets in UK operations and around the world. The VC10 story goes back to when the Vickers-built aircraft, designed as a long-haul jetliner, flew for the first time on June 29, 1962.

The VC10 was never designed as a tanker and it took quite a bit of work to convert the different airframes for their new role. Three conversion programs took place, creating four different types.

In 1978 the RAF announced their intention to form a squadron of nine VC10 AAR tankers. The contract was awarded to BAe Filton for the conversion of five ex-Gulf Air Standard VC10s to K2s and four ex-EAA Super VC10s to K3 status. The first K2 flew on 22nd June 1982 from Filton with BAe pilots Roy Radford and John Lewis.

Mar 29, 2024 · DALLAS — Today, in 1981, British Airways (BA) retired its last Vickers VC10, a mid-sized, narrow-body long-range jet. The VC10 was an iconic jet, and despite its limited production numbers (only 54 were ever built), the type played a pivotal role in British aviation.

Nov 12, 2023 · The VC10 was the last passenger aircraft built by Vickers-Armstrong before the company was absorbed into British Aerospace. It was initially intended to be a military transport jet but was offered to BOAC when the RAF scrapped its plans.

Jun 29, 2022 · Back in 2012, John McCrickard produced an extensive timeline of the 50 year history of the VC10, and a bit more. As we just saw the 60th anniversary of the VC10's first flight, I decided to share this timeline here, with some additions to bring it up to date.

Although it was only a modest success commercially, the VC10 became an important inflight tanker asset for the British Royal Air Force (RAF). This document provides a history and description of the VC10 -- as well as of the contemporary British …