Vickers VC-10

Vickers had honed the VC10 since the cancellation of the VC7/V1000 in 1955. As it became clear that BOAC would buy Boeing 707s for trans-oceanic routes, George Edwards aimed his design at their Medium-Range Empire routes to countries with undeveloped hot and high airports. Alongside this, he also had in mind the RAF’s need for a personnel/freight transport, again to ‘up-country’ destinations. Though in time the Super VC10 did come to fly the North Atlantic, its progenitor was never intended as a true long-ranger, nor was it ever a pure civilian machine. The VC10/Super VC10 needs 17 hydraulic actuators in their tailplanes. Much of its structure was famously milled from solid billets of metal.

A long-range civil transport featuring rear-mounted engines emerged when intro-duced, the VC10 tailored closely to the requirements of BOAC. The prototype (G-ARTA) flew for the first time on 29 June 1962, powered by four Rolls-Royce Conway turbofan engines.

Vickers VC10 Srs1100

The VC10 entered service on BOAC's route to West Africa on 29 April 1964. Four production variants and a modification of the prototype were produced: the Model 1101, of which 12 went to BOAC accommodated 16 first-class and 93 economy passengers; the Model 1102, of which two went to Ghana Airways, one with a large hydraulically operated cargo door between the standard passenger doors and both with 4% chord leading-edge extension from wing root to fence; the Model 1103, of which three went to British United Airways with cargo door and extended leading edge; Model 1106, of which 14 went to RAF Air Support Command with cargo door, folding hatracks, machined cargo floor, extended leading edge, 97kN Conway RCo.43 Mk 301 turbofans and fin fuel tank; and the Model 1109, the prototype brought up to airline standard for Laker Airways, with the Model 1106 wing. Standard engines for the VC10 were four 90.6kN Rolls-Royce Conway RCo. 42 turbofans in lateral pairs on each side of the rear fuselage. RAF basic transport version designated VC10 C.1. C.2 is the unconfirmed designation of flight refuelling tanker conversions of five VC10 and four Super VC10.

A developed version, the Super VC 10, with a longer fuselage, an improved wing leading-edge and more powerful engines was able to accommodate up to 174 economy-class passengers and had a maximum range of 4,720 miles (7,600 km).

Only 54 sold. Only nine of those built were for customers outside of Britain.

 

Eleven Super VC-10s, once operated by BOAC and British Airways, were purchased by the RAF/Ministry of Defence in 1981 and flown into long term storage at Abingdom. In 1990 the decision to convert six of the stored airframes to three point refuelling tankers at British Aerospace's Filton facility was announced.

Gallery

Engines: 4 x RR Conway RCo-42 turbo-jet, 93.4kN
Max take-off weight: 141521 kg / 312002 lb
Empty weight: 67094 kg / 147918 lb
Wingspan: 44.6 m / 146 ft 4 in
Length: 48.4 m / 158 ft 10 in
Height: 12.0 m / 39 ft 4 in
Wing area: 264.3 sq.m / 2844.90 sq ft
Cruise speed: 915 km/h / 569 mph
Range w/max.fuel: 8328 km / 5175 miles
Range w/max.payload: 6680 km / 4151 miles
Crew: 4-6
Passengers: 108-151

Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce Conway RCo.42 turbofan, 20370 lb (9240 kg)
Wing span: 146 ft 2 in (44.55m)
Length: 158 ft 8 in (48.36m)
Wing area: 2,851 sq ft (264.9sq.m)
Gross weight: 314,000 lb (142,430 kg)
Max cruising speed: 568 mph (914 kph)
Typical range: 5,040 miles (8,115 km) with max payload
Crew: 3-4
Pax cap: 109

VC-10 Srs 1100
Engines: 4 x RR Conway, 21,000 lb
Wing span: 146 ft 2 in (44.55 m)
Length: 158 ft 8 in (48.36m)
Height: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
Max TO wt: 312,000 lb (141,520 kg)
Max level speed: M0.86

Super VC-10
Engines 4 x 22,500 lb. (10,205 kg.) Rolls-Royce Conway RCo.43 turbofan
Length 171.7 ft. (52.32 m.)
Wing span 146 ft 2 in (44.55 m.)
Height, 39 ft 6 in
Gross wing area, 2 932 sq.ft
Basic operational weight, 154 552 lb
Max. take-off, 335 000 lb
Max. landing, 267 000 lb
Max. payload (volume limited), 47,150 lb
Max. zero fuel, 215,000 lb
Total fuel, 154,700 lb
Power loading (max. take-off weight), 3.72 1b/1b
Wing loading (max. take-off weight), 114.2 lb/sq.ft
Wing loading (max. landing weight), 80.9 lb/sq.ft
Accommodation: 24 first-class at 46 in pitch and 103 coach class at 33 in pitch
Max. high density seating: 169 at 33 in pitch.
High-speed cruise, 500 kt. at 33 000 ft
Long-range cruise, 459 kt at 40 000 ft
Approach speed, 134 kt
Take-off field length, ISA at sea level, 8660 ft
Landing field length, ISA at sea level, 6830 ft
Range with allowances, max. fuel, 25,750 lb payload, 5 450 nm
Max. usable floor area, 1130 sq.ft
Max. usable cabin volume , 7600 cu.ft
Max. cabin length, 103 ft
Max. width, 137.8 in
Aisle height, 91 in.
Freight and baggage holds: 1930 cu.ft