🇬🇧 VC10 Pair Retirement The Final Sortie RAF Brize Norton

After 47 years of RAF ZA147 ZA150 flew out on there final sortie refuelling Typhoon Tornado Hercules along with refuelling one VC10 from the other.

[@solidlift]

Real aircraft, ladies and gentlemen... These are what aircraft were meant to be.

[@gooner72]

I absolutely adore the VC-10, truly iconic British aircraft design. 🇬🇧🇬🇧✌✌

[@keithsmith8146]

Loved the VC10's, when my late dad was serving in the armed forces. We were often using these planes to be flown around the world. What fantastic memories I have, thanks for sharing.

[@davmar5648]

Two Lovely Girls. Those Conway's sound like a symphony

[@JeffGR4]

+davmar : Thanks for that wonderful simile.

[@donaldmason4959]

I often wondered what the neighbours thought of us taking off in the early hours for Cyprus!

[@colinboneham7387]

Sad to see the beautiful queens end their days, Rolls Royce Conways are such a great sound.

[@LILACJENNIFER]

A copy of this video clip should be sent to the MOD so that those responsible for the demise of these birds could see what a waste it would be if they were simply scrapped for recycling or for scrap cash. The flypast was simply magnificent and I would dare to say better than the Vulcan or the BBMF for sheer impact. A VC-10 preservation trust should be created to keep at least one of these aircraft in flying condition for future Royal flypasts and airshows, a heritage flight perhaps?

[@lukerichards1844]

Jennifer Jordan I will be happy to be part of that. My Grandad used to design Rolls Royce aircraft engines and I believe he was on the design team for the Conway engine. Such a beautiful aircraft that should be back flying.

[@gazs4731]

During my 23 years in the Royal Engineers, I flew on countless VC-10's on deployment. Not a single aircraft will ever be as graceful as the VC-10's were

[@nickloughrey9841]

Such a great aircraft to transit in .

[@awlcvl]

Fantastic film! Amazing how the second VC10 disappears for a short while amongst all the black smoke from the first aircraft taking off!

[@Piltdownpaul]

Conway heaven to the ears......

[@chrisjohnson6876]

Aaaaah, love that descending 'wail" Soooo many BOAC memories as Ringway. Thanks for the memories and upload!

[@TheGeoff2209]

elegant is the only word .. fabulous plane to fly and to fly in ...people used to ask b.o.a c. what plane it if it was a 707 they would say we'll catch the next one if it's a v.c.10.. still hold the record of fastest Atlantic non supersonic crossing it was so smooth and quiet

[@watsonfailes4279]

Beautiful aeroplane

[@deslynnsporne8684]

The VC10 was a splendid aircraft.✈✈✈✈💙❤

[@jim7862]

VC 10 retired, Tristar retired.....lovely kites to fly in.......!!!!!!

[@CliffordWynne]

My first ever flight was from here Brize Norton to Bahrain about 1970/71

[@simongray8019]

BOAC didn't appreciate quality engineering, at least the RAF appreciated what a beautiful piece of engineering this aircraft was and kept it airbourne for many generations to see and enjoy while it still earned its keep. Thank you RAF

[@eddiebyword3363]

I did 3 trips to Hong Kong and back '68, '69 and '71. Our flat used to look over the approach to kai Tak. As an 11 year old I used to watch out for the RAF VC10 coming in to do the 'dogs leg landing' on a Wednesday at 5.00pm (or so) and the East African Super Vc10 about 2 hours later.............(some lovely models of these made by Gemini Jets on Ebay - 1:400 scale........................................(A bit smoky though these ones, reminded me of the old Cathay pacific Convair 880s................(Noisiest and smelliest jets in and out of HK then.

[@whatstory9176]

Overhauled the engines for a while. What an aircraft. Will be missed.

[@jontilson6090]

Much as I love the VC10 let's not forget that its RAF service was a bit of an afterthought. As the noise and soot regs made them uneconomic for BA to keep flying it was just a good use of some well over engineered airframes. The over engineering that BOAC insisted on so they could get in an out of hot and high "empire" airfields that made them uneconomic and pretty much unsellable to other major airlines has meant that they carried on far longer than their contemporary 707's and DC-8's that used to ply the same routes earning their owners more money carrying either more passengers or more freight. While BOAC milked the passenger appeal the extra oomph made not a fat lot of difference to the transatlantic times. Its a shame that the British airline and aircraft industry partnership was never made to work better, but that's now history and it cant be undone. It would be nice to see one preserved but the costs of keeping one in the air can't possibly be met from a defence budget when much more militarily significant aircraft (eg Harrier Jaguar Shackelton Comet Brittania Nimrod and Victor) aren't kept on the payroll either.

[@lauriecroad3186]

Some smartass has to spoil the event...thankyou...not.

[@flyingscotsman1923]

The truth often hurts, and as ex-R.A.F., I agree with your closing comment of there being " much more militarily significant aircraft". The Canadian Lancaster is not funded by the Canadian Armed Forces, but is owned and flown, along with many other historical aircraft, by the Canadian Warplane Historical Museum. (Well worth a visit.) They are a charity and exist thanks to donations from industry and individuals alike. Look them up online; perhaps a British businessman with the drive and the 'smarts' might create a similar, charitable venture, in the U.K. (Are you out there Sir Richard Branson?) Mr. Tilson, ignore the name caller, your argument might one day, prompt the right person/s to action. Until then, God bless, and keep flying.

[@flyingscotsman1923]

@MercyReaper Then please tell me; how many old planes does Canada have flying? While you are at it, do tell us which of the U.K's. old planes, can you buy a flight in; I'd really like to know.

[@tonykilleen8387]

Good comment, Jon. The RAF rather saved the end of the VC10 fleet by taking them off BA's hands. They were uneconomic as transatlantic aircraft from the moment fuel prices started to rise in 1972. Concorde took the luxury transatlantic market with everyone else going by 747 or DC10, and lots of newer planes were appearing that didn't need 4 crew.

[@Surfguitarist59]

I remember back in 2008 when I was in the U.S. Air Force at Nellis AFB in Nevada, I was on my evening jog around the field and I saw an aircraft taking off. As usual I looked to see what type it was, and I remember saying "Holly shit, that's a VC-10." So glad this yank got to see one fly.

[@Skybolter]

Beautiful aircraft.

[@chriskelly6285]

Sad day really, even more sad that we now live in an age where there's no effort to preserve our military history all because of the costs involved. I often wonder what I'll be able to show my grandchildren in years to come like my grandfather could show me, the lancasters, spitfires and hurricanes. The Vulcan bomber is kept in the air by public funding even though it was no doubt the most advanced bomber of the Cold War and arguably played a vital role in winning the Falklands war. Will it take joe public again to keep the vc10's and the tristars alike in the air to keep the 50 years of service these magnificent planes and all the men who flew them's memory alive for future generations to appreciate just how pivotal a role British engineering and the RAF played in our recent history. Our governments past and present should be ashamed of themselves for their failure in preserving our heritage and for leaving a void in our generations and the generations before's legacy.

[@peterwhittall4360]

😢 A very sad day to see the queen of the skies retiring.

[@normalwisdom4048]

I enjoyed an 8 hr air2air in a VC10K back in 88', when i used to work in Brize Ops.🤓🐅

[@JohnSmith-fr7js]

Flew to Aden in 1966 in a VC10, not RAF but BOAC I think....(it's been a long time), then worked on them at RAF Brize Norton, wonderful aircraft .

[@1chish]

I never could work out why the world thought the 707 was a better aircraft than the Super VC10. Down to bent dollars I guess.

[@philmontejano5971]

Because the 707 was more economical and a money maker. BOAC didn't even back the VC 10!

[@tonykilleen8387]

depends who you ask, but the 707 needed fewer crew and carried more passengers than the VC10 could. It didn't look as pretty, but that doesn't pay bills.

[@johnhenry6762]

Could it be that at the turn around destinations they couldn't find any rope to bring down the tail to check on the engines? Smiles everyone, SMILES! That reminds me- does BOAC fly to FANTASY ISLAND? A beautiful jet indeed! And that other Brit. The VISCOUNT turboprop. Applause everyone, APPLAUSE!

[@geoffreyking1634]

Elegant ladies ,no other words needed

[@blatherskite9601]

Love those noisy Conways!

[@jim7862]

Last flew in these babies back in 1996 coming back from Saudi Arabia.......

[@christophermoon3864]

Flew home from singapore on vc10 number 102

[@muhammadnurBTJ]

Mantap bang pesawatnya

[@24bellers20]

Beautiful aircraft spoiled by scruffy engines. Rebuild them with high bypass fans. They would be stunning.

[@bmused55]

It's a shame these heart achingly beautiful aircraft where replaced by the sterile, boring and unimaginative A330 Voyager. No style to that one at all.

[@tonykilleen8387]

If only the RAF was funded by the Arts Council! I've been on a Voyager. The pilot told me that it can dispense as much fuel as the VC10 could and still fly for another 7 hours. The engineers I spoke to couldn't wait to get the Voyagers, which are a lot easier to maintain as well as being more economical to operate by a very long way. That is not to disrespect the VC10, which was a fantastic aircraft and did a fabulous job for many years, but you have to move with the times. Boring and sterile isn't always a bad thing in a military aircraft. And my daughter was on board one of the VC10s.

[@harbinger686]

We have no Britishness, the EU has seen us lose our identity

[@johnhenry6762]

Identity is something of the mind.. an accent speaks words. May you sleep better tonight! Sweet Dreams. Zzzzz

[@ivanildonascimento7538]

ILYUSHIN IL-62 = VICKERS VC-10 MADE IN USSR!!!!!!!

[@philmontejano5971]

IL 62 was an inferior airplane as most Soviet aircraft are. They copy many airplanes .

[@JohnSmith-fr7js]

Don't forget Konkordski as well !!!

[@michaeldart4366]

Remember standing on a footpath that across the end of the runway.at byfleet Many a time we stood and let the plane take to the air above our heads. We then walked down to the river Wey content. Ahh what memories

[@davidhunt3808]

great British aircraft !! down the years there have been so many !

[@osprey60]

Lovley filming on such a sad day...well done and thanks

[@1busybeekeeper]

I, like many military (Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force)personnel flew home from Singapore in this fantastic airliner in 1968, a memory not to be forgotten.

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Two sexy looking jets, what a great aircraft the VC10 is

[@vudumanx]

Art works of the sky,

[@blissy1]

What a fantastic looking aircraft with performance to match

[@Russell1971]

Gonna be sad to no longer see them around anymore. From a distance, the classic VC1O makes me think of the equally-classic Boeing 727-200 series - a bird I grew up flying aboard and later on watching as a young adult at my then-local airports in Houston, Texas, Hobby and Bush Intercontinental.

[@fastmoney4421]

I got to fly in one in 1968 it was owned by BOAC.... beautiful aircraft

[@seniorsdavidhdavidhenley5422]

🌹

[@johnhenry6762]

Daddy, how come all the engines are at the back of the plane? Well Timmy, it's because all the passengers want to sit in First Class. It's the only way to balance the plane. Timmy what they should've done is put the engines up front so the crew wouldn't be able to hear questions and complaints from the passengers.

[@mazingerwood]

Ingleses contadores de historietas y mentiras

[@gabrielcox3167]

"English Storytellers And Lies". Nice try.

[@AZ-id9qf]

Nice looking birds!! Reminds me of the IL-62M