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XV109 from Brooklands to Bruntingthorpe
With the planned out of service date of the VC10 looming closer, the
inevitable disposing of airframes has started again. The last time VC10s were
withdrawn from service and scrapped was in December 2005 so for five years the
number of VC10 airframes been constant (although ZD242 was withdrawn, just not
scrapped yet). April 2010 saw a change in that as XR807 and XV109 were ferried
to Bruntingthorpe airfield where they are to be scrapped after removal of all
the useful spare parts. XV109 was the last Standard VC10 type 1106 to be
delivered to the RAF on 1 August 1968 and 42 years later she has made her last
flight. This page shows photos of this C1K throughout this 42 year career.
Obviously there are more photos available to me from recent years, so if you
have any earlier shots of RAF VC10s,
send me an
e-mail. As more aircraft will be retired I might add more pages like this,
if I have enough photos that is.
Photo BAE SYSTEMS via K. White |
Photo BAE SYSTEMS via K. White |
Photo via N. Braas |
Photo Peter R. Foster |
1-2. XV109, the last of the RAF C1s takes off from Brooklands, probably on
her very first flight.
3. An early photo showing XV109 with 'Royal Air Force Air Support Command'
titles which were later changed.
4. A few years later the titles have changed to show just 'Royal Air Force', and
XV109 has by now been converted into a C1K tanker.
Photo G. Lee / BAE
SYSTEMS |
Photo I. Middleton |
Photo G. Flores |
Photo S. Petch |
1. XV109 in its tanker role with two Harriers on its wing and hoses trailed.
The colour scheme has changed into the overall grey look of 10 Squadron.
2. Parked in the static show at RIAT 2004 in sunny weather.
3. The flightdeck of XV109, showing a few modern additions to the 1960's
cockpit.
4. XV109 leaving Fairford after the 2004 RIAT show. More photos from this event
are here.
1-3. A great series of shots by R. Pittuck showing XV109 on arrival at EDI
(Edinburgh) on 25th May 2006.
4. Later that day (about 1:30 later) she left again.
1-2. Two more photos showing the aircraft climbing away past the Edinburgh
control tower, trailing its trademark plume of smoke.
3-4. On 26 March 2010 XV109 was 'circuit bashing' at RAF Brize Norton,
fortunately for us Nick Blacow took these wonderful photos.
Photo
Nick Blacow |
Photo
Nick Blacow |
Photo
Nick Blacow |
Photo
Nick Blacow |
1. More from the same day: XV109 just before touchdown with full flaps extended.
2. Climbing away trailing smoke from its four Conways.
3. 'Pouring on the coal', probably for a go-around.
4. The sunlight shows off the grey colourscheme.
Photo
Nick Blacow |
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo F. Wallace |
1. A close up of the nose of XV109 when passing the airfield fence at RAF
Brize Norton.
2. Fast forward 11 days to 6 April 2010 and XV109 has just made her very last
landing at Bruntingthorpe, together with XR807.
3. In about 30 days the airframe will be 'spares recovered' and the remains
scrapped.
4. As XV109 will be the first of the two airframes to be processed, needed
equipment is positioned around the aircraft.
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo F. Wallace |
1. And within hours after landing the first panels are open, in this case to
deactivate the engine fire extinguishers.
2. A photo of the still intact flight deck (apart from the control wheel
buttons).
3. The Flight Engineer's station, with some lights still functioning.
4. The flight deck seen from the outside, the blue banner which sported the name
'Arthur Scarf VC' is on the right. The name has been removed from XV109 and will fly on another VC10: ZA147.
1. Andy Martin took these photos on 11 April, they show the engines, APU and
a lot of access doors sitting next to XV109.
2. The viewpoint from an overflying PA28 is interesting.
3. The stuff around the aircraft is a mixture of RAF and rented equipment.
4. Francis Wallace took this photo on 25 April, by now the nose gear has been
removed.
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo
F. Wallace |
Photo
F. Wallace |
Photo
F. Wallace |
1. Looking up into the empty engine nacelles, showing the engine mounting
beam and the firewall that separated the two engines.
2. On 15 May this was the situation, XV109 is slowly being taken apart with all
the parts lying on pallets. This shot shows engine bay doors, flap and slat
sections, heat exchangers and more.
3. The nose is still supported by jacks but timbers have been placed to take the
weight of the aircraft as all the jacks need to be removed prior to the final
scrapping.
4. On 28 May the first cut into the airframe is a fact, XV109 has lost its nose.
Photo F. Wallace |
Photo
F. Wallace |
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1. The remainder of the airframe is now resting on timbers with just one jack
under the tail. This photo shows all the gaps where flying controls and
components have been removed.
2. The nose of XV109 lying in the grass next to the rest of the airframe.
Looking at the way it has been removed, perhaps it will be preserved somewhere.
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