C/n 819 - G-ASIW

In an attempt to get more information about the individual VC10s onto my site I've started building pages like this one for several aircraft. I've decided to put this one up first and see what people think. I might have to rethink the 'individual histories' I've already got online and move more to this format, or combine the two. Opinions are welcomed at the e-mail address found on the left.

Date
29 May 1963	G-ASIW registration taken up
30 July 1964	First flight
30 September 1964	Delivery to British United Airways as G-ASIW
Summer 1966	Change to blue and sandstone scheme
October 1966	An incident during maintenance requires removal of the tailplane.
1970	To British Caledonian as G-ASIW 'Loch Lomond'
12 November 1974	Registered to Air Malawi as 7Q-YKH
3 December 1974	First flight in Air Malawi colours to Chileka airport, Blantyre, Malawi.
September 1978	Withdrawn from service
29 October 1979	Ferried to Hurn for possible sale to the RAF
April 1981	Crew arrives at Hurn for ferry, aircraft needs three weeks of work to get it airworthy again.
2 May 1981	Final flights: Hurn-Athens, Athens-Chileka. Stored at Chileka awaiting sale.
July 1995	Scrapped.

BUA	Dark blue and red over white with large Union Jack on fin.
BUA	Blue and sandstone scheme, white over grey fuselage with large blue/sandstone cheatline sweeping up over the fin. Text on engine nacelles was later removed to match the 1-11 scheme.
BCal	Initially titled as 'Caledonian//BUA', white over grey fuselage with dark blue and gold cheatline, dark blue fin with lion rampant. Known as 'Golden Lion' scheme. Titles later changed to 'British Caledonian'. All aircraft were named after Scottish lochs.
AM	White topped fuselage to below window belt line. Black, red and green cheatline. Red titles on forward fuselage, red tailfin with logo.

1. BUA's first VC10, G-ASIW, being assembled at Weybridge alongside three BOAC Supers. At this point the wing still has the original wing fence configuration. This airframe had the modified wing with a 4% wing chord extension but the wing fences took some testing before they were finalised. The BUA aircraft also had downturned wingtips which were not present on BOAC machines.
2. G-ASIW on the ground at Weybridge before its first flight.
3. G-ASIW landing at Wisley on 31 July 1964, a day after its first flight.
4. The ultimate publicity photo: G-ASIW taxiing at the 1964 Farnborough airshow with a Rolls Royce visible through the open cargo door and a BUA 1-11 overhead.

1-2. G-ASIW seen in flight in publicity photos taken in September 1964. At this point the outboard wing fences have not been changed yet.
3. In service and awaiting passengers. This image shows that the registration was placed below the engine pylon, mostly hidden by the engines, which makes it difficult to identify individual BUA VC10s in this scheme!
4. Another photo at London Gatwick shows that the wing fence configuration hasn't been finalised. The outboard fence is cut back but there are two underwing fences which were tested on G-ASIW and the first Ghana Airways machine.

1-2. G-ASIW in BUA's blue and sandstone livery taking off from Entebbe airport.
3. Photographed at Johannesburg in 1976.
4. The single Air Malawi VC10 seen at Chileka, Blantyre in 1977.

1. Undergoing maintenance with British Caledonian.
2. 7Q-YKH seen at Manchester after a diversion, this was not a normal stop for this airline.
3-4. Removal of fuel from the tanks caused the centre of gravity to shift, add some high winds and the VC10 adopted this undignified pose.

1. When the president was due to use the airport the VC10 had to be put back on its gear. The solution was to remove two of the engines, this tipped the aircraft back on its nosewheel.