G-ARVM and that 'mixed' scheme

[Jelle Hieminga]

I figured I would use the forum to post some musings about that particular 'mixed' scheme that ended up on G-ARVM.

For a while I thought that 'VM was the only Standard VC10 that ended up in the full British Airways 'Negus' scheme, but photos soon proved me wrong. When I visited G-ARVF in Hermeskeil for the first time in 2003, I could tell that there was red underneath the tailplane, covered by the white UAE scheme.

As it turns out, G-ARVF was painted in full British Airways colours and was used for a publicity photo or two, like this one:

This particular image is a large transparency, on sheet film, so not something that appears to have been shot by an enthusiast across the fence of the airfield.
G-ARVF will not have been painted before the 1 April 1974 merger date, or at least not long before then, but the airframe was sold on to Sheik Zayed of the UAE and delivered to him in the new colours by August 1974. So 'VF only carried the shiny BA colours for three months or so, not a very cost effective repaint into BA colours as it turned out (unless they tacked it onto the bill for the refurbishment for Sheik Zayed of course).
The other Standard VC10 to end up in the 'Negus' colours is G-ARVJ, see here:

This airframe was sold on to the ruler of Qatar, although the ownership was never transferred, making it more of a lease construction. It was repainted into Gulf Air colours (with some small variations) in October 1975, sometimes standing in for the other five Gulf Air Standards. So this airframe only carried its 'Negus' colours for a year and three months at most. Slightly better than 'VF but still not a very long period. The only dated photo I can find of 'VM in full 'Negus' scheme right now (I did not look very hard, I must admit) is this one from August 1976:

So did G-ARVM fly in its 'mixed' colours for almost two years? The penny pinchers at BA may well have baulked at a full repaint seeing how long they were able to enjoy the other two repaints for the Standard fleet, or what was left of it. These slots in the painting bay could also have been used to repaint a Super VC10, a subtype that would stay in service a lot longer, and may have held back the repaint schedule as well. I can understand that the full repaint of G-ARVM, by then operating mostly as a trainer from Shannon and therefore not often seen in regular service, was pushed back on the calendar. Some of this is pure speculation of course, but it could have happened like this.

No matter what caused it, the end result was a lovely mix of old and new on one airframe and a scheme that has made it onto at least two VC10 models by now. My last purchase was a JC Wings 1/200 scale model in this scheme, and I'm enjoying it!