C/n 806 - G-ARVC

Date
16 January 1963	Registered as G-ARVC to BOAC.
21 February 1963	First flight.
1 December 1964	Delivery to BOAC as G-ARVC.
January 1966	Aircraft leased to Nigeria Airways in white and green Nigeria Airways colours, it was repainted at the Brooklands factory.
July 1967	Returned to BOAC, repainted in BOAC colours.
12 January 1970	While taxiing around a DHC-6 at Los Angeles International Airport for a flight to Honolulu, the left wing hit the Twin Otter's right wing due to misjudgement of the clearance by the handling pilot, combined with a congested holding area.
1 April 1974	Ownership transferred to British Airways Board.
8 July 1974	Sold to Gulf Air, although the registered address was still 'Speedbird House, Heathrow'!
7 October 1975	Re-registered in Oman as A4O-VC for Gulf Air.
8 December 1977	End of service with Gulf Air, ferried Heathrow to Stansted for storage. Initially sold to Dismore Aviation.
29 March 1978	Sold to RAF for conversion to type 1112 K2 tanker. Ferried Stansted to Filton on this date.
29 November 1983	First flight after conversion at Filton.
3 February 1984	Delivery to 101 Squadron as ZA144 'E'.
90's	Engine crashed onto staging during installation.
1991	Acquired 'The Empire Strikes Back' nose art during its Gulf War service.
July 2000	Performed flypast at Farnborough Airshow
August 2000	Withdrawn from service.
31 August 2000	Final flight from RAF Brize Norton to RAF St. Athan
May 2001	Scrapped at RAF St. Athan, forward fuselage retained.
2008	Forward fuselage in use by the Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Flight, for battle damage repair training.

1. G-ARVC in the first BOAC scheme during development flying. The engine nacelles still have the original exhaust shape without the 'beaver tail' modification that was added to reduce drag.
2. The first Golden Speedbird scheme is shown here in sunshine above the clouds, which highlights the golden accents.
3. In June 1965 G-ARVC is at Beirut Airport. Easily recognised by the hills in the background.
4. G-ARVC seen here in full Nigeria Airways colours while under lease.

1. VC10 Standards and Supers standing idle during the 1968 pilot strike with 'VC at the front of the line.
2. Standard VC10 G-ARVC seen at Heathrow in 1969, the tail at the left is a BOAC 707, the VC10's main competitor.
3. On this photo G-ARVC is used to carry a spare engine for another VC10 somewhere.
4. In 1974 G-ARVC visited Frankfurt with British Airways titles over its BOAC colourscheme.

1. On 7th June 1975 G-ARVC is flying for Gulf Air but still registered in the UK.
2. Lee Holden took this photo of G-ARVC flying for Gulf Air, the aircraft was initially leased from BA before Gulf Air bought the VC10.
3. Ex-G-ARVC in its Gulf Air scheme, and on the Omani register as A4O-VC, is seen here at Heathrow parked beside 707 G-AXGX. This airframe was never repainted in the Golden Falcon scheme.
4. After conversion into a K2 tanker c/n 806 is now registered as ZA144 with code letter 'E'.

1. Parked at an airshow or open day in 101 Squadron's hemp colours.
2. In April 1991, ZA144 shows its Gulf War nose art at RAF Brize Norton.
3. Taxiing at what looks like a Mediterranean location, ZA144 shows off its new colours in July 1997.
4. ZA144 parked at Bruggen in May 1999 during op ENGADINE, in support of NATO forces over Kosovo.

1. VC10 K2 ZA144 with the centreline hose trailed.
2. Refuelling German Tornado ECR 46+42 on 14 April 2000. This Tornado crashed just after take off in December 2004, sadly the crew did not get out in time.
3-4. More air to air shots taken in April 2000.

Vickers /BOAC	BOAC scheme of white over grey fuselage, dark-blue cheatline and fin with two white bands over fin.
BOAC	First version of BOAC 'Golden Speedbird' scheme with stepped, gold-edged dark-blue cheatline. Grey lower fuselage and white upper fuselage. Dark-blue fin with gold speedbird logo.
NA	White over grey fuselage with green cheatline and Nigeria Airways titles. Green-white-green flag on fin with additional green flashes over bottom part and leading edge of fin.
BOAC	Second version of BOAC 'Golden Speedbird' scheme, golden edge on cheatline removed and cheatline now arcs smoothly down towards the nose without the step of the previous scheme.
BOAC/BA	As above but with British Airways titles on the forward fuselage.
GA	Gulf Air VC10 scheme, overall white with a large red, purple and green cheatline flowing from nose to fin. Gulf Air titles on forward fuselage.
RAF	First RAF 101 Sqn 'Hemp' scheme. Grey undersides with hemp colours on top and fuselage sides. Toned down markings and large letter on fin. In 1991 a BP logo and the text 'The Empire Strikes Back' was added to the nose in front of the crew entry door.
RAF	All over grey scheme with large lightning flash down the side of the fuselage. Toned down roundels and fin flashes, code letter on fin.