C/n 830 - XR810

Date
29 November 1966	First flight.
21 December 1966	Handover to RAF 10 Squadron as XR810.
11 November 1968	Named 'David Lord VC', scroll unveiled by David Lord's brother, Wg Cdr (Retd) F.E. Lord, in a ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.
5 May 1969	Daily Mail Transatlantic Air Race, XR810 competed, flying the outbound leg from London to New York. The private entry by 10 Squadron set a time of 7hrs 17 mins 52 seconds between the two reporting points at the Post Office Tower and the Empire State Building.
9 May 1969	Return leg of the Daily Mail Transatlantic Air Race. AQM Sgt(W) Heather Robinson was the 'runner' again, setting a record time of 6hrs 29mins 11 secs but was disqualified on a technicality. Otherwise 10 Squadron could have won in the subsonic category.
19 September 1970	Took part in 'At Home' event at RAF Benson.
October 1973	Operated RAF Akrotiri to Capetown and back carrying commemorative covers.
18-19 November 1991	Flown to Damascus via RAF Akrotiri to collect Terry Waite who had spent over four years as a hostage in Lebanon. Returned via RAF Akrotiri to RAF Lyneham.
21 December 1994	First flight after conversion to C1K tanker/transport.
4 January 1995	Delivery to 10 Squadron as C1K.
14 October 2005	Transferred to 101 Squadron upon disbandment of 10 Squadron.
5 November 2005	Aircraft withdrawn from service, flown to RAF St. Athan on its final flight. Total time: 38881 hours.
2006	Airframe scrapped at St. Athan.
2012	The flight deck of this VC10 survived in a scrapyard in Hampshire until it was cut up in 2012.

1. At the naming ceremony on 11 November 1968 the scroll on XR810 was unveiled in front of a large audience.
2. This photo shows XR810 in Brize Norton's Base Hangar with two other VC10s, a Belfast and a Hercules.
3. On 19 September 1970 XR810 was at RAF Benson for the 'At Home' event.
4. Another view of XR810 with both a Jet Provost and a Gnat in the background.

1. XR810 seen in front of the hangar at Brize.
2. XR810 seen in front of the hangar at Brize.
3. Coming in for a landing on a slightly grey day.
4. July 1992, XR810 arrives during an airshow or open day. This may be at RAF Brize Norton judging from the half-dismantled Super VC10 (G-ASGD?) in the background.

1. XR810 taxiing at Manchester airport.
2. February 2006: this shows the remains of XR810 at St. Athan. Stripped of spares to keep the other VC10s in the air.
3. The cockpits of XR810 (left) and ZD230 moved to a scrapyard in Hampshire together with the flightdeck from ZD240. They were all cut up in 2012.

RAF	White over grey scheme with large blue lightning flash down the fuselage. Initially "Royal Air Force Transport Command" titles and roundels on the fuselage, later this became "Royal Air Force Air Support Command" titles. Titles changed to just "Royal Air Force" in 1972.
RAF	All over grey scheme with large lightning flash down the side of the fuselage. Toned down roundels and fin flashes.