Duxford Super VC-10

[ACLVC10]

Understood Stewart but surely there must be a little more progress since this was posted?

I'm only asking, I'm not trying to make this into a slanging match

Andy

[Thumper]

Perhaps what people don't realise is that me and Andy spent a lot of time and money fundraising for a VC10 and we are still holding on to people's donations and it's been frustrating to be told one thing only for that to change and ultimately for everything to appear to stall. Behind the scenes we have both received emails (some pleasant, some not quite so) about why we have not donated the profits to a VC10 yet. We are merely trying to figure out what is going on. Some of the comments on this forum are very "cloak and dagger".

[Stewart]

Understood Stewart but surely there must be a little more progress since this was posted?

I'm only asking, I'm not trying to make this into a slanging match

Andy

I believe since that was posted 241 went from no engines to 3, it may even have the full compliment of 4 by now, although other than that I know little else. But first it heard that 241 was to be the 'runner' was when it arrived at Bruntingthorpe and I've not seen anything form anything approaching 'official' sources stating otherwise, not sure who started the rumour of it being BOB, as as far I could tell it's always been destined for the RAFM.

It must be said I am just waiting to see what transpires but so far it's looking like 241 or G-ASGM is the favourite, even if it's the least loved (although as my dad flew it when it was new I do have more attachment to it but it seems I am in a minority here). No slanging match required, just the closest we have to official sources have always said it was to be 241

[ACLVC10]

Many thanks for clearing this up Stewart.

Andy

[vc10boy]

i think the answer re speedbird ect has been answered for me,in my veiw its either done right or wrong regardless of if the veiwers knowledge,the front half is good its the tail of the speedbird that is all wrong..it could easily be rectified..the deep bronze copper color is wrong,it was by then a gold highly reflective sticker,BOAC had long gven up on the goldleaf,that was more a 1950,s era ,by 1965 to 74 the sticker was in use by BOAC,hence he odd peice peeling off in flight

Does anyone know why Duxford didnt go to Brunty and get spares for GC?...They will have to be quick as the last super is being broken up right now,and she,s in superb nic,the last to have a deep service at st athan...come on boys get a list together,Gary has been very helpful with Brooklands...
Talking of Gary Spoores ..he has infact been fantastic- what with always inviting the public and vc10 fans along to watch the last landing and and all the last landings of the RAF fleet,and organiseing vc10 photoshoots for the public,and all events free of charge.. he,s a huge vc10 fan like the rest of us at heart,HAS BEEN FOR YEARS AND YEARS,he,s mentioned in the book ;Swift Silent and superb; as i am on the list of people Scott Henderson thanks at the start of the book. ...far from being quiet im sure he,s doing his very best for Bobs future and the runner ex GASG-M..

[Thumper]

As far as I am aware it's down to a buyer to secure XR808's future, the same goes for ZD241 and ZA147 as their current owners I presume are still BAe Systems with Gary's name attached to the disposal contract, not an ownership contract. What has Gary's involvement with Brooklands been then? I know Gary is the owner of a fair few aircraft at Bruntingthorpe though, funnily enough I came across his name attached to a Buccaneer the other day and read an interesting article about him rescuing some Zero wreckage.

That's nice that you were mentioned in the VC10 book...

Anyway, like I mentioned previously, Duxford have storm damage to repair at the moment which will surely cost a lot and they have an enormous amount of aircraft to maintain, not just the VC10 which is looked after and again as I mentioned she was spruced up to appear in The Aviators BA advert a couple of years ago. Perhaps GC doesn't need any spares now or for the foreseeable future or maybe they already have spares?!

Going back to the XR808 debacle, there were several people sounding 'official' before BOB landed at Bruntingthorpe on various forums and groups and it was mentioned on this website both on the forum and the news page that BOB would hopefully be the live runner at Bruntingthorpe. It was very shortly after these announcements that me and Andy started working on the tribute shirts to raise funds for this venture.

The owner of GJD services, the company that is tasked to scrap the VC10 airframes, has posted on the forum here that GJD is hoping to purchase XR808 for inclusion into the Cold War Jets collection as a live airframe.

Latest BOB news:
Sadly she will not be going to RAFM Cosford for preservation due to the risk of flying her in on a short runway.
BOB is now scheduled to land at Bruntingthorpe next week.
It is hoped that if we can get enough support we will keep her as a running exhibit in the CWJ collection subject to purchasing her from the DSA.

[vc10boy]

i think brooklands got spares for anything that had corrosion issues on A40-AB,from doors to the metal engine cases and alot more, entire interior for VM,a huge list that keeps there 3 vc10,s in good nic for the future,alot of planning ahead,Robin Voice knows the bits that tend to corrode better than anyone..Newquay should pay his petrol maybe to get a lot of very valuble advice re looking after these beauties eg the flaps need to be set at a certain angle to stop water collecting,esp during the winter...ect ect..knoledge is priceless

[Stewart]

i think the answer re speedbird ect has been answered for me,in my veiw its either done right or wrong regardless of if the veiwers knowledge,the front half is good its the tail of the speedbird that is all wrong..it could easily be rectified..the deep bronze copper color is wrong,it was by then a gold highly reflective sticker,BOAC had long gven up on the goldleaf,that was more a 1950,s era ,by 1965 to 74 the sticker was in use by BOAC,hence he odd peice peeling off in flight

Aparently is was far more than the odd peice, whole letters would disspaear in flight!. Somewhere I have a photo of a VC-10 that was

B
ard...

But that was an extream example I think. However loosing whole letters in flight was not unusual. I have a feeling they did resort to paint before the advent of BA but I'm not sure on this

[vc10boy]

god,i can beleive that...i think if duxford got a large sheet of reflective gold sticker..or got a company to cut it to the exact shape of the speedbird ,and did the BOAC lettering on the front and engine sides,and they managed to place them in the correct position..i think it would instantly make it look a hundred percent better,the new gold would bring out the dark blue...i noticed the bullet end and reg where realy peeling ..also i see the BOAC boeing 707 front end that ended up in scotland has got the correct interior fitted,the seats have been recovered in black and white dog tooth material which the super vc10 had aswell when it was in BOAC service...they seem to have got the BOAC colours spot on and interior...see east fortune web site

[Thumper]

I completely agree with what you say about it being a small and cheap amount of work to get the Duxford '10 looking really nice (and accurate).

[vc10boy]

thanks thumper..hope Duxford read this,its a very cheap way of making her look a lot better..I rememer now that Brooklands also got every Passenger window replaced on VM..i noticed GC,s flight deck windows are delaminating,maybe get a set from Brunty off 147?

[vololiberista]

thanks thumper..hope Duxford read this,its a very cheap way of making her look a lot better..I rememer now that Brooklands also got every Passenger window replaced on VM..i noticed GC,s flight deck windows are delaminating,maybe get a set from Brunty off 147?

That would explain why the windscreen wipers are not parked properly! They are holding the plane together
vololiberista