A Little VC10derness

Posted: **Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:14 pm**

I'm trying to put together some material for my father's (Denis Lowery) 80th birthday (soon). He flew 10s at Brize including at one time or other all the Royal family plus assorted politicians late 1960s or early 1970s, I think. I can't find pictures or articles on this period. Can anyone help?
BTW - it was he who flew the Sultan of Oman in A40 AB for a number of years till the VC10 was replaced with a 747. He landed at Heathrow one dark nasty night with HM Sultan Q on board after being hit by lightning. It made the news briefly next day or so.
Regards
Dave Lowery

Posted: **Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:53 pm**

There are 3 photos of the VC10 VIP fit on this site
http://www.vc10.net/Memories/KenWhitePhotos.html
Hope these are of use to you.
Have spent many hours polishing aircraft in Base Hangar at Brize ready for VIP and Royal flights. If I remember rightly it was an aircrfat wash followed by a week for the polishing (don't you just love wadpole) and internal clean and fit.(Must remember the painters here as many hours of touchup painting was carried out. New Tyres and all external and internal lighting was checked and replaced as rerquired even down to getting the cove light tubes the same colour. Many inspections later the aircraft would be towed out and usually a departure to Heathrow to pick up the passengers.

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:14 pm**

Cor more memories of weeks spent on hands and knees WADPOL I'd fogotten about it. As a young LAC I was tasked with polishing up the checkerplate tread plates as you enter the aircraft. Wanting to make a good impression I put in HOURS of work on these down to very fine crocus paper then the wadpole and got the tread plates like mirrors. You could clearly see your face in them to shave!

Well we prepped the aircraft and it was inspected it looked fantastic. However at the last moment one of the chiefs thought of something no one else had. I had polished the steps TOO well - meaning that people would be getting unexpected views up the queens skirt or any of the other ladies in waiting! I was told to "rough them up a bit laddie, very well done but a bit too good " I still laugh about that, its a great tale in the mess of an evening, in later years and used to earn me many a pint!

I recall we even used to fit BEDS onboard for the Queen. There was a speical VIP carpet that was thrown out after it had been used (spendthrift days in the 70's) Many officers quarters were fitted out with this 'old' carpet over the years.

I even bribed a Captain on an empty (no pax) ferry flight back to UK with our ex royal aircraft. I had lifted all the carpet and rolled it up and started deprepping on the flight home.
I was carrying a few too many duty frees and crates of Grolsch. Well I KNEW all the customs guys at Brize and the captain said we would have to land at Lyneham instead AAAARGH. Duty, money all my rate ones gone! So long story short, I sat in the jump seat and on finals to Lyneham I 'hijacked' the aircraft back to Brize. We put the aircraft to bed that night with a smiling Captain and a smiling engineer (with his rate ones intact)

However on a final note, even the Royal aircraft were nothing compaired to the Sultans VC10 which is now at Brooklands. That was a flying palace. If you get a chance go have a look inside her. I worked on her for a while and the Sultan was always a generous man to his crew!

Posted: **Wed Dec 07, 2005 1:32 pm**

Now the Sultans VC10 was something else. It used to come into Brize every so often for an Aircraft Wash. If you happened to be on shift on LSS then you got to handle the aircraft and help out on any jobs that where needed (The GE had a big wallet !). Remember doing Battery changes amongst other things. The memories are flooding back of those happy days when manpower wasn't an issue and you could take that extra bit of time in carrying out jobs to keep the aircraft up to standard. (Please note that even current groundcrew maintain them to the highest standards)

A Little VC10derness

Royal family flying from Brize on VC10 late 60s, early 70s

Royal family flying from Brize on VC10 late 60s, early 70s