Last BA VC-10

[PaulN]

Hi Guys

I hope someone can help me out please , I am new here , I worked for BOAC/BA from 1973 -1995

Whilst working in Ops Control I had the chance to fly on the very last BA VC-10 to leave LHR , on its delivery flight to Abingdon , for the RAF , the captain for the short flight was Bill Outram could anyone please let me know the registration if you know it of this flight ?

Many thanks in advance

Paul

[Archer]

Hello Paul,

Do you happen to know the date of that flight, even approximately? I’ll have a look around and will see if I can find something for you.

[PaulN]

Hi Archer

Thanks for the reply , think it was 1981 ?? Sorry cant be more precise , really wish I had taken more records of what I did and flew on

Thanks again

Paul

[Jelle Hieminga]

For a lot of the BA Supers I've got two dates, one marked 'to Prestwick' and the next one 'to Abingdon'. I'm still trying to figure out if these airframes went directly from Prestwick to Abingdon or whether they came back to Heathrow between these two periods of storage. If they went via Heathrow, then the last one to go to Abingdon would have been ZD243, aka G-ASGR, on 27/05/1981. If some of these Supers went directly from Prestwick to Abingdon, then all bets are off I'm afraid. That's something I'm still trying to figure out!

[PaulN]

Hi Jelle

Thank you , seems you have cracked it , its was definately ferried , wheels down ,in full BA colours , no mil serial from Heathrow to Abingdon Its was the last BA VC-10 to depart LHR

Regards

Paul

[Jelle Hieminga]

Hello Paul,

A fellow VC10 researcher corrected me: it was G-ASGL, delivered to Abingdon on 3 April 1981, which was the last one to leave Heathrow. Apparently G-ASGR was at Prestwick and flew from Prestwick to Abingdon on the date I mentioned. I'm still trying to piece together which VC10 went where during those months, so this is another piece of the puzzle.

[PaulN]

Hi Jelle

Thank you very much for the update m much appreciated , I remember it being an afternoon departure as my shift had just finished in the control centre and was tasked with ordering the crew transport back from Abingdon , there were 12 onboard.....I was number 13 , I could have ordered a 12 seat mini bus or a 52 seat coach ....you can guess which option I went for !!!

Thanks again for your help

Paul

[Jelle Hieminga]

I would have done the same!

[PaulN]

Oh good ....I dont feel so guilty now

[johnh]

Hi Pauln ,
I have just seen your message regarding the last VC10 flight as I was also on the same shift as you in Control Centre and was the duty officer who authorised the change of transport to a coach. The flight was delayed from its scheduled morning departure due to a thunderstorm causing a flooded runway at ABB. The flight details were as follows - G-ASGL Flt number BA9441P Dep LHR 1505z from RWY 28l Arr ABB 1550z and the Captain was Bill Outram.
In addition to you and I on board were some staff from the VC10 Flt Mngrs office and also the Flt Training Mngrs office and I think we may have set a record for the number of people on a VC10 flt deck for a landing. As I recall on the return journey we parked the coach in a discreet side road, the crew removed their rank marking from their shirts and we all adjourned to a nearby hostelry for a farewell the the VC10 drink. Happy days !

[Jelle Hieminga]

Thanks for those details John, I have added a bit to the page about G-ASGL, including a link to this post.

[43 O Department]

From our office wall at Weybridge, which I believe records the day.

[Jelle Hieminga]

I agree, that's most likely on that same day. Which hangar is that? Is that TBK being built? Or another one in the process of being torn down? The photos I have on G-ASGL's page (see link two posts up) show a different bit of Heathrow real estate in the background and I'm trying to think of where they could have been taken.

[Hokum_52]

Looks like what's going to be TBK to me, although I can't guarantee it at 100%.

[johnh]

Regarding the picture of SGL it is almost certainly the new 747 hangar under construction as the aircraft definitely departed from the maintenance area on its last flight.