Vickers VC10

It was probably ordered so late because of the one which ended up on its tail at Brize in 97, something which was kept very quiet! Also after the so called "peace dividend" we had so may ops going on all over the world that we needed all the tankers we could get. Im surprised they didnt try to keep the Victors going longer.

canberra wrote:

It was probably ordered so late because of the one which ended up on its tail at Brize in 97, .

Funny you should mention that.
I was on the flight deck of one in a hangar at Heathrow when suddenly we got the impression we were moving up and down. A pilot with us rushed out and went down the back, mentioning something about too many people at the rear of the aircraft so it would appear there was a 'balance' problem when the aircraft were on the ground.

Not unusual with defuelled and unloaded aircraft both military and civil. Where there was a known potential lateral shift of C of G to the rear, the technical orders specified the installation of a tail steady usually being a trestle under the rear fuselage when the aircraft was static and a purpose made tubular steel monopod attached to a strongpoint on a rear fuselage frame when the aircraft was being moved in reverse. Even at walking pace and pushing the aircraft backwards via a tug and tow bar on the nose landing gear (NLG), as the brakes were applied inertia would tend to rotate the aircraft around the main landing gear taking the NLG off the ground.

Sample:

www.google.co.th/search?q=vc+10+onits+ta...imgrc=YY86QBKfnKzU_M:

A tail steady was part of the standard kit positioned under the tail of BA's SVC10's when transiting through airports. It was in position until completion of refuelling and loading. The forward holds tended to be filled before load was put in the rear holds.

I read the report on the 10 at Brize and apparently there was nothing in the F700 saying that the fin tank was full.

XV108 has received a nice new paint job this Summer at EMA's Aeropark -



Steve