# Ariliners



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

This is definitely 'Off topic' but there are a few aviation bods around, just as there are a few boating people that have interests in MHs.

Raynipper mentioned on another thread that he was involved at BAC ( British Aircraft Corporation) with the VC10 and BAC 1-11.

I flew for part of BUA(British United Airlines) which flew both VC10 and BAC 1-11. At that time I would have loved to have got my hands on either, both of which I considered to be 'gentlemens' aircraft. Unfortunately the Cayzer family put Alan Bristow in charge of the company and he flecked it up for sale, so I defected to BEA/BA. Fortunately they let me fly another of Vickers good products the VC8 (Viscount). VC9 (Vanguard was not one of their best efforts - Tyne engine/gearbox problems)

One could haul the Viscount around the skies( how else would we have got inside the lighthouse hill at Sumburgh?), but from what I have learned one could also do almost the same, within limits, with the BAC 1-11

If the British Government which owned BOAC/BEA had not interferred I think BAC products could have competed with Boeing. Their products were certainly very good 'flying machines'

Geoff


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

VC10 was my personal favourite: Silent Swift Superb: Story of the Vickers VC10 ISBN 10: 1902236025

Not a cheap book, but excellent.

Peter


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

The VC 10 was lovely though, surprisingly, considering it was called The Whispering Giant, was noisier inside than a Comet 4 as I remember. We used to get regular VC10s (AWACs ) flying over us here but I think they have now been retired from RAF use as we no longer see them.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

What I found ironic was 'Sir' Giles Guthrie wife had vast shares in Boeing, so what did BOAC end up buying. Bloody 707s. 
We built and sold 54 VC10s and half of those to the RAF.
Talk about self interest.??

But I was really pissed when the Arabs blew one up in the desert.

Wots an ariliner Geoff.?

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> VC10 was my personal favourite: Silent Swift Superb: Story of the Vickers VC10 ISBN 10: 1902236025
> 
> Not a cheap book, but excellent. Peter


It would probably bring tears to my eyes Peter.:crying:

Ray.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

As a child I was on the first commercial flight by a Comet 4 after Comets were brought back into service after the accidents they had with previous marques. A few days before I went to Singapore on it it had been used by the Queen on a visit to- I think- Canada and still had much of the decoration and layout intact. The flight took about 24 hours, including stops, and we had plenty of time to explore the plane. On the way back we took a week- a Qantas Super Constellation- as we had one engine fire and one engine failure which necessitated stops just about everywhere, including a couple of days in Calcutta where we (mainly Brit Brats) were royally entertained and put up at the Great Eastern hotel.

Things have changed somewhat...!


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

I seem to remember cycling from my home in Kingston (near the Hawker factory) as a teenager to Brooklands for the maiden flight of the VC10 - just a short hop to Wisley aerodrome. There was some concern about the short runway for the take off!

At least Hawkers took the prototype P 11?? to Dunsfold from Kingston by road on a low-loader for its testing and first flight I think.

That started my interest in aircraft and I was a Fairey! apprentice at Hayes but by then it was Westland Helicopters but we still worked on refurbishing Gannets - an amazing aeroplane!

Steve


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

homenaway said:


> I seem to remember cycling from my home in Kingston (near the Hawker factory) as a teenager to Brooklands for the maiden flight of the VC10 - just a short hop to Wisley aerodrome. There was some concern about the short runway for the take off!
> At least Hawkers took the prototype P 11?? to Dunsfold from Kingston by road on a low-loader for its testing and first flight I think.
> That started my interest in aircraft and I was a Fairey! apprentice at Hayes but by then it was Westland Helicopters but we still worked on refurbishing Gannets - an amazing aeroplane! Steve


And if you remember Steve the VC10 had no trouble. Later takeoffs were almost vertical. Mind you they were mostly empty with only some ballast to keep the nosewheel on the ground and flight test instruments.
I lived in 'North' Kingston at that time and was on nights at Brooklands through the TSR2 as well.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> What I found ironic was 'Sir' Giles Guthrie wife had vast shares in Boeing, so what did BOAC end up buying. Bloody 707s.
> We built and sold 54 VC10s and half of those to the RAF.
> Talk about self interest.??
> 
> ...


A finger mistake one cannot edit in a thread title:laugh:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

nicholsong said:


> A finger mistake one cannot edit in a thread title:laugh:


OT I know but didn't you used to be able to edit a thread title ? I seem to remember adding UPDATE to one of mine ages after writing the original.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Grizzly said:


> OT I know but didn't you used to be able to edit a thread title ? I seem to remember adding UPDATE to one of mine ages after writing the original.


I thought so too, but I tried and nothing happened.


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## Don Madge (Jul 26, 2016)

Grizzly said:


> The VC 10 was lovely though, surprisingly, considering it was called The Whispering Giant, was noisier inside than a Comet 4 as I remember. We used to get regular VC10s (AWACs ) flying over us here but I think they have now been retired from RAF use as we no longer see them.


I thought the Whispering Giant was the Bristol Britannia which I flew to Singapore in 1962 via Istanbul and Bombay that was a long flight.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Don Madge said:


> I thought the Whispering Giant was the Bristol Britannia which I flew to Singapore in 1962 via Istanbul and Bombay that was a long flight.


You're absolutely right Don. All these years i've thought it was the VC10. I used to wonder why when it was a noisy aircraft.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes, outside those Conways were very noisy but inside it was whisper quiet.

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Just out of interest. There is often a VC10 sitting on the tarmac in the background on Top Gear.
Tonights episode appeared to show it was a tanker with a flight refuelling probe out front. 

Anyone have any more insight into this? Plus the Jumbo seemed to have it's engines in pairs rather than separate. Or am I wrong here?

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_test_track

http://www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com/aircraft-storage/

Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Oh gosh thanks Peter.!!!
Yes an old RAF one with the large freight door in the side.

http://www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com/news/latest/last-vc10-flight/

Sadly the end of an era.

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Interesting.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200615-the-record-breaking-jet-which-still-haunts-a-country

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Ray


You tagged this onto an old thread that included posts from Peter(Listerdiesel)


I have been wondering about him for a long time. Do you, or any others, know what has happened to him? He was such a knowledgeable and helpful Member on here.


I know he had health problems.


Any news would be welcome.


Geoff


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sadly Geoff, Peter died soon after his last post.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Sadly Geoff, Peter died soon after his last post.
> 
> Ray.


Thank you Ray.

I feared that might be the case, but hoped there was another reason for his not posting.

He was one of the stalwarts of this forum. He was aleready missed when he stopped posting.

Geoff


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Geoff, many members remembered him as being extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Yes Geoff, many members remembered him as being extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
> 
> Ray.


Indeed.

We seem to have lost several valuable Members - just a short list:-

Where are?

Ken(gaspode)

Mavis (movan)

Phil(cabby) - I know hw gave up his MH

Others may think of others we miss.

Geoff


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I think Gaspode is still with us.

Ray.


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