Editing Vickers VC10 (section)

===Military service===

====1960s and 1970s====
In 1960, the RAF issued Specification 239 for a strategic transport, which resulted in an order being placed by the [[Air Ministry]] with Vickers in September 1961 for five VC10s. The order was increased by an additional six in August 1962, with a further three aircraft cancelled by BOAC added in July 1964.<ref name="Andrews Vickers p474">Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 474.</ref> The military version (Type 1106) was a combination of the Standard combi airframe with the more powerful engines and fin fuel tank of the Super VC10.<ref name="Andrews Vickers p475">Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 475.</ref> It also had a detachable [[in-flight refuelling]] nose probe and an [[auxiliary power unit]] in the tailcone. Another difference from the civil specification was that all the passenger seats faced backwards for safety reasons.<ref name="vc10.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.vc10.net/History/RAFVC10s.html|title=VC10s in RAF service|publisher=vc10.net|access-date=3 June 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724122222/http://www.vc10.net/History/RAFVC10s.html|archive-date=24 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

[[File:Vickers VC-10 C.1 XV106 FINN 30.07.77 edited-3.jpg|thumb|VC10 C.1 of [[No. 10 Squadron RAF]] at the Queen's Silver Jubilee display at [[RAF Finningley]] in 1977]]
The first RAF aircraft, [[British military aircraft designation systems|designated]] ''VC10 C Mk.1'', often abbreviated to ''VC10 C.1'', was delivered for testing on 26 November 1965;<ref name="Observer's">Green 1968, p. 26.</ref> deliveries to [[No. 10 Squadron RAF|No. 10 Squadron]] began in December 1966 and ended in August 1968. The VC10s were named after [[Victoria Cross]] (VC) medal holders, the names were displayed above the forward passenger door. During the 1960s, the VC10s of No. 10 Squadron operated two regular routes, one to the Far East to Singapore and Hong Kong, and the other to New York.<ref>Barfield and Wynn 1970, pp. 158–159.</ref> By 1970, roughly 10,000 passengers and 730,000&nbsp;lb of freight were being carried monthly by the VC10 fleet.<ref name = "BW 163">Barfield and Wynn 1970, p. 163.</ref>

In addition to the strategic transport role, the VC10 routinely served in the aeromedical evacuation and VIP roles. In its VIP role, the aircraft was commonly used by members of the British Royal Family, such as during [[Elizabeth II]]'s bicentennial tour of America, and by several British Prime Ministers; [[Margaret Thatcher]] reportedly insisted on flying by VC10.<ref name = "BW 159"/><ref name="malta"/> The aircraft proved capable of being flown non-stop by two flight crews, enabling several round-the-world flights, one such VC10 circumnavigated the globe in less than 48 hours.<ref name = "BW 159">Barfield and Wynn 1970, p. 159.</ref>

One aircraft (XR809) was leased to Rolls-Royce for flight testing of the [[RB211]] turbofan between 1969 and 1975.<ref name = "BW 163"/><ref name="testbed rr">Norris, Guy. [http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbb&plckPostId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost%3a400aeb2d-68f5-48fb-90b6-fb586bf153aa "Weird and Wonderful – Flying Testbeds."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319221823/http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbb&plckPostId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost%3a400aeb2d-68f5-48fb-90b6-fb586bf153aa |date=19 March 2014 }} ''Aviation Week'', 21 May 2010.</ref> On return to the RAF, it was discovered that the airframe was distorted, possibly due to the power difference between the RB211 on one side and the Conways on the other. It was considered uneconomical to repair and was partially scrapped, part of the airframe being retained for load training.<ref>Darling, K ''RAF Strike Command 1968 -2007: Aircraft, Men and Action'' p77</ref>

In 1977, studies began into converting redundant commercial VC10s into aerial refuelling tankers;<ref name="AI 1980 p160">''Air International'' October 1980, p. 160.</ref> the RAF subsequently issued a contract to [[British Aerospace]] to convert five former BOAC VC10s and four former East African Airways Super VC10s,<ref name="AI 1980 p159">''Air International'' October 1980, p. 159.</ref> designated ''VC10 K.2'' and ''VC10 K.3'' respectively. During conversion, extra fuel tanks were installed in the former passenger cabin; these increased the theoretical maximum fuel load to {{cvt|85|LT}} (K.2) and {{cvt|90|LT}} (K.3), the Super VC10's fin fuel tank making the difference. In practice, the fuel load was capped by the maximum take-off weight before the tanks were full. Both variants featured a pair of wing-mounted refuelling pods and a single centreline refuelling point, known as a Hose Drum Unit (HDU), installed in the rear freight bay; nose-mounted refuelling probes were also fitted.

Conversion of K.2, K.3 and K.4 tankers took place at [[British Aerospace]]'s [[Filton]] site. The K.3s had a forward freight door, facilitating the insertion of five upper fuselage tanks in the main fuselage; the K.2s lacked forward freight doors, thus a section of the upper fuselage was dismantled to insert the five upper tanks. In the K.2 and K.3 conversions, extensive floor reinforcement was installed to support the additional weight imposed by the five fuel tanks.

====1980s and 1990s====
In 1981, 14 former BA Super VC10s were purchased and stored for spare parts. In the early 1990s, to help the VC10 fleet replace the recently retired [[Handley Page Victor]] tankers, five of the stored aircraft were converted to ''VC10 K.4'' tankers.<ref>Barrie 1993, pp. 25–26.</ref> Shortly after entering service, extensive wing tank [[corrosion]] was discovered on the lower wing surfaces; this was attributed mainly to the storage method used prior to conversion, the wing tanks had been defuelled and filled with water as ballast. Extensive wing tank corrosion rectification work, including tank replacement, often took place during major services. The K.4 conversions, as with the K.2, lacked forward freight doors, thus it was decided that there would be no internal refuelling tanks fitted. The K.4 had identical refuelling equipment to the K.2 and K.3, but lacked the extra fuselage fuel tanks and retained the same fuel capacity as a Super VC10.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the 13 surviving C.1s were equipped with wing-mounted refuelling pods (HDUs) and re-designated as ''VC10 C.1K'' two-point tanker/transports. No extra tanks were fitted, the fuel load remaining at 80&nbsp;tons (70&nbsp;tonnes). The conversions were undertaken by FR Aviation Limited based at [[Hurn Airport]], near Bournemouth.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200278.html?search=VC10 "BAe and FR win RAF tanker deal."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305204245/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200278.html?search=VC10 |date=5 March 2016 }} ''Flight International'', 13 February 1990. p.18</ref> The in-flight refuelling probe was an original feature on the aircraft, but had been removed during the 1970s and 1980s due to lack of use; the probes were refitted prior to the conversion. Replacing the Conway engines with [[IAE V2500]] was studied but was not found to be cost-effective.<ref name = "barrie 26">Barrie 1993, p. 26.</ref>

In 1982, VC10 C.1s formed a part of the airbridge between RAF Brize Norton and [[Wideawake Airfield]] on [[Ascension Island]] during [[Operation Corporate]], the campaign to retake the Falkland Islands.<ref name="airinternational"/> VC10s were also used in a more unconventional sense – the [[Avro Vulcan]] bombers that participated in [[Operation Black Buck]] had been rapidly retro-fitted with the [[Delco Carousel|Dual Delco Carousel]] navigation system of the Super VC10s, enabling effective open-ocean navigation.<ref>Rowland White – Vulcan 607</ref> A pair of VC10s were also painted with Red Cross markings and used for casualty evacuation from neutral Uruguay during the conflict.<ref name="malta">[http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130918/world/raf-to-retire-vc10s-after-50-years.486622 "RAF to retire VC10s after 50 years."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318224702/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130918/world/raf-to-retire-vc10s-after-50-years.486622 |date=18 March 2014 }} ''Times of Malta'', 18 September 2013.</ref>

In 1991, 9 K.2s and K.3s were deployed to bases in [[Bahrain]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Oman]] as part of [[Operation Granby]], the UK's contribution to the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]]. A total of 5,000 flight hours across 381 sorties were flown in the theatre, flying both aerial refuelling and logistical missions in support of coalition forces in combat with the occupying Iraqi forces in Kuwait.<ref name="malta"/><ref name="airinternational"/> VC10s remained stationed in the region throughout the 1990s, supporting allied aircraft enforcing no-fly zones over parts of Iraq, and during the [[Bombing of Iraq (1998)|1998 Airstrikes on Iraq]].<ref name="no 101">[http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/organisation/101squadron.cfm "No. 101 Squadron."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513003957/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/organisation/101squadron.cfm |date=13 May 2015 }} ''Royal Air Force'', Retrieved: 22 March 2013.</ref><ref name = "barrie 25">Barrie 1993, p. 25.</ref>

During the [[1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]], VC10 tankers were stationed at bases in Southern Italy to refuel NATO aircraft in the theatre, as part of ''Operation Allied Force''.<ref name = "no 101"/> The VC10s allowed [[Panavia Tornado|Tornado]] GR.1 fighter-bombers stationed at [[RAF Bruggen]] to conduct long-range strike missions against targets inside [[Serbia]].<ref name="airinternational"/>

====2000s====
[[File:US Navy 050111-N-1444C-004 Royal Air Force Flight Lt. Ronnie Trasler (captain), Flying Off Paul Summers (co pilot), Flight Lt. Mick Hardwick (engineer) and Squadron Leader Kev Brookes (navigator) of 101 Squadron RAF.jpg|thumb|Flight Deck of a 101 Sqn VC10, 2005]]

In 2001, Oman-based VC10s were used in some of the first missions of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|war in Afghanistan]], refuelling US carrier-based aircraft carrying out strikes on Afghan targets. The VC10s provided air transport missions in support of British and allied forces stationed in Afghanistan fighting against the [[Taliban]], codenamed [[Operation Veritas]]. VC10s remained on long term deployment to the Middle East for twelve years, ending just before the type's retirement.<ref name = "no 101"/>

During the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] by an American-led coalition, a total of nine VC10s were deployed to the theatre under [[Operation Telic]].<ref name="airinternational"/> In the aftermath of the invasion, multiple VC10s were commonly stationed in Iraq; in addition to logistics operations, more than a thousand casualties of the conflict were evacuated to [[Cyprus]] by VC10s.<ref name = "no 101"/> In June 2009, the remaining VC10s were withdrawn from Iraq, along with most other British military assets.<ref>[http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4418574.Flypast_marks_RAF_tankers__farewell_to_Iraq "Flypast marks RAF tankers' farewell to Iraq."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318031548/http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4418574.Flypast_marks_RAF_tankers__farewell_to_Iraq/ |date=18 March 2014 }} ''Oxford Mail'', 3 June 2009.</ref>

Between 2000 and 2003, the remaining K.2s were retired and scrapped. The surviving K.3s served as tanker/transports with [[No. 101 Squadron RAF|No. 101]] Squadron at Brize Norton, [[Oxfordshire]] and the single remaining K.4 supported [[No. 1312 Flight RAF|No. 1312 Flight]] at [[RAF Mount Pleasant]] in the [[Falkland Islands]].<ref name=Kingsley-Jones>{{cite web | url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-raf-squadron-commander-details-vc10-retirement-plans-373990/ | title=FARNBOROUGH: RAF squadron commander details VC10 retirement plans | first=Max | last=Kingsley-Jones | publisher=Flight Daily News | date=10 July 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713043901/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-raf-squadron-commander-details-vc10-retirement-plans-373990/ | archive-date=13 July 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> In January 2010, VC10 passenger operations were temporarily suspended while an airworthiness review was carried out.<ref>Hoyle, Craig. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/royal-air-force-suspends-passenger-operations-with-vc10-337318/ "Royal Air Force suspends passenger operations with VC10 fleet."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610174750/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/royal-air-force-suspends-passenger-operations-with-vc10-337318/ |date=10 June 2012 }} ''Flight International'', 19 January 2010.</ref>
[[File:Vickers VC-10 in aerial refuelling exercise 30.jpg|thumb|View from a Vickers VC10 during an aerial refuelling exercise]]
Following the [[2006 North Korean nuclear test]], a pair of VC10s were dispatched to [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], Japan to undertake nuclear debris tests; this unusual task was performed using specialised sampling pods which replace the refuelling pods equipped as standard.<ref name="airinternational">'Aircraft of the RAF Part 2: Vickers VC10' ''Air International'' May 2008 pp. 56–60.</ref> During [[Operation Ellamy]], Britain's contribution to the [[2011 military intervention in Libya]], a small number of VC10s were dispatched to bases in the Mediterranean and were used to refuel NATO strike aircraft being used in the theatre.<ref name=odyssey_dawn>{{cite web |title= RAF tanker aircraft keep missions flying over Libya |url= https://www.gov.uk/government/news/raf-tanker-aircraft-keep-missions-flying-over-libya |publisher= [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]] |date= 18 July 2011 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140317224312/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/raf-tanker-aircraft-keep-missions-flying-over-libya |archive-date= 17 March 2014 |df= dmy-all }}</ref>

The VC10 and [[Lockheed TriStar (RAF)|Lockheed TriStar]] tanker/transports were replaced in RAF service by the [[Airbus A330 MRTT]] Voyager under the [[Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft]] Project.<ref name = "barrie 27">Barrie 1993, p. 27.</ref><ref name=Osborne20130729>{{cite web | url=http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:c8154877-26a7-481d-9e59-c69aff0cb745 | title=And Then There Were Three... | first=Tony | last=Osborne | date=29 July 2013 | publisher=Aviation Week | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054414/http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:c8154877-26a7-481d-9e59-c69aff0cb745 | archive-date=21 September 2013 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> The type's final flights in RAF service took place on 20 September 2013, the final refuelling sortie was followed by a tour of the UK.<ref name=BBC24165590>{{cite web|title=Vickers VC10 jetliners fly last mission from RAF Brize Norton|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-24165590|work=BBC News|date=20 September 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921081504/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-24165590|archive-date=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=RAF20130919>{{cite web | url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/newsweather/index.cfm?storyid=220D244C-5056-A318-A886E23E7E6AF909 | title=VC10 – The Final Chapter | publisher=Royal Air Force | date=19 September 2013 | access-date=19 September 2013 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054302/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/newsweather/index.cfm?storyid=220D244C-5056-A318-A886E23E7E6AF909 | archive-date=21 September 2013 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> On 24 September, ZA150 made its last flight to [[Dunsfold Aerodrome]] for preservation at the Brooklands Museum, while ZA147 arrived at Bruntingthorpe on 25 September.

====Servicing and support====
All servicing of the RAF fleet of VC10s was undertaken at RAF Brize Norton in a purpose-built hangar. Known as "Base Hangar", when built in 1969 it was the largest cantilever-roofed structure in Europe; a quarter of a mile in length with no internal supports. Up to six VC10s could be positioned inside with adequate room remaining for working space around each aircraft.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117029#n170 "Brize Norton: Introduction: A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 15."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424040940/http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117029 |date=24 April 2014 }} ''British History Online''. 2006, pp. 205–218.</ref> During the late 1980s, plans to move major servicing to [[RAF Abingdon]] near to [[RAF Brize Norton]] were considered. Abingdon was closed and a new facility was built at [[RAF St Athan]], in South Wales – "1 Air Maintenance Sqn" (1 AMS); the first aircraft to undergo major servicing at the facility entered in January 1993.

After the closure of the British Aerospace factories at Brooklands/Weybridge and Hatfield, responsibility of design and all commercial activity transferred to British Aerospace (now [[BAE Systems]]) Manchester, Woodford and Chadderton sites. In the mid-1990s, when the design of detailed components was subcontracted, the design team transferred from Woodford to Chadderton. In 2003, responsibility for the commercial procurement of all spares items was undertaken by BAE Systems, at [[Samlesbury Aerodrome#BAE Systems Use|BAE Systems Samlesbury]]. The Chadderton site maintained responsibility for the MoD contracts for project managing modifications; major repairs and major maintenance being carried out at RAF St Athan.