FSX-SE Beautiful Vickers VC-10

[P_7878 6,605]

I had purchased this aircraft during one of the earlier JF sales a while ago, but never got to fly it, primarily because I thought I would wait for their upgrade to the Professional Version planned for this year. However, I thought it would be still best to give this SIM a try now. In terms of system fidelity, it's noted to be between JF's Lite and Pro versions. Nonetheless, it's a really good aircraft to fly for fun - if you would excuse study-sim level fidelity which is not available (yet) . It does have the authentic (and unmistakable) sound-sets recorded from the actual Rolls-Royce Conway engines. I listened to this distinctive sound at full volume, subject to household noise-abatement policy...🙂..., and it was worth listening to.

The Vickers VC10, may not have been a commercial success (only 54 built, between 1962-1970), but it still evokes great memories. If we were to search for the most beautiful commercial/civil aircraft ever built, the following will typically make the top-10 list: Lockheed Constellation, BAe Concorde, Vickers VC10, Boeing 747, and Sud Aviation Caravelle, De Havilland Comet... - with VC10 being consistently found in the top-5.

The Commercial VC10s came in two primary variants (Standard and Super). The VC10s were Britain’s entry into the long range (4-engine) jet aircraft market in the 1960s. Originally designed for hot and high routes in places like Africa (an advantage it quickly lost as the runways routinely got extended), the Super VC10 version was also very popular on transatlantic routes. Having the engines situated at the rear led to a very quiet passenger cabin. Right through to the end of its service with British Airways, people would still actively choose to fly on the VC10, over even modern aircraft like the Boeing 747. The performance of the VC10 was such that it achieved the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by a jet airliner, a record still held to date for a sub-sonic airliner, of 5 hours and 1 minute; only the supersonic Concorde was faster.

The aircraft first flew on 29 June 1962, entering service with BOAC in 1964. Once its passenger service ended, it continued operating for the RAF, with its last flight in 2013. The U.K. RAF went on to purchase these aircraft retired from the commercial market for their strategic transport, converting many into air-to-air refueling tankers. The aircraft has conducted a wide range of tasks from troop/VIP transport, medical missions and even air sampling after nuclear tests. The aircraft had a 4-crew cockpit (Captain/Co-Pilot/Flight Engineer/Navigator) typical of the aircraft of this era. I've included the Flight Engineer and the Navigator Panel shots.

So, please find below a few images of this magnificent aircraft (Standard BOAC version) in the BA colors (circa 1976) on a flight between Venice (LIPZ) and Naples (LIRN) - across the Adriatic Sea and overflying the scenic Apennines Mountain Range. [JF(VC10)/MSE(Italy)/REX]

[vc10man 732]

As an aircraft that regularly serviced, first in the RAF at Brize Norton, then at BA at Heathrow, that's why I held off the initial sell and the subsequent JF Sales.

Nice report, and nostalgia-evoking memoirs, but guess as I am used to PMDG and FSL quality, I will wait for the Pro version to come out.

Incidentally, where are you flying over, lovely mountain tops?

Cunard played a part in it being sold to BA. Was very popular with BUA(later Caledonian) in Embakasi where I used to see it, and with EAA(East African Airways), which like all or most British Colonial tripartite set-ups between the East African colonies of Uganda-Kenya-Tanganyka(later to become Tanzania) such as EAP&T, EAR&H, EAPL, these functional Government utilities fell apart to the opposite effect once these individual nations went their own way amidst bickering and corruption.

Once where it was possible to transport oil from the oil depot terminus in Mombasa, by rail, all the way to the Congo border, now, it's one long traffic jam of road haulage oil tankers all teh way from Mombasa to Rwanda.

Once upon a time, it was feasible to take a leisurely cruise across Lake Victoria and then catch a train from the then harbour at Jinja all the way to Dare-es-Salaam, onto Durban. Today, that harbour and rail lines lie derelict, deserted

Edited February 9, 2019 by vc10man
spelling and typos errors

[P_7878 6,605]

Thanks, Rick, for the additional notes. You would surely know lot more inside details...

Anyway, in retrospect, the Brabazon Committee was such a creative and innovative initiative (as early as 1942), that produced so many remarkable aircraft, but, due to one or more reasons, the objectives did not allow sufficient considerations for global needs (it was not meant to be). Otherwise, who knows, we may still be flying now, across the pond, in a 4-engine jetliner, with the engines in the rear...

I am also looking forward to the Pro-upgrade of this lovable aircraft SIM, let us see...

The mountain tops you see here are located in the Italian Apennines Range, particularly the Abruzzi Apennines segment, which has some of the highest peaks...MSE(Italy) has decent representation of this region...

[vc10man 732]

Thanks for that reply and scenery update. I used to finish my Shift at Hatton Cross, and heading towards my digs, in the late afternoon, I used to look up and see a -10 gliding in ever so serenely, a thing of beauty, in the old BA markings, gently towards LHR(EGLL), and boy did I wear my BA Engineering badge with pride on my duffel coat.

Edited February 9, 2019 by vc10man

[Phantom88 3,287]

***Excellent  Series***