DALLAS — Today, in 1981, British Airways (BA) retired its last Vickers VC10, a mid-sized, narrow-body long-range jet.

The VC10 was an iconic jet, and despite its limited production numbers (only 54 were ever built), the type played a pivotal role in British aviation.

Origins

The VC10 can trace its origins back to 1952 when aircraft manufacturer Vickers announced plans for the Vickers 1000, a military transport project for the Royal Air Force (RAF). British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was interested in a passenger variant designated the VC7 for its trans-Atlantic operations. However, just six months before the prototype V-1000 was due to be completed, the RAF pulled out of the project, leaving the VC7 on the drawing board.

Despite introducing jet-powered aircraft to the world via the de Havilland Comet, a series of crashes left confidence in British aircraft design at an all-time low. Across the pond, Boeing raced ahead with its new 707 jetliners.

In October 1956, BOAC ordered 15 707s to replace its Comet 4 fleet. The official statement said this was "because no new British aircraft could be made available in time."

However, it was soon realized that the 707 was underpowered for BOAC's routes to Africa and Asia, with their 'hot and high' airports considerably reducing the type's performance.

Enter the VC10

Vickers returned to the table with the state-of-the-art VC10. Its high T-tail and large wing with various lift-generating devices gave it excellent take-off and climbing performance. Its four rear-mounted Conway engines further away from the runway surface were essential to operations from poorly surfaced runways, which were standard in Africa and the Middle East.

The VC10 also had state-of-the-art flight deck technology and advanced avionics with a 'quadruplicated automatic flight control system.'

Along with the 'Standard' VC10, Vickers also worked on a stretched version, dubbed the 'Super' VC10, for BOAC's lucrative North Atlantic routes. This higher capacity variant would have a greater range and more powerful Conway 550 engines.

Politics and Planes

BOAC initially ordered 35 of the standard VC10 variant for delivery in 1964, with options for a further 20. At the time, this was the biggest single contract placed for a British civil airplane, valued at £77 million. The British Government, which controlled the national carrier, then pressured the airline to order ten more examples of the Super VC10.

BOAC refused, stating that it was economically impossible to justify such a purchase on top of the existing order. A compromise was found, and on June 23, 1960, they converted ten of the initial orders to the 'Super' model. 

But this was not the end of the story. It became clear that the economics of the 'Super' variant meant less of the 'Standard' would be required. In early 1961, the order was changed to 15 VC10s and 30 Super VC10s.

Following the recession in 1961, the order for the Standard VC10 was again cut to just 12 examples, and the Super VC10 order was later cut back to just 17 examples.

A Passenger Favourite

The first Standard VC10 (G-ARVJ) entered service with BOAC on April 29, 1964, between London Heathrow and Lagos. The Super VC10 was introduced on April 1, 1965, with G-ASGD put to work on the Heathrow to New York route.

BOAC publicly criticized the VC10's economic performance and even demanded that the British Government pay a subsidiary to operate the type. This created an uphill battle for Vickers when offering the type to other airlines. Indeed, only nine other passenger operators would ever use the VC10.

Despite management's reservations, passengers loved the VC10. Thanks to its rear-mounted engines, smooth ride during turbulence, and quiet cabin, people requested to fly the VC10.

BOAC would use this to its advantage, launching advertising campaigns with iconic slogans like 'Try a little VC10derness' and 'Swift, Silent, Serene.' The type became the flagship of its 'Monarch' service between New York and London and later replaced the 707 on the London-Montreal-Chicago route.

British Airways Is Born

The retirement of the Standard VC10 began in 1974. BOAC had now received its new flagship, the mighty Boeing 747, and so the Super VC10 was taken off the trans-Atlantic routes and used to replace the Standard variant on Middle-East and African rotations. 

On March 31, 1974, BOAC merged with the UK's other national carrier, British European Airways (BEA), and British Airways was born. 

The newly formed airline had inherited a large and varied fleet. BA began withdrawing older aircraft types to streamline its operations and reduce costs.

However, the last Standard VC10, G-ARVM, was retained until 1979 as a standby for the Super fleet. Meanwhile, the Super VC10 began to leave in April 1980, and the type's full retirement was completed the following year.

VC10 Retirement

G-ASGL flew the last commercial flight of a BA VC10 on March 29, 1981. The airline had put on two special charters for enthusiasts from Heathrow. With 137 passengers on board, it overflew Manchester, Prestwick, and the Brooklands Vickers factory before landing at Heathrow 2 hours later.

The RAF took 14 out of the 15 retired examples. These were initially used for spare parts, but five of the younger examples would later be converted to air-to-air refueling tankers. They continued to serve the RAF until September 20, 2013, when the type was finally retired.

Loved by crews, passengers, and aircraft enthusiasts alike, the VC10's potential as a world-leading passenger aircraft was sadly never fully achieved. But even after all these years, the type retains its status as one of the best and most iconic British airliners ever built.