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C/n 801/2 - Test Specimen
C/n 803 - G-ARTA
C/n 804 - G-ARVA - 5N-ABD
C/n 805 - G-ARVB
C/n 806 - G-ARVC - ZA144
C/n 807 - G-ARVE
C/n 808 - G-ARVF
C/n 809 - G-ARVG - ZA141
C/n 810 - G-ARVH
C/n 811 - G-ARVI - ZA142
C/n 812 - G-ARVJ - ZD493
C/n 813 - G-ARVK - ZA143
C/n 814 - G-ARVL - ZA140
C/n 815 - G-ARVM
C/n 819 - G-ASIW - 7Q-YKH
C/n 820 - G-ASIX - A4O-AB
C/n 823 - 9G-ABO
C/n 824 - 9G-ABP
C/n 825 - G-ATDJ - XX914
C/n 826 - XR806
C/n 827 - XR807
C/n 828 - XR808
C/n 829 - XR809
C/n 830 - XR810
C/n 831 - XV101
C/n 832 - XV102
C/n 833 - XV103
C/n 834 - XV104
C/n 835 - XV105
C/n 836 - XV106
C/n 837 - XV107
C/n 838 - XV108
C/n 839 - XV109
C/n 851 - G-ASGA - ZD230
C/n 852 - G-ASGB
C/n 853 - G-ASGC
C/n 854 - G-ASGD
C/n 855 - G-ASGE
C/n 856 - G-ASGF
C/n 857 - G-ASGG - ZD235
C/n 858 - G-ASGH
C/n 859 - G-ASGI
C/n 860 - G-ASGJ
C/n 861 - G-ASGK
C/n 862 - G-ASGL - ZD240
C/n 863 - G-ASGM - ZD241
C/n 864 - G-ASGN
C/n 865 - G-ASGO
C/n 866 - G-ASGP - ZD242
C/n 867 - G-ASGR
C/n 881 - 5X-UVA
C/n 882 - 5H-MMT - ZA147
C/n 883 - 5Y-ADA - ZA148
C/n 884 - 5X-UVJ - ZA149
C/n 885 - 5H-MOG - ZA150

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C/n 835 - XV105

Timeline

Date  
3 October 1967 First flight.
20 October 1967 Handover to RAF 10 Squadron as XV105.
11 November 1968 Named 'Albert Ball VC' in a ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.
6 November 1970 Operated the first Washington Schedule (or 'Dulles Sched') as Ascot 2097, returning via Manchester.
March 1981 XV105 was spotted in Wellington, NZ, operating a Royal Flight. Prince Charles visited Australia, using XV105, during this month, so he most likely went to New Zealand as well.
24 June 1982 Carried survivors of the attacks on 'Sir Galahad' and 'Sir Tristram' from Wideawake via Dakar to Brize Norton.
21-25 February 1984 Flew HRH The Prince of Wales from London to Brunei and back via Bahrain and Singapore to attend celebrations to mark Brunei's independance. Carried commemorative covers.
27 June 1985 Carried the PM, Mrs. Thatcher, from London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa for an EU conference, as Ascot 1107.
20 January 1986 Carried the PM, Mrs. Thatcher, from London Heathrow to Lille and back again for an Anglo-French summit during which the construction of the Channel Tunnel was announced. Crewed by Captain Neil and F/E Richie Spence.
2-6 May 1986 Carried the PM, Mrs. Thatcher, to Seoul via Anchorage, then to Pusan, Tokyo and back home. First visit of a British PM to South Korea, attended G7 summit in Tokyo. Anchorage - South Korea - Japan - Anchorage legs crewed by Captain Neil and F/E Richie Spence.
7 June 1986 Operated yearly Aries flight over the North Pole.
26-27 June 1986 Carried the PM, Mrs. Thatcher from LHR to Amsterdam Schiphol airport for The Hague European Council meeting. Aircraft positioned Schiphol - Valkenburg Naval Air base later on the 26th, carrying the PM back home from Valkenburg on the 27th. Crewed by Captain Neil and F/E Richie Spence.
9-11 July 1986 Carried the Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, to Nairobi, Kenya, Lusaka in Zambia, Harare in Zimbabwe and Maputo in Mozambique, on an EC mission to discuss the ending of apartheid. Crewed by Captain Wolley and F/E Richie Spence.
29-30 June 1987 Carried the PM, Mrs. Thatcher, from London Heathrow to Brussels and back for an EEC summit meeting. Crewed by Captain Conlon and F/E Richie Spence.
1989 Used for trials with Loral Matador infrared countermeasure pods, captained by Sqn Ldr Frank Huddleston.
12 April 1995 First flight after conversion to C1K tanker/transport.
24 April 1995 Delivery to 10 Squadron as C1K.
21 June 1996 Flew a continuation training sortie from RAF Brize Norton, lasting approx. 3 hours, carrying commemorative covers for the 45th anniversary of the first flight of the HP.88. Crewed by Captain T.D. Hewgley, Flt.Lt. D.P. Hatter, Flt.Lt. H.A. Timbers, Sgt. P.A. Radcliffe.
November 1999 Repainted into the new grey colourscheme.
14 October 2005 Transferred to 101 Squadron upon disbandment of 10 Squadron, allocated letter 'V'.
June 2007 XV105 was revealed at a Brize Norton families day with special artwork on its tail commemorating 90 years of 101 Squadron.
12 June 2010 Took part in Queen's birthday flypast over Buckingham Palace together with XV108.
30 August 2011 Aircraft withdrawn from service, flown to Bruntingthorpe on its final flight. Total time: 38272.05 hours.
23 May 2012 Airframe scrapped at Bruntingthorpe.

 


Photo copyright BAE Systems / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo copyright BAE Systems / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo copyright BAE Systems / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo collection J. Hieminga

1. XV105 at RAF Brize Norton, with passengers boarding.
2. Taking off from what looks like Brize, with a Belfast and another VC10 in the background.
3. XV105 coming in to land at RAAF Avalon, in Australia, near Melbourne.
4. A bit later on XV105 has lost its 'Air Support Command' titles. Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport was a regular stop for RAF VC10s.


Photo collection J. Hieminga

Photo R. King

Photo R. King

Photo M. Grierson

1. XV105 parked in its white over grey colourscheme.
2. During and after the Falklands War, XV105 was one of the C1s that carried wounded back to the UK and received Red Cross markings on these occasions.
3. In this case, the markings were for a Falklands - Montevideo - UK flight crewed by Richard King in June 1982. Two days later he had a chance to photograph XV105 from another VC10 and the markings were still there.
4. Mike Grierson flew as Navigator on VC10s and took this photo as XV105 was cruising at 31,000 feet.


Photo collection J. Hieminga

Photo collection J. Hieminga

Photo collection J. Hieminga

Photo R. Lee

1. On 26th June 1998 XV105 is at Tempelhof airport for what looks like a public day of some sort.
2. A photo of XV105 being positioned by tow truck. As the entry door is not fully closed and the pitot covers are still on it doesn't look like a departure.
3. From 1999 on XV105 flew in the new grey colourscheme, here it carries the 10 Squadron crest on its tail.
4. In June 2007 a special anniversary tail was unveiled, commemorating 90 years of 101 Squadron.


Photo R. Lee

Photo R. Lee

Photo Peter R. Foster

Photo C. Kern

1-2. Two other photos of the special tail on XV105.
3. Peter Foster was fortunate enough to photograph the commemorative scheme on XV105 during an air-to-air session.
4. By October 2010 XV105's tail was once again grey. This photo also shows that the Conways could get a bit smoky at low power settings.


Photo C. Kern

Photo C. Kern

Photo C. Kern

Photo C. Kern

1-3. On 3rd October 2010 XV105 visited Paderborn, a less frequent destination for the VC10s.
4. On this photo XV105 is taxiing at Hanover, where the RAF VC10s were regular visitors.


Photo D. Ayton

Photo G. Spoors / GJD Services
   

1. XV105 taxiing at Trapani, Sicily, during 101 Squadron's detachment there for op ELLAMY, providing air support over Libya in 2011. Mount Erice is clearly visible in the background.
4. XV105's last landing at Bruntingthorpe airfield.

Colourschemes

RAF White over grey scheme with large blue lightning flash down the fuselage. Initially "Royal Air Force Transport Command" titles and roundels on the fuselage, later this became "Royal Air Force Air Support Command" titles. Titles changed to just "Royal Air Force" in 1972.
RAF All over grey scheme with large lightning flash down the side of the fuselage. Toned down roundels and fin flashes, code letter 'V' on fin (since 2005).
RAF Same as above with black fin, yellow 101 Squadron text and squadron logo on fin and '90th anniversary' on the engine nacelles.


 

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