C/n 863 - G-ASGM

In the initial plans that BOAC had for the VC10 there was room for several Super VC10s with a large main-deck freight door. After BUA had pioneered this addition to the VC10 options package more airlines became interested in carrying both passengers and cargo. Because of this the BOAC orders were changed in 1963 to include both freight door equipped and pure passenger carrying Super VC10s. G-ASGM was supposed to be a type 1152 Super VC10 with main-deck freight door but this was soon changed to a type 1151 variant when BOAC decided to stick to a single variant.

By the time G-ASGM arrived at Wisley after its first flight, the development of the Super VC10 had reached a point where the airframe only had to prove that it performed as per the documentation. After only eight days the VC10 was ready to join the BOAC fleet at Heathrow, shortly after it would start carrying passengers around the world. It would fly for BOAC for six years and six more in British Airways colours. When the Super VC10 fleet was moving towards retirement 'GM spent some months at Prestwick in storage before a final stretch in service in late 1980 and early 1981. By April 1981 the RAF registration ZD241 had been assigned to the airframe but it would spend almost exactly ten years standing still at Abingdon before its second career could begin.

As a K4 tanker the aircraft would have a second life stretching another 18 years. The K4 tankers featured a newer avionics fit than the older K2 and K3 tankers which offered some additional features, but it carried less fuel as no fuselage tanks were installed. Although a very capable tanker, the long storage had left its marks on the airframes and the relatively newer K3s would outlive the K4s. ZD241 did its best though and became the longest serving of the K4 variant. During its final years it was to spend many months at RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands, serving 1312 Flight in support of the based fighters. Having a single airframe that far from its support organisations did cause its share of headaches of course, a situation that did not improve with ZD241 becoming a unique variant. At one point the airframe was marked with four penguins next to its entrance door, signifying the number of weeks it spent unservicable at Mount Pleasant. In between these occasional problems it performed its duties as well as any other VC10 of course.

When ZD241 landed at Bruntingthorpe, news emerged within weeks that the airframe had been bought for preservation at the airfield. This situation changed with the arrival of XR808 four months later. As the last C1K this was seen as a more fitting subject for preservation at Bruntingthorpe, but some months later the RAF Museum decided to have XR808 taken apart and moved by road to Cosford. That meant that the focus shifted back to ZD241 and in December 2013 the K4 was slowly coming back to life as four Conways had been reinstalled in the engine pods. Soon the sound of the Conways was heard around Bruntingthorpe again and on 1st May 2014 the first trial taxi run along the runway was carried out in preparation for its public debut at the Cold War Jets open day later that month.

After five years of being a crowd favourite at various Cold War Jets days, setting off car alarms during many of its runs, August 2019 saw the last taxi run for ZD241. The aerodrome was leased to a different operator for use as a car storage site and auction site and there was no room for airliners anymore. The airframes owned by the Walton family were either moved off site to a new display area by the Q-shed, just outside of the aerodrome limits, or were stored in a corner of the site. Any remaining airframes, including 747s and Tristars, were scrapped one by one over the next period with the last one, ZD241, ending up on the scrap pan in April 2022. The airframe was cut up on 20 April 2022. Several parts were removed either for resale on the open market (keep an eye on Doors2Manual for example) or for use in the project to get ZA150 back in the air. Time will tell if larger parts such as the cockpit will be preserved.

Date
11 April 1963	Registration G-ASGM reserved, initially the order was for a type 1152 VC10 with freight door but this was changed to a type 1151.
26 February 1968	First flight.
6 March 1968	Delivery to BOAC as G-ASGM.
July 1969	Carried out a flypast at Wycombe Air Park/Booker airfield, during an airshow (see below).
3-4 July 1971	Became the first jet to land in the Seychelles, having flown there from London via Nairobi crewed by Captain Nicholls and F/E Gordon Sears (on the second leg of the flight). After arriving at 11:20, the aircraft left again at 13:45. See here for the special covers flown on that flight.
31 December 1972	Operated flight BA592 from Honolulu to Los Angeles, crewed by Captain Tony Frish.
1 April 1974	Ownership transferred to British Airways.
7 May 1980	Withdrawn from use at Heathrow, ferried to Prestwick for storage.
25 August 1980	Ferried back to Heathrow. BA needed the extra capacity due to the large scale NATO exercise 'Crusader' in September 1980.
Early 1981	Ferried to Prestwick for storage.
12 April 1981	Sold to RAF.
21 April 1981	Ferried to RAF Abingdon and stored as ZD241. Hours flown at time of retirement: 45682hrs.
27 April 1981	Registration G-ASGM cancelled as 'sold to RAF'.
16 April 1991	Ferried to Filton for conversion to RAF tanker.
10 May 1995	First flight from Filton after conversion to K4 tanker.
9 June 1995	Delivery to 101 Squadron, assigned code letter 'N'.
4 February 1996	Flt Lt Armstrong and crew flew the 1000th 101 Sqn Op WARDEN sortie in ZD241.
	ZD241 has a scroll with 'Leonard Cheshire VC' applied. This is the only VC scroll that was never flown on one of the original RAF C1s.
2010?	'David Lord VC' scroll applied to ZD241.
9 January 2012-12 March 2012	Maintenance visit to RAF Brize Norton, returned to Falkland Islands.
30 July 2012	Returned from the Falkland Islands for maintenance. 'James McCudden VC' scroll applied during this visit.
28 August 2012	ZD241 was scheduled to fly in a three-ship formation with XR808 and ZA147 as this was the last opportunity to fly the three different variants together. Unfortunately delays in maintenance meant that ZD241 was kept on the ground performing engine runs and its place was taken by C1K XV108.
6 September 2012	ZD241 flew from Brize on an air test, first flight since arriving on 30 July and sadly too late for the planned three-ship formation.
10 September 2012	Left Brize Norton for the Falkland Islands.
2013	Scottish aviation heritage association Morayvia attempted to purchase ZD241 but sadly did not manage to secure the needed funds.
8 March 2013	Returned from last deployment to the Falkland Islands as 'RRR2127' via Las Palmas.
21 March 2013	ZD241 performed its last landing at Bruntingthorpe around 12:48LT. Total hours on the clock: 52716:55 of which 7034 hours in RAF service.

December 2013	Although its engines had been removed after arrival at Bruntingthorpe, December saw the airframe reunited with a brace of Conways.
31 March 2014	First four-engine run for ZD241 in preservation.
25 May 2014	After a trial run along the runway on 1st May ZD241 performed its first taxi run during the Cold War Jets day at Bruntingthorpe.
25 August 2019	Last taxi run for ZD241 at Bruntingthorpe.
November 2021	US registration N241ZD assigned. This is to be able to use parts from ZD241 in the restoration to flying status of ZA150.

20 April 2022	Airframe scrapped at Bruntingthorpe aerodrome.

1. I don't know who these people are but the airframe behind them is the 13th BOAC Super VC10, also known as G-ASGM, having its wings fitted on the W1 assembly line.
2. A brand new G-ASGM is seen here at Wisley in front of the hangars, which must have been either late February or early March 1968 as 'GM didn't spend much time there.
3. This photo was taken at Wycombe Air Park/Booker airfield, most likely in July 1969 during an airshow. It captures both the graceful lines of the Super VC10 and the enthusiasm of the display pass. If anyone knows more about this occasion, please get in touch.
4. In the late 70s, G-ASGM is seen landing in full British Airways colours.

1-2. In storage at RAF Abingdon during the 80s. It is clear that the airframe can use a bit of cleaning.
3. After its conversion to a K4 tanker ZD241, seen here landing, initially carried the hemp scheme of 101 Squadron.
4. ZD241 as seen from another aircraft in this air-to-air photo.

1. March 1998, passing fuel to a Nimrod which is on its way to the Falklands.
2. VC10 K4 tanker ZD241 as seen from another VC10.
3. Approaching the centre hose to take on fuel from ZD241.
4. ZD241 parked at Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, during the last year of its active career.

1. Parked at Mount Pleasant.
2. On this photo the three VC scrolls that ZD241 carried during the last months of its career can be seen.
3-4. Two additional photos taken at the Falkland Islands.

1. Flight deck of the last K4 tanker, with some 1435Flt Typhoons in the hangar behind it.
2. As the last VC10 three-ship formation passes overhead, ZD241 is performing engine runs on the detuners at Brize Norton.
3. Final approach, ZD241 crosses the treeline at Bruntingthorpe.
4. The last ever landing for an ex-BOAC Super VC10.

1. VC10 K4 ZD241 seen at Bruntingthorpe in June 2015.
2. The aircraft is maintained in live condition at Bruntingthorpe and performs regularly at the open days, together with the other live airframes there.
3. Although the airframe was initially deactivated after arrival, the missing parts have been reinstalled.
4. Looking at the VC10 from a distance, this is no static museum piece but a fully functioning airframe. It looks ready to go back to work, delivering fuel to other aircraft.

1. The flightdeck of ZD241.
2. The cabin is fitted with several rows of seats, facing backwards of course. There is plenty of room in the cabin of a K4.
3. The aft end of the cabin contains several frames in which the various intake blanks and covers can be stored.
4. In March 2016 a taxi run was carried out for a photo event at Bruntingthorpe. ZD241 has all four engines running here.

1-3. ZD241 performing its taxi run down the Bruntingthorpe runway.
4. After the taxi run the VC10 was positioned on the runway with two other RAF tankers, the Tristar and the Victor.

1. As the sun went down the lines of the VC10 still stood out against a dramatic backdrop.
2. Artificial lighting was used at a later stage to illuminate the three airframes.

The first public taxi run of ZD241 at Bruntingthorpe, as seen from the outside and the inside.

BOAC	Second version of BOAC 'Golden Speedbird' scheme, golden edge on cheatline removed and cheatline now arcs smoothly down towards the nose without the step of the previous scheme.
BOAC/BA	As above but with British Airways titles on the forward fuselage.
BA	First British Airways ('Negus') scheme, white over dark blue fuselage with grey wings. Top of fin and stabilizer in red with Union Jack section. British Airways titles and small Speedbird on front fuselage.
RAF	First RAF 101 Sqn 'Hemp' scheme. Grey undersides with hemp colours on top and fuselage sides. Toned down markings and large letter on fin.
RAF	All over grey scheme with large lightning flash down the side of the fuselage. Toned down roundels and fin flashes, code letter 'N' on fin. In later years the cockpit area and fuselage spine were painted with a different, lighter coloured, undercoat, to lower the temperature inside.
	After retirement ZD241 received logos of its new owner GJD Services on the engine nacelles and next to the entry door.