A40-VI Gulf Air VC-10 and PH-DEM Surinam Airways Douglas DC-8 make a colourful pair at London Heathrow

The view from Car Park 2
A40-VI Vickers VC-10-1101 is seen here on the stand at London Heathrow - taken from the top level of Car Park 2, a favourite vantage point of mine. As far as I am aware, this was one of only two VC-10s in the Gulf Air fleet to be repainted into the striking new "Golden Falcon" livery that was adopted for the new Lockheed TriStars that soon replaced the VC-10s - the other was A40-VL. It is certainly the only time I captured one on film, as the VC-10s were soon after withdrawn from service.

Originally one of the BOAC fleet, from 1974 to 1977 the aircraft was operated by Gulf Air, and was one of only two VC-10s to be repainted into the new "Golden Falcon" livery.

G-ARVI c/n 811 - Vickers VC-10-1101 - delivered new to BOAC in April 1964, incorporated into the British Airways fleet ten years later. Leased to Gulf Air in 1974 and then bought by the airline in 1975, but only flew until the end of 1977, when the aircraft was sold off to the RAF, where it became ZA142. The RAF converted the aircraft to a VC-10 K.2 tanker for use by 101 Sqd Brize Norton, and the aircraft flew with the RAF until 2001. Stored at St Athan, the aircraft was finally broken up in 2003.

A full history of A40-VI here: www.vc10.net/Airframes/cn_811__garvi.html

PH-DEM c/n 46141 - Douglas DC-8-63 - delivered new to KLM in 1970, leased to Surinam Airways ifrom late 1975 until 1983, sold to Seychelles International as S7-SIS in 1983, and then to African Safari Airways as HB-IBF, and finally to Airborne Express as N824AX in 1994. The aircraft was finally withdrawn and stored at Clinton County Air Force Base in 2002, after 32 years of service, and scrapped in 2006.

Taken with my basic Kodak Instamatic using 126 cartridge film.

Visit my VC-10 gallery here - full of superb images of a perfect plane! www.flickr.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/galleries/7215770818...

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Greater London (show map)

Taken on: January 1, 1977

Tags:

VC10

Vickers VC10

London Heathrow

Car Park 2

Gulf Air

A40-VL

PH-DEM

KLM

Surinam Airways

Douglas DC-8

DC-8 « less

Sets appears in: • Heathrow in the 1970s • Aviation Scene 1977 more » • Douglas DC-8 • Vickers VC-10 « less

Groups appears in: • Flickr Addicts • Aircraft more » • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. • Aircraft Spotting • Plane Spotting • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines BV • McDonnell Douglas • LHR: London Heathrow Airport • Aircraft: Classic Airliners • London LHR Airport • Planes & Airports • Heathrow - Plane Spotters • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines • We Love Airplanes • Aircraft: Vickers VC-10... • Vickers Aircraft • London Airports - MEGA hub • Aviation Photography Group • Airlines - Extinct, Orphan, Former • Douglas DC-8 • Pre Digital Aviation • Airlines: At the Gate • KLM World • Airlines: Special Events • ***Flickr Global • Douglas Aircraft Company • Aviation Worldwide • ALL AVIATION PHOTOS • AVIATION ♥ PASSION! • The Heathrow Collection (LHR) • World Aviation Pics and Vids • KLM Aircraft • Heathrow spotter's and photographer's • The Vickers VC10 Group • Aircraft: Scrapped Airliners • Planespotting in Britain • Plane Spotting [around the world] • Instamatic Moments • London Airports • Airlines: of the Persian Gulf • Aviones (Sin limite de grupos) • WorldAviation • Aircraft Addiction • Flickr Social • Airlines of Latin America • British Transport Aircraft (no Concorde) • A V I A T I O N ✈ • The Aviation Group (No 30/60 limit) • Planespotter (No 30/60 limit) • Plane-Spotting • Heathrow in the 20th Century • ALL JET AIRCRAFT ✈ • Plane in a Frame (unlimited upload) • Rare Aircraft Types • Airport: London | Heathrow [LHR/EGLL] • Aircraft faded glory • #1 The Aviation reference group • *** Aviation (No 30/60 Limit) *** • SpottingLog - Aviation Photography • Aircraft Manufacturer # UK • British [No Limited] • London Aviation Photographers • The best photographs from around the world. • Airport # London • Heathrow [LHR/EGLL] UK (No Limited) • Old Aircraft, Old Planes (No 30/60 limit) • DouglasDC-8 (No 30/60 limit) • Air Flickr or Flickr Flight (No 30/60 Restriction) • 5 Million Aircraft Photos • Aviation 1970-79 « less

Stats: 3,832 views / 5 comments