40 years ago today

[TSR2]

Hi Jim, Thats as maybe, but the whole airframe cannot be replaced without having a new serial number and hence a new reg. I was actually meaning which is the oldest VC10 in service lol :roll:

[forthbridge]

Hi Jim, Thats as maybe, but the whole airframe cannot be replaced without having a new serial number and hence a new reg. I was actually meaning which is the oldest VC10 in service lol :roll:

Soz Ben, I asked wrongly anyway mate..... what I meant to ask was - How much can actually be changed (except the basic shell) without it being reregistered?

[Techy111]

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2002/vc10/vc10.htm

That may help Ben......

Tony

[ianhind]

Whether the Iranian AF 747s are really active is not going to be easy to verify.

But a more easily verified on is No.52 c/no 19753, a Boeing 747-122 delivered to United as N4703U in June 1970 (so only coming up to 39) and still with Kalitta as N716CK.

Photos on A.net as recent as September 08 so she was 39 by then.

[tinkicker]

I think the 747 is a major milestone in aviation history and its testiment to its design that its still going strong. wheatever the politics between the British and the Americans. The 747 is beautiful aircraft as is the VC10 mentioned. Aviation in Europe was class oriantated, and jaun tripp of Pan am changed that by asking Boeing for what is now the 747. The first aircraft to bring flight to the masses across the world.

[speedbird591]

The 747 is beautiful aircraft as is the VC10 mentioned.

Brilliant! Thanks for that!



Ian

[Chris Trott]

Here here Nigel.

Although I'm just wondering how long Mr Trott will take to post on this thread.

I've posted.

I'm done....

Okay, in all seriousness, the 747 definitely has been in a class all it's own for quite some time. But, if you want to talk "longevity", I'll list a few airframes that I think have outdone both the VC-10 and the 747-

1) B-24A N24927 "Ol' 927" - Delivered to the RAF 7 MAY 1941 as a Liberator I. Wrecked AUG 1941 when the nose wheel collapsed in a hard landing while being used for RAF aircrew training at ABQ. Rebuilt as a cargo/personnel transport and flying again by JAN 1942 for Consolidated and it hasn't stopped since. It's the oldest continuously flying warbird in the world (never went to storage) and is now almost 68 years young with many years left. (http://www.cafb29b24.org)

Okay, shameless plug, but oh well...

2) Any Convair 240/340/440/580/5800 (flying since the mid 1950s one and all, and most almost continuously)

3) Any KC-135 (re-skinning the wing or putting new engines on it doesn't really count as a complete rebuild as the planes weren't "zero timed" during the mods). Most of the fleet was built by 1965.

[Archer]

Oldest active VC10? That would be XR807 I think, have a look here and here.

[TSR2]

Thanks for that Jelle. I would have thought it would have been one of the C1K's but I guess not

[AndyG]

You boy's you!

Well.. the VC10's are 40 year old aircraft and I doubt very much there are any 40 year old 747's still in the air! Wonder what it would have looked like with 40years of development.. the VC10 that is. ARGH!! A SCAREBUS!!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Maybe food for thought here ( http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/uk/vi ... 0/VC10.htm) Dave? Always liked the idea of the 1180 series/Superb double deck ideas, Mr Maltby could have had loads of fun modelling that one!!