Vickers (BAC) VC-10K

The Vickers-BAC VC-10 type “K” aerial refueling aircraft, compose a series of aircrafts converted from several commercial airlines as well as the military cargo model VC-10C. In 1977 the RAF decided to acquire five ex-BOAC Airlines VC-10, which would result in the VC-10K Mk.2 version. Four other ex-East African Airways Super VC-10, were converted and designated as VC-10K Mk .3. Fuel tanks were installed inside the passenger cabin, and two fuelling pods under the wings and another under the rear fuselage were mounted. In addition, a CCTV was implemented so the crew could control  the refueling operations. The theoretical payload was about 77,000 liters in the Mk.2 model and about 82,000 liters in the Mk.3 version, but unfortunately the limit of the maximum take-off weight was reached before these quantities, so it was never reached those figures. In 1989, five other ex-British Airways Super VC-10s were modified under the Air Staff Requirements 415 and 416, giving rise to the VC-10K Mk.4 variant. This version was similar to Mk.3, but only carried the aircraft’s own fuel, with no extra fuel tanks. However, the same refueling equipment as the Mk.2 and Mk.3 variants was installed. At the beginning of the 1990s, thirteen VC-10C were modified and designated as VC-10 C1K. They were endowed with wing-mounted refueling pods but they maintained their passenger transport capacity. In 2013, the last of the VC-10Ks that were still in service was withdrawn.

Vickers (BAC) VC-10K gallery and more info