First flown 20-Dec-1963 and used by BOAC acceptance trials. This was BOAC's eight Standard VC10 and the first with full specifications ready for passenger service when delivered 22-Apr-1964. It was the first VC10 to carry the "Golden Speedbird" livery. To Gulf Air 11-Mar-1974, rew-registered A4O-VI01-OCt-1975. To RAF for tanker conversion 17-Apr-1978 as ZA142. First flown as VC10 K.2 18-Mar-1984. Flew the last RAF VC10 K.2 flight Brize Norton to St. Athan 27-Mar-2001. Broken up by May 2004. Seen here at Ndola operating the thrice weekly service linking London with Lusaka with various stops in East Africa. Photographer unknown

Became VP-KNY in April 1957 which was written off in April 1962

The dates are between delivery and disposal by the airline. The later livery may help to refine the date.

The aircraft type was known as an Argonaut by BOAC and they were named after characters from the story. This was probably taken at Sharjah or Bahrain. Became VP-KOJ in August 1957

The dates are between the date of registration and destruction. On 2nd May, 1953 the aircraft took off from Calcutta. It encountered a severe squall soon afterwards and suffered structural failure causing a fire. The the aircraft disintegrated, crashing and killing all 43 on board

Crashed short of the runway at Kallang Airport, Singapore, as a result of pilot fatigue on March 12, 1954.

The real G-AGIH was a Norwegian Lend-Lease aircraft, operated by BOAC. On 29 August 1944 the aircraft crashed into hilly terrain in bad weather, while en-route from Stockholm-Bromma, Sweden to RAF Leuchars in Scotland. Three crew and 12 passengers were on board, all Norwegian. Four passengers survived. This aircraft at the museum is in fact .Ex USAAF C-60A 42-55983, NC69898, N69898, N105G, N9223R, N283M, OH-MAP, OH-SIR, G-BMEW, N283M, OH-SIR. Was converted to EAS Gulfstar executive aircraft in 1959, but was restored to original C-60A configuration by the museum.

Tony Lloyd image

Unknown photographer

Unknown photographer

The first jet to cross the Atlantic from west to east on a scheduled flight, achieved on 4th October 1958 when G-APDB left New York bound for London on a scheduled BOAC service, also setting a new record at 6 hr 12 min. G-APDC simultaneously set a record for the opposite crossing. Later the same year, 'DB conveyed the Duke of Edinburgh on his royal tour around Canada. By the time Dan-Air ferried it from Lasham to Duxford in February 1974, 36,269 hours had been logged, the highest for any Comet. Yet, like the York and Dove, it has been evicted to face the elements

'In late May and early June 1950, Caledonia made two flood relief flights to Winnipeg, Canada... After the floods abated, the aircraft was opened to the public, and 6000 people toured the aircraft.' Information from Johan Visschedijk. Photo by: Hugh Allan / University of Winnipeg Archives

BOAC's first Stratocruiser above the clouds. Only 56 Stratocruisers were built, including six for BOAC. Photo from: BOAC

First flown 1 May 1968, delivered to BOAC 7 May. Hijacked 9 September 1970 by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine after leaving Bahrain for Beirut while operating flight BA775 from Bombay to London. Flown to Dawson's Field, Jordan after refuelling at Beirut. 12 September 1970 destroyed at Dawson's Field along with Swissair DC-8-53 HB-IDD, TWA Boeing 707-331B N8715T, and Pan Am Boeing 747-121 N752PA. Seen here at Manchester-Ringway on a Heathrow diversion. Photographer unknown