I adored the VC-10 it was the greatest aircraft ever built and the best design. I went on to join the RAF as an aircraft technician and worked and flew on the 'Queen of The Skies' for many years. I can never understand WHY no aircraft manufacturer has built new generation VC-10's. With the rear engines and T tail she had 'clean' wings and a HUGE flapped area plus leading edge slats. So she could handle high altitude take offs easily. The rear engine made her so quiet inside. Trial swere carried out on development of the RB211 engine and ONE of those had more power than 2 Conway engines. So it was discussed about building a new fleet with 2 RB211's replacing the Conways - taking her into the 21st Century with glass cockpit and possibly a wide body - the 'VC-11'. Sadly it never came true. You look at the BAC 111, the Trident, SUD Caravelle ALL very successful rear engine aircraft! I do miss this beautiful machine.

It was bloody fantastic! My father operated the VC10 for BOAC, and i flew on it several times as a passenger during the 1960s, when Dad took us out to Australia. I was on the first commercial BOAC flight of the VC10 between New York and San Francisco on 1st April 1965. It was quiet in the cabin due to those rear mounted engines - in climb, you could barely hear a thing. And even in economy class, you could stretch your legs straight out, even if you were 6' tall.

The last time I flew a VC10 was from the Seychelles to Kai tak via Colombo. I was on a VC 10 in Rome when the Pan Am and Lufthansa planes were being held by the PLO. Very sad day.

Thanks for uploading these vids koksy, I remember those days as a kid. When service meant something and the cabin wasn't full of drunken shellsuited Ryanair chavs.

Beautiful golden days 💝💝💝

oooohhhh wow, thanks so much for posting this, truely the golden days of British aviation ,the sight and roar of that VC-10 FANTASIC!!!!!!!!!!!! One almost expected somebody like Wilfred-Hyde-White to be on that flight LOL

I love how the opening shot of this ad was basically lifted frame by frame as part of the British Airways "To Fly, To Serve" ad! They must have checked their stuff when they made it.

the VC 10 was fantastic..the last big TOTALLY BRITISH jet aeroplane.

My Uncle Bunt Captain Harte-Lovelace.

Right you are! Pretty full flight deck back then!

A service long gone

Those four RR Conways made a sound like rolling thunder.

@slh950 Snorkel mask and flippers by the look of it... but i'm damned if i can see the joke of him taking it on the plane.

Passengers boarding so hats and jackets on. Standards that are long gone apart from some of the UAE carriers

Rubber Chicken? LOL

an airplane with 4 tail mounted engines? heh, forgive me but I've yet to see something like that since I'm only 2 years new to aviation. But It looks fantastic

0:38 ... what the HELL is that thing???

My mum was a stewardess in the late 60s. - Gillian Morel du boil .

Same Captain as in "Airline Pilot" (1970)?

Well Captain Hardlove is in the left seat, from the sound of the PA announcement. Dont know who that 1st Officer is.

@koksy I think he forgot to pack it so had to bring it on as hand luggage maybe?

The uniform and the presence of overhead lockers suggest this was late 1968/1969

@koksy Maybe he was expecting a water landing? lol

Anybody here from back in the day care to say anything about BOAC, and whether air travel was better when nationalized or privatized? I'm curious about this, being a young guy.

British Overseas Airway corp

i know alot about aviation but what does BOAC stand for

Boac, an airline that takes care of you. Unless you flew in a comet a few years prior

BOAC = Better on a Camel!