An iconic aircraft that has been in continuous service with the RAF for almost 50 years will make a final farewell visit to RAF Lossiemouth during a tour of the UK today.
The last remaining VC-10’s, ZA147 and ZA150, will conduct their final in-flight refuelling missions today and then come together to carry out fly-pasts at various locations for one final time.
The VC10 is well known and loved by thousands of UK servicemen, women and their families, having for many years been the main mode of transport, primarily from RAF Brize Norton to overseas theatres around the world.
Most of the VC10 fleet were then adapted to the airborne refuelling role and have become a welcome sight for pilots in particular on long distance and duration missions.
The fleet have now been replaced by ‘Voyager’ aircraft. An MoD spokesman said: “The VC10 has proven to be a formidable aircraft for air transport, VIP passage and a world class tanker platform.
“It has recently been flown by 101 Squadron – the squadron will now become the second Voyager Squadron.”
At 12.10 today ZA150 will be accompanied by two Tornado GR4’s from 617 Squadron flying along the position of runway 23, it will then overfly RAF Leuchars accompanied by a Typhoon before returning to Brize Norton via Prestwick. Both aircraft will make their final fly-past at Brize Norton at 2pm this afternoon.