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C/n 801/2 - Test Specimen
C/n 803 - G-ARTA
C/n 804 - G-ARVA - 5N-ABD
C/n 805 - G-ARVB
C/n 806 - G-ARVC - ZA144
C/n 807 - G-ARVE
C/n 808 - G-ARVF
C/n 809 - G-ARVG - ZA141
C/n 810 - G-ARVH
C/n 811 - G-ARVI - ZA142
C/n 812 - G-ARVJ - ZD493
C/n 813 - G-ARVK - ZA143
C/n 814 - G-ARVL - ZA140
C/n 815 - G-ARVM
C/n 819 - G-ASIW - 7Q-YKH
C/n 820 - G-ASIX - A4O-AB
C/n 823 - 9G-ABO
C/n 824 - 9G-ABP
C/n 825 - G-ATDJ - XX914
C/n 826 - XR806
C/n 827 - XR807
C/n 828 - XR808
C/n 829 - XR809
C/n 830 - XR810
C/n 831 - XV101
C/n 832 - XV102
C/n 833 - XV103
C/n 834 - XV104
C/n 835 - XV105
C/n 836 - XV106
C/n 837 - XV107
C/n 838 - XV108
C/n 839 - XV109
C/n 851 - G-ASGA - ZD230
C/n 852 - G-ASGB
C/n 853 - G-ASGC
C/n 854 - G-ASGD
C/n 855 - G-ASGE
C/n 856 - G-ASGF
C/n 857 - G-ASGG - ZD235
C/n 858 - G-ASGH
C/n 859 - G-ASGI
C/n 860 - G-ASGJ
C/n 861 - G-ASGK
C/n 862 - G-ASGL - ZD240
C/n 863 - G-ASGM - ZD241
C/n 864 - G-ASGN
C/n 865 - G-ASGO
C/n 866 - G-ASGP - ZD242
C/n 867 - G-ASGR
C/n 881 - 5X-UVA
C/n 882 - 5H-MMT - ZA147
C/n 883 - 5Y-ADA - ZA148
C/n 884 - 5X-UVJ - ZA149
C/n 885 - 5H-MOG - ZA150

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C/n 867 - G-ASGR

Timeline

Date  
11 April 1963 Registration reserved.
12 February 1969 First flight.
31 May 1969 Delivery to BOAC as G-ASGR.
26 August 1969 Operated BA758/759 from London to Beirut and Dubai.
21 November 1969 Operated BA798 from Bombay to Colombo, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
11 February 1970 Operated BA023 from Entebbe to Johannesburg.
6 September 1971 Operated BA022 from Johannesburg to Nairobi.
5 January 1972 Operated BA591 from Honolulu to Nandi, Fiji.
25 January 1973 Operated BA910 from Hong Kong to Tokyo.
29 January 1974 Carried HM The Queen on a Pacific tour, initially to the Cook Islands so that she could open Rarotonga Airport the next day, after which HM continued to New Zealand for a visit to the Commonwealth Games. 'GR already carried the Negus scheme at this point. Returned to the UK on 8 February 1974.
1 April 1974 Ownership transferred to British Airways.
26/27 June 1974 Operated BA121/120 from Bermuda to Freeport, Bahamas, and back the next day.
28/29 June 1974 Operated BA121/120 from Bermuda to Mexico City and back the next day.
21 November 1974 Hijacked at Dubai, later flown to Tunis after refuelling at Tripoli. After four days, the murder of one passenger and several released prisoners (including the two men that hijacked G-ASGO), the hijackers surrendered.
13 June 1975 Operated BA098 from Cairo to London.
2 May 1980
Ferried to Prestwick for storage.
3 April 1981 Sold to the RAF, serial ZD243 allocated.
27 May 1981
Ferried from Prestwick to Abingdon, crewed by Bill Outram, Tony Luscombe and K. Brotherhood. Hours flown at time of retirement: 40841 hrs.
15 June 1981 Registration G-ASGR cancelled, 'To RAF'.
June 1992 Moved to Filton by road, having been disassembled into various sections.
September 1993 Sectioned remains removed from Filton by Hanningfield Metals after selected parts had been removed to study airframe deterioration.
1994/1995 Selected parts studied at Boscombe Down to look for corrosion in otherwise inaccessible areas. This study supported the conversion program for the K4s.

Photos


Photo BAE SYSTEMS / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo copyright BAE Systems / collection J. Hieminga

Photo BAE SYSTEMS / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo Allan Yee

1. G-ASGR is the backdrop for this group photo at Wisley. Test pilot Bill Cairns is in the centre of the group. Although unverified, the gentleman on the right may be Stanley 'Ollie' Oliver.
2. Taxiing onto the runway at Wisley, the Super VC10 had to taxi to the end of the runway and turn around to take off heading west.
3. G-ASGR taking off from Wisley on its delivery flight to Heathrow.
4. Parked at Heathrow while in service with BOAC.


Photo collection J. Hieminga via C. Knott

Photo copyright Paul Davis

Photo collection J. Hieminga

Photo collection J. Hieminga via R. Thurston

1. By November 1973 the aircraft already carried British Airways titles, as seen here at Oahu, Hawaii.
2. G-ASGR halfway during its transition to a British Airways colourscheme. The ELRAT has been dropped, either for maintenance purposes or so that the painters can reach everything.
3. G-ASGR landing.
4. A classic photo of a Super VC10 approaching the runway.


Photo British Airways

Photo British Airways

Photo collection J. Hieminga

1. This period postcard features G-ASGR during an air-to-air photoshoot.
2. British Airways used G-ASGR for several air-to-air photos that featured in its promotional campaigns.
3. G-ASGR against a backdrop of clouds.
4. A colour photo of G-ASGR in the British Airways 'Negus' colourscheme while on approach.


Photo Associated Press

Photo copyright Ken Fielding

Photo BAE SYSTEMS / Brooklands Museum archives

Photo BAE SYSTEMS / Brooklands Museum archives

1. G-ASGR on the tarmac at Tunis during the hijack.
2. In October 1975 G-ASGR was photographed at Manchester Airport. Ken Fielding had to climb on some engineering steps to avoid the period Transit van.
3. G-ASGR was initially stored at Prestwick but later joined the rest of the fleet at Abingdon.
4. Along with most of the stored Supers, G-ASGR/ZD243 would not fly again.


Photo collection J. Hieminga via C. Knott
     

1. G-ASGR, now relabeled as ZD243, at Abingdon in September 1982.

 

Colourschemes

BOAC Second version of BOAC 'Golden Speedbird' scheme, golden edge on cheatline removed and cheatline now arcs smoothly down towards the nose without the step of the previous scheme.
BOAC/BA As above but with British Airways titles on the forward fuselage.
BA First British Airways ('Negus') scheme, white over dark blue fuselage with grey wings. Top of fin and stabilizer in red with Union Jack section. British Airways titles and small Speedbird on front fuselage.

 

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