A special open day which includes a spectacular taxi run demonstration of one of the most iconic airliners ever to grace the skies takes place at Dunsfold Aerodrome on Saturday 15th July. ‘ZA150’ was the very last VC10 of 54 built at Brooklands in the 1960s and was one of the last two to fly with the RAF from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. On its retirement in September 2013 it was acquired by Brooklands Museum and flew in to Dunsfold, where a team of dedicated volunteers maintains it in running order.

As well as seeing the full-bore-acceleration taxying demonstration, visitors will be able to tour inside the aircraft, chat to the VC10 Volunteers and see for themselves how it was converted from a commercial airliner to an air-to-air refuelling tanker for the RAF. Entry is by pre-purchased ticket only and the timetable for the day is as follows:

12.00-14.00 Pre-booked visitors will arrive via the Stovolds Hill entrance to Dunsfold Aerodrome
13.00-13.15 Taxi run on the Dunsfold Aerodrome
13.45-15.30 Group visits on board the aircraft
14:00 Last entry to Dunsfold
16:00 Event closes

Tickets are available from the Brooklands Museum website: www.brooklandsmuseum.com

The VC10’s graceful ‘T-tail’ and four rear-mounted Rolls-Royce Conway engines made it one of the most distinctive and elegant aircraft of its era. Only the supersonic Concorde amongst airliners was quicker, and the VC10 remains the fastest subsonic airliner across the Atlantic. With its quiet, spacious cabin and exceptional performance, the VC10 was a favourite of passengers and crews alike, fully justifying its epithet of Queen of the Skies.

The last heavy airliner ever to be completely built at Brooklands – and indeed in the UK – its eventual retirement in 2013 marked the end of an unbroken century of front-line service by Brooklands-built aircraft with the British armed forces. That is a unique record, unchallenged by any other factory-customer relationship anywhere in the world.

July is a special month for Brooklands and the VC10: 6th July marks the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the Sultan of Oman’s VC10 into retirement at Brooklands, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said having most generously donated the aircraft from his Royal Flight to the Museum in 1987. It quickly became, and remains, one of the most popular exhibits in the Museum’s collection as it retains its luxurious gold-highlighted interior. Also on the Museum site is the fuselage of VC10 G-ARVM “Victor Mike”, which has been restored inside to commercial passenger jet standard, along with a special exhibition and video presentation charting the unique legacy of this aircraft.

For more information, contact Paul Stewart on 01932 857381 ext 249 or e-mail: paulstewart@brooklandsmuseum.com

Tags: 2017, Brooklands Museum, July, News