Quick Overview

Corgi 1:144th scale die cast Vickers VC10 C.1K, RAF 101 Sqn, Brize Norton out of Oxfordshire in 2007. In 1978, the RAF had five ex-BOAC VC10s and four ex-East African Airways Super VC10s converted to air-to-air refueling tankers. These were known in service as the VC-10 K2 and VC-10 K3 respectively. Both variants had under wing refueling pods, and a centerline refueling point installed in the rear freight bay. An in-flight refueling probe was fitted on the nose, allowing fuel to be taken from other tankers.

In 1981, with the retirement of the British Airways Super VC10 fleet, the RAF obtained 14 ex-British Airways machines, for use as spares hulks and for possible future conversions. The VC10 tankers were in fact so useful that the RAF decided to obtain more of them, awarding contracts in 1990 to Flight Refueling to update all 13 surviving VC10 C.1 transports to VC10 C.1K/Type 1180 transport-tanker configuration, and to BAE to update five of the spare Super VC10s to VC10 K.4/Type 1170 standard.

The VC10 C.1K conversions were relatively minimal, being fitted with Flight Refueling Mark 32 HDUs (Hose Drogue Units) and appropriate control systems, but no centerline HDU and no fuselage fuel tanks, enabling the aircraft to retain their full transport capability. The initial flight of the first VC10 C.1K was on June 11, 1992 and the survivors of the fleet still serve today with No.101 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.

• RAF 101 Sqn
• 1:144