charlie_c67 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Just an off the cuff thought, but would and AEW version of the venerable VC-10 have been possible? Maybe a smaller or at a lower height than found on the E-3 Sentry. Or would the airflow off of it have provided too much interference for the tailplane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 At the inception of the Nimrod, the spec of 'everything that flew, or could be made to fly' was examined, and the best option was the Comet. It had a hard wing for low level work, and pylons could be fitted. In view of that statement, it appears VC-10 and others were ruled out. VC-10 also had the high tail pitch up problem, I suspect a rotodome would have interfered with the tail. Having said that, the IL 76 Candid seems to manage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 One would also assume that had an AEW version gone ahead they would've worked out those problems. Maybe a Bristol Britannia version instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garry Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 There are some good designs for the use of the VC 10 in the following books Vickers VC10: AEW, Pofflers and Other Unbuilt Variants - Project Tech Profile by Chris Gibson and Nimrod's Genesis (Hikoki) also by Chris Gibson which details missile carriers, AEW AND MR variants for the VC 10 and also S & M models update sets for the VC 10. Now if airfix could release the 1/144 model instead of silly prices on ebay I would build them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 The main problem with the VC10 in several of these roles seems to have been its high price - though I agree that the high tailplane would have suffered from the radome. Chris Gibson's series of books are well worth getting for anyone interested in postwar British military aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 I've managed to google some of the rendered images from that book and they certainly look pretty spiffy. Always thought the AEW Nimrod looked like she'd been beaten with an ugly stick so not sure about the similar VC-10 idea. There must be a way round the rotodome/high tailplane as the Beriev A-10 has a hat set up, though admittedly with the engines podded under the wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 How about the Antonov solution???.... Ken PS - That's a Beriev A-50 charlie-c67 - I'm sure that's what you meant ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 Yeah, meant A-50. iPad has a tendency to correct to what it wants when I'm not looking and not when I am! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McIntyre Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Lokheed also did some studies usin the C-130 airframe with the fin-mounted Radome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denford Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 One would also assume that had an AEW version gone ahead they would've worked out those problems. Maybe a Bristol Britannia version instead The RCAF Argus was 'developed' from the Britannia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Is it true the VC-10 was the fastest airliner to cross the atlantic, if you don't include Concorde obviously? that speaks volumes for it's highly efficient aerodynamics? . . . Kes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 The normal speed limit was M0.925 and the absolute red line was 0.96 IIRC. Cruising at 0.925 burnt fuel like it was going out of fashion. The normal cruise speed was about M0.86 (about the same as a 747). I don't know what the Convair 880/990s could do as they were quick too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 The Convair 990 is generally reckoned to be the fastest subsonic airliner in terms of normal level cruising speed. Quite a lot of nominally subsonic large aeroplanes are reasonably well documented to be perfectly capable of supersonic speed in a dive without significant structural or control problems, including the DC-8 and Victor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) A VC10 went supersonic,the prototype. The RAF hold the record for the fastest subsonic Atlantic crossing in a .....................VC10. Edited August 9, 2015 by bzn20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Ahhhh, there you go you see, that's what I was on about? Although I can't remember where I got that snippet of aero trivia? . . . Kes (a font of little knowledge!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Maas Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 (edited) A VC10 went supersonic,the prototype. The RAF hold the record for the fastest subsonic Atlantic crossing in a .....................VC10. Actually it was broken earlier this year by a 777 with a lucky Jetstream catch, but a BOAC VC10 did hold the record for decades. XR808's record seems to be a myth. Edited August 9, 2015 by Adam Maas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now