Год Boeing 707. Февраль - июль 1960г. Происшедшие в эти месяцы события подтвердили лидирующее положение реактивного лайнера Boeing 707 на дальних линиях. Компания BOAC 27 мая на маршрутах Лондон - Нью-Йорк использовала собственные 707-436.
BOAC’s Conway-powered 707-436s entered regular service on June 6, 1960, with the inauguration of a thrice-weekly service from London to New York, the airline’s Comet 4s being withdrawn from North Atlantic routes from October that year. The Corporation introduced the VC10 into service on African routes from April 1964.

The rivals - Boeing 707 G-APFI shares ramp space with fellow BOAC aircraft Super VC10 G-ASGA and standard VC10 G-ARVL at Heathrow in October 1967. The American jetliner was perceived to be more cost-efficient to operate, but the Super VC10 ultimately proved more profitable, with much higher load factors on the vital North Atlantic route.

The VC10 prototype was rolled out of the Weybridge hangar on April 15, 1962, resplendent in its BOAC colour scheme of royal blue, grey and white, with gold detailing. Two months later it was ready to fly at last, after more than five years of development; it is seen here on June 29, 1962, being readied for its maiden flight.

The unmistakable, beautifully sculpted empennage of the Vickers VC10

The prototype undergoes engine trials at Weybridge with the help of a pair of bifurcated Cullum detuners in mid-June 1962. One of these detached during a full-power run of both engines on one side, blowing the unit 100ft (30m) down the taxiway.

The scaled-down Super VC10 had a reduced fuselage stretch, from the originally intended 28ft to 13ft (3-9m), and no wingtip fuel tanks. The prototype, G-ASGA, made its first flight from Weybridge on May 7, 1964, and is seen here impressing visitors with its high-lift wing devices at the SBAC show at Farnborough the same year.

Prototype G-ARTA lifts off from the Weybridge runway on June 29, 1962.

The prototype VC10, G-ARTA, nears completion at Weybridge in late 1961 or early 1962. Structurally the VC10 exploited the integral machining techniques adopted for production of the Vanguard’s wing panels, and the use of fuselage hoop frames and inner wing members was a direct carry-through from Vickers’ earlier V.1000.

Beside a model of the Super VC10 as originally envisaged, with tiptanks and 28ft (8-5m) fuselage stretch, the BOAC contract for 35 standard and ten Super VC10s is signed on June 23, 1960. Left to right: N.H. Jackson, Director, Vickers; Sir George Edwards; K.H. Staple, Secretary, BOAC and Charles Abell, chief engineer, BOAC.

Encouraged by healthy sales of its Viscount turboprop airliner, Vickers began discussions with BEA in 1953 about a successor which would be larger, faster and offer better economics. The prototype Vanguard made its first flight in 1959, but only 44 would be built. Seen here is second production example G-APEB, named Bellerophon.