Vickers VC10 A40-VC in Gulf Air livery, photographed under tow at London Heathrow by Stuart H Bourne. Originally BOAC G-ARVC, later operated by Gulf Air and retired to RAF service as ZA144.
© Stuart H Bourne / Quality Aviation Photos International.
Vickers VC10 A40-VC is shown here in the elegant Gulf Air “Golden Falcon” livery, under tow at London Heathrow. Photographed by Stuart H Bourne, this image captures the aircraft during its brief civilian tenure with Gulf Air in the mid-1970s.
Originally delivered to BOAC in 1964 as G-ARVC, this VC10 Series 1101 was part of the early fleet that pioneered long-haul jet service from the UK. After serving with British Airways, the aircraft was leased to Gulf Air in 1975 and re-registered as A40-VC. It was one of only two VC10s to wear Gulf Air’s striking white-and-gold livery, making it a rare sight among enthusiasts.
Following its civilian career, A40-VC was acquired by the UK Ministry of Defence in 1977 and converted to military configuration as ZA144. It served with the Royal Air Force as a transport and aerial refueling aircraft until retirement in the early 2000s. The airframe was eventually scrapped, with no known preserved sections.
This photo preserves a unique moment in VC10 history—bridging its commercial elegance and military utility, and highlighting its global reach during the jet age.
