This photo may be not be new but, nevertheless, is a worthy one for Time Frame. It’s the 40-foot front section of a Vickers VC10 – fondly nicknamed the “Queen of the Skies” – which is now on display at Al Mahatta Aviation Museum in Sharjah.
This model of the iconic British-made aircraft was built for the East African Airways Corporation in 1969 and registered as 5X-UVJ. It flew passengers on routes across London, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala. VC10s were long-range airliners, designed to operate in hot climates and came second only to the Concorde in the time taken to cross the Atlantic.
Fifty-four airframes were built and while this VC10 did not touch down in the UAE, others did. In 1979, the VC10 was sold to the RAF and was converted into a refuelling tanker with registration number ZA149.
In 2013, it flew its last flight – there are now no VC10s in service anywhere – and now the aircraft has completed the final leg of its service. The cockpit, cabin and cabin hold was shipped to Khor Fakkan from the United Kingdom in May. From there, it travelled by lorry over the Hajjar Mountains to Al Mahatta. It was then painted in Gulf Aviation (now Gulf Air) livery as part of museum tradition and because it was the main airline locally during this time.
The museum is housed in the old airport which was built in 1932 and now visitors can enjoy another chapter in the local story of flight.
* John Dennehy