TriStar aircraft operated by the RAF landed for the final time for storage and presumed eventual scrapping. The Royal Air Force conducted its final operational sortie with the Lockheed TriStar on 24 March 2014
Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leicestershire, UK - 25 March 2014. Two of the last four TriStar aircraft operated by the RAF landed for the final time for storage and eventual scrapping. The last two will follow. The Royal Air Force conducted its final operational sortie with the Lockheed TriStar on 24 March, with a pair of the jets operating from their Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire, four days after the RAF’s 216 Sqn – which has operated the TriStar for 30 years – was formally deactivated. Acquired after the Falklands War and operated since 1984, the RAF’s TriStar fleet comprised six purchased from British Airways and modified for the in-flight refuelling role, plus three passenger examples sourced from Pan Am. In the tanker role, the Rolls-Royce RB211-powered type is capable of carrying a maximum fuel load of almost 140 tonnes. Retirement of the TriStar tanker/transport fleet follows the departure from service of the RAF’s last Vickers VC10 in-flight refuelling aircraft in September 2013. Both types’ responsibilities have been assumed by the service’s small number of new Airbus A330 Voyagers, being supplied via the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft deal by AirTanker. The UK retirement leaves just one TriStar as operational in the world. This is a -100 example adapted for use as an air-launch platform for US company Orbital Sciences’ Pegasus satellite-delivery rocket. Built in 1974 and now named Stargazer, this was originally operated by Air Canada. Dear Sirs, I would like to submit the attached image for publication in any of your publications at your usual rates. I would be happy to add more info if required. The image is my copyright. I am happy for the image to be kept on file for possible future use, at your usual rates. Thank you for your time. Yours Faithfully, Phil Whalley 07903 154171 104A Westborough Road Westcliff-on-sea Essex SS0 9JQ
Size: 4430px × 2936px
Location: Bruntingthorpe, Leics, UK
Photo credit: © Avpics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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