Replacing an earlier scanned slide with a better version 07-Feb-15, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 01-Feb-23.
I think the aircraft was doing development/route proving flying from Heathrow as it wasn't officially delivered until Sep-64. By then it was in the new standard BOAC livery with the gold 'Speedbird' on the tail.
First flown in Jul-63, G-ARVF was retained by BAC/Vickers as part of their VC-10 test fleet until it was delivered to BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation in Sep-64.
BOAC and BEA merged to form British Airways in Apr-74. By this time the new Boeing 747's were being delivered and in Jul-74 the aircraft was sold to the UAE Government with a new VIP interior and a stylish all white livery with red trim.
It retained it's UK registration and was operated for 7 years until it was retired in Mar-81. The UAE Government donated it (on free loan) to the Hermeskeil Museum in Germany.
It was ferried into Saarbrucken, Germany, dismantled and taken to Hermeskeil by road where it was reassembled and put on display in it's UAE Government livery.
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