BAC One-Eleven
- capercaillie
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BAC One-Eleven
A familiar sight in the UK and quite a common choice on short haul European flights, 244 were built and there are apparently none left flying following the 2019 retirement of the Northrop Grumman F-35 testbed. Five saw their way onto the UK military register, with sadly one preserved intact, although perhaps the least interesting of the five.
XX105, a series 201 was originally acquired from British United Airways in September 1971 and served at RAE Bedford, wearing various roof titles including the Blind Landing Experimental Unit, Royal Aircraft Establishment and Defence Research Agency, it was always wearing the red and yellow scheme up to its retirement in 2003. With a colourful testing career including a forced landing in a field, it should have been the One-Eleven to be preserved.
landing for the Brize Norton Photocall in 1991
One-Eleven Srs 201 XX105 RAE Bedford by Paul Downes, on Flickr
at Fairford in 1995 now based at Boscombe Down with the fleet merged DRA
One-Eleven Srs201 XX105 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
XX919 was a series 402 originally delivered to Phillipine Airlines but then returned back to BAC. The RAE obtained the aircraft in 1974 and it went into service originally in the white/grey with blue trim scheme of the RAE at the time, at Farnborough. Its seen here arriving at its birthplace at Hurn for the 1988 TVS airshow now in raspberry ripple.
One-Eleven Series 402 XX919 RAE Farnborough by Paul Downes, on Flickr
And again with DRA at its then homebase of Boscombe Down in late 1995. It was scrapped at Boscombe in 2000 with the nose now at Old Sarum BDAC.
One-Eleven Srs402 XX919 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
ZE432 is a series 479 that served in various colours with Air Pacific in New Zealand. Delivered to the Empire Test Pilots School in February 1985 still initially wearing its final Air Pacific scheme, it was wearing raspberry ripple colours by the summer of 1985 where it appeared at Fairford IAT. Note the ripple scheme was different to XX919 with a completely white upper cabin and no block red by the tail. Here it is departing Fairford RIAT in 1996 as a crew ferry.
One-Eleven Srs479 ZE432 ETPS Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
It later received a modified version of the raspberry ripple scheme including stylised griffin, appearing as such in early 2000, serving out its remaining days until corrosion was found in the aircraft, retiring it in 2009. The forward fuselage went to Bouremouth Aviation museum.
One-Eleven Srs 479 ZE432 ETPS Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
ZE433 was the other Air Pacific series 479 and after initially serving at RAE Bedford as a flying lab became a radar trials aircraft initially with Sea Harrier F/A2 Blue Vixen radar and then later in the 1990s with the EF2000 ECR90 radar when it had moved to Turnhouse. Notice again the ripple scheme varies slightly to its sister aircraft ZE432. The blue extending further up the fuselage into the doors, which actually helped blend the nose modifications into the scheme, would be nice to kno if this was deliberate from the outset. Last flew in 2008 into Boscombe Down as a spares source. Has it been scrapped at Boscombe Down?
Seen here at the 1998 Farnborough Airshow.
One-Eleven Srs479 ZE433 Euroradar Turnhouse by Paul Downes, on Flickr
Finally ZH763, a stretched series 539 that flew with British Airways until 1991. The DRA acquired it in 1994, and it flew initially from Farnborough although the whole fleet repositioned to Boscombe Down the same year. It served a flying lab, and at one time or another had various aerials, scanners and radars scabbed onto the fuselage. A ventral bucket radome was also installed.
It was the last of the UK One-Elevens to be in service, retired in 2012 and flown to Newquay Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre. Seen here in 2003 at the Waddington Airshow.
One-Eleven Srs 539GL ZH763 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
A couple of cheeky additions from the Royal Air Force of Oman.
1991 Fairford
One-Eleven Srs 485GD 551 4 Squadron Royal Air Force of Oman by Paul Downes, on Flickr
1992 Boscombe Down
One-Eleven Srs 485GD 551 4 Squadron Royal Air Force of Oman by Paul Downes, on Flickr
Please feel free to add more especially XX919 in its early scheme or ZE433 with Blue Vixen radar.
XX105, a series 201 was originally acquired from British United Airways in September 1971 and served at RAE Bedford, wearing various roof titles including the Blind Landing Experimental Unit, Royal Aircraft Establishment and Defence Research Agency, it was always wearing the red and yellow scheme up to its retirement in 2003. With a colourful testing career including a forced landing in a field, it should have been the One-Eleven to be preserved.
landing for the Brize Norton Photocall in 1991
One-Eleven Srs 201 XX105 RAE Bedford by Paul Downes, on Flickr
at Fairford in 1995 now based at Boscombe Down with the fleet merged DRA
One-Eleven Srs201 XX105 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
XX919 was a series 402 originally delivered to Phillipine Airlines but then returned back to BAC. The RAE obtained the aircraft in 1974 and it went into service originally in the white/grey with blue trim scheme of the RAE at the time, at Farnborough. Its seen here arriving at its birthplace at Hurn for the 1988 TVS airshow now in raspberry ripple.
One-Eleven Series 402 XX919 RAE Farnborough by Paul Downes, on Flickr
And again with DRA at its then homebase of Boscombe Down in late 1995. It was scrapped at Boscombe in 2000 with the nose now at Old Sarum BDAC.
One-Eleven Srs402 XX919 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
ZE432 is a series 479 that served in various colours with Air Pacific in New Zealand. Delivered to the Empire Test Pilots School in February 1985 still initially wearing its final Air Pacific scheme, it was wearing raspberry ripple colours by the summer of 1985 where it appeared at Fairford IAT. Note the ripple scheme was different to XX919 with a completely white upper cabin and no block red by the tail. Here it is departing Fairford RIAT in 1996 as a crew ferry.
One-Eleven Srs479 ZE432 ETPS Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
It later received a modified version of the raspberry ripple scheme including stylised griffin, appearing as such in early 2000, serving out its remaining days until corrosion was found in the aircraft, retiring it in 2009. The forward fuselage went to Bouremouth Aviation museum.
One-Eleven Srs 479 ZE432 ETPS Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
ZE433 was the other Air Pacific series 479 and after initially serving at RAE Bedford as a flying lab became a radar trials aircraft initially with Sea Harrier F/A2 Blue Vixen radar and then later in the 1990s with the EF2000 ECR90 radar when it had moved to Turnhouse. Notice again the ripple scheme varies slightly to its sister aircraft ZE432. The blue extending further up the fuselage into the doors, which actually helped blend the nose modifications into the scheme, would be nice to kno if this was deliberate from the outset. Last flew in 2008 into Boscombe Down as a spares source. Has it been scrapped at Boscombe Down?
Seen here at the 1998 Farnborough Airshow.
One-Eleven Srs479 ZE433 Euroradar Turnhouse by Paul Downes, on Flickr
Finally ZH763, a stretched series 539 that flew with British Airways until 1991. The DRA acquired it in 1994, and it flew initially from Farnborough although the whole fleet repositioned to Boscombe Down the same year. It served a flying lab, and at one time or another had various aerials, scanners and radars scabbed onto the fuselage. A ventral bucket radome was also installed.
It was the last of the UK One-Elevens to be in service, retired in 2012 and flown to Newquay Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre. Seen here in 2003 at the Waddington Airshow.
One-Eleven Srs 539GL ZH763 DRA Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr
A couple of cheeky additions from the Royal Air Force of Oman.
1991 Fairford
One-Eleven Srs 485GD 551 4 Squadron Royal Air Force of Oman by Paul Downes, on Flickr
1992 Boscombe Down
One-Eleven Srs 485GD 551 4 Squadron Royal Air Force of Oman by Paul Downes, on Flickr
Please feel free to add more especially XX919 in its early scheme or ZE433 with Blue Vixen radar.
Re: BAC One-Eleven
Very nice photos. The 1-11 was the first jet aircraft I flew in in October 1979, Glasgow to Schipol with British Midland.
- aviationanoraks
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Same here, first ever flight was in a BA One-Eleven on a late evening flight from Birmingham to Milan in October 1993 (I think).
Always thought of them as a bit of a sports car of an airliner.
The DC-9/MD-80 we switched to in Milan was a cattle truck by comparison.
Nice to see these, thanks for sharing.
Always thought of them as a bit of a sports car of an airliner.
The DC-9/MD-80 we switched to in Milan was a cattle truck by comparison.
Nice to see these, thanks for sharing.
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Just checked my flight log and my first ever flight was in a BAC 1-11 as well.
April 1974 in G-AYOR a Court Line series 518FG model in a yellow/orange scheme on a school trip to Spain.
Most notable (apart from finding the "meal" located inside the seat on the fold down table) for the flight leaving Luton about 90 minutes late and then en route after holding for about an hour diverting to Madrid to sit in a departure lounge there for about 6 hours because the airport at it's destination Malaga was closed due General Franco paying a visit to the city and had extended his visit leaving the airport closed until his departure.Actual arrival at Malaga was at about 1 am the following day instead of late afternoon on the day of departure
April 1974 in G-AYOR a Court Line series 518FG model in a yellow/orange scheme on a school trip to Spain.
Most notable (apart from finding the "meal" located inside the seat on the fold down table) for the flight leaving Luton about 90 minutes late and then en route after holding for about an hour diverting to Madrid to sit in a departure lounge there for about 6 hours because the airport at it's destination Malaga was closed due General Franco paying a visit to the city and had extended his visit leaving the airport closed until his departure.Actual arrival at Malaga was at about 1 am the following day instead of late afternoon on the day of departure
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Always remember seeing the prototype at Farnborough 70. Despite all the other more glamorous stuff , it was the VC10 and the 1-11 that I remember . It was bloody noisy though , it must be said .
Re: BAC One-Eleven
A great, nostalgic set. Many thanks.
Re: BAC One-Eleven
Never seen a one-eleven airborne but the VC-10 at the final Biggin air fair was one of my all time airshow moments, that noisedreamworker wrote: ↑Mon 24 Jan 2022, 10:08 amAlways remember seeing the prototype at Farnborough 70. Despite all the other more glamorous stuff , it was the VC10 and the 1-11 that I remember . It was bloody noisy though , it must be said .
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Used to see a few of these beauties down south UK, always an eye-catcher.
Must admit, I'd not seen the Radar Trial fit frame, so thanks for posting.
Must admit, I'd not seen the Radar Trial fit frame, so thanks for posting.
Canon systems
Re: BAC One-Eleven
flew on 2 Dan Dair in the 80s / 90s; ear splitting noise! I saw the OSRB 727 take off from Lasham several years ago thought it was one from below
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Interesting thread and good to see some of the 1-11s. I remember shuttling up and down to Inverness in the 80s.
It is easy to look back fondly at early aircraft, or ones we had early memories of, whilst forgetting how limited they were.
A couple of years later, we were refuelling in Brindisi in the 1987 heatwave. A 1-11 arrived from one of the greek islands, not really very far away, but the heat meant that it had left with only enough fuel to get to Brindisi - and it had left the baggage behind!
Much later, I went out to the middle east on a RAFO 1-11, which required 3 legs outbound and 4 legs coming back into the prevailing wind. These days they can do it in a oner in a A320.
It is easy to look back fondly at early aircraft, or ones we had early memories of, whilst forgetting how limited they were.
A couple of years later, we were refuelling in Brindisi in the 1987 heatwave. A 1-11 arrived from one of the greek islands, not really very far away, but the heat meant that it had left with only enough fuel to get to Brindisi - and it had left the baggage behind!
Much later, I went out to the middle east on a RAFO 1-11, which required 3 legs outbound and 4 legs coming back into the prevailing wind. These days they can do it in a oner in a A320.
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Re: BAC One-Eleven
Wonderful aircraft. I went on one of the farewell flights organised by European from Bournemouth. My friends and I got on board and rushed down to the back so we could experience sitting between two Spey engines!
Ken
Re: BAC One-Eleven
Remember seeing and hearing ZE433 at Edinburgh Turnhouse many times, sadly never got that photo of it despite trying.
Re: BAC One-Eleven
Living under a MAN flightpath, Dan-Air 1-11s used to be a very common sight in these parts. I don't recall them being particularly loud though. 737-200s and much of the Soviet stuff on the other hand...