Boeing 707 Douglas DC-8 and Vickers Vc10 (Legends of the Air) [Paperback]

Stewart Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998 | Series: Legends of the Air (Book 6)

The sixth volume in the Legends of the Air Series, Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Vickers VC10 studies in depth three pioneering long range jet airliners responsible for shrinking the globe, plus the military KC-135 members of the Boeing 707, an aircraft which paved the way for Boeing's commercial airliner success.

In turn this books looks at the diverse Boeing 707 family, ranging from the many 707 airliner variants, to the medium range 720 airliner, KC-135 Stratotanker (more than 700 were built) and the many 707 military developments such as the E-3 Sentry AWACS; the story of the Douglas DC-8, a very competent and well liked airliner but as a program one that nearly bankrupted Douglas and led to the merger with McDonnell; and the Vickers VC10, a considerable technical achievement whose sales were hamstrung by unique design requirements and poor timing.

Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8 and Vickers VC10 features around 70,000 words of text, hundreds of photographs, 48 specifically commissioned color sideview drawings, technical drawings, specification and production tables, and more.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The First SST

A Conway powered DC-8-43 destined for service with Canadian Pacific (and painted in the airline's colours) made history on 21 August 1961 when it became the first transport aircraft to exceed the speed of sound.

In standard trim apart from the special test equipment installed for the flight, the DC-8 (which had the extended leading edges fitted) reached Mach 1.012 at 41,088ft (12,524m) during a dive from 52,090ft (15,877m) - itself a record for airliners - to 36,000ft (10,973m) where recovery was affected. The aircraft reached its highest true airspeed of 662.5mph (1,066.2km/h) during the recovery.

The flight was conceived and commanded by Douglas test pilot Bill Magruder (who had been in the right hand seat on the DC-8's maiden flight) and crewed by Paul Patten and flight test engineers Joe Tomich and Richard Edwards. It was accompanied by two 'chase' aircraft, an F-104 Starfighter with especially calibrated instruments and an F-100 Super Sabre from the USAF Flight Test Centre which acted as a camera ship. Ground tracking facilities were provided as the DC-8 performed its supersonic dive over the Askania Tracking Range at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Maximum power was used throughout the sortie including during pullout, and interestingly, there was no airframe buffet during acceleration through the transonic region. This did occur during the deceleration period, however.

The DC-8 suffered no ill effects from its historic flight and was delivered to Canadian Pacific in November 1961, with which it logged over 70,000 hours before it was retired and sold for scrap in 1980.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Australian Aviation; illustrated edition edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1875671366
• ISBN-13: 978-1875671366
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,746,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Jet Pioneers of comercial aviation!, February 18, 2000

By 

Tom Todino/[e-mail] (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boeing 707 Douglas DC-8 and Vickers Vc10 (Legends of the Air) (Paperback)

If you loved the early days of jet aviation, then this a book for you. Filled with wonderful photographs and great artwork of the aircraft in operator color shemes, this book will be hard to put down. Form the history of each aircraft, including the early propliners that these jets replaced, to their demise in later years. It's all here in one volume. The text is fluent and the technical aspects of each aircraft is explained nicely so as not to get too confusing. Having flown in many a 707 and DC-8 in Pan Am colors in the 1960's as a child, the photos bring back lots of memories. This book would make a perfect gift for anyone who was affiliated with those magnificant jets. The VC-10 section is not as lengthy as the American planes but it is solid and informative. Each military variant is captured too. I think these three types of aircraft where hijacked in the early seventies and blown up in the desert. The sight of the VC-10 tail section burning in the sand was a sight for sore eyes!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Study of Three Pioneer Jetliners That Shrank the World, December 6, 2003

By 

Daniel L. Berek (Flanders, NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boeing 707 Douglas DC-8 and Vickers Vc10 (Legends of the Air) (Paperback)

Before there were digital "glass" ########, before each passenger had a private TV screen, three jet aircraft brought long-distance air travel to the flying public. They were the Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8, and the Vickers VC-10. They were not the first jetliners, however; that distinction goes to the De Havilland DH.106 Comet, Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle, and Tupolev Tu-104. Not included in this volume are the long-range Convair CV990 and Ilyushin Il-62 or the medium-range Convair CV880, Hawker-Siddeley Trident, and BAC-111. Nevertheless, the author's choice of airliners offers interesting comparisons, especially as the Boeing and Vickers products have had long, illustrious careers as tankers.

The 707 is presented - along with its sister designs, the 717 (KC-135) and the 720 - both in military and civilian guises, though for some reason the military versions are presented first. There is also an amusing story about the 707 in early Qantas service, which was a joy to read.

The DC-8 is presented, in all its variants and subvariants, including the Super 70s, DC-9-60 series aircraft that were re-engined with modern CFM-56 turbofans. The DC-8-40 bears the distinction of being the first turbofan-powered airliner, as well as the first airliner to break the sound barrier.

The VC-10 did not sell in the numbers that the 707 and DC-8 can boast, but this airliner was the favorite of the three among many pilots and passengers alike.

Mr. Wilson precedes each chapter with a historical overview of the manufacturer's heritage, offering a context for the design discussed. He also provides charts for each airliner, covering original delivery customers and major variants. A final chapter covers how the three types were "shrinking the world" and their roles in aviation today. Lacking are photographs of the flight decks and interiors; they would have provided a glimpse of the era in which they carried passengers. I would have also like to have seen a list of preserved examples of the three jetliners on display in museums. Nevertheless, this fine book presents a highly readable history of a period of aviation slipping ever further into the past.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine book, August 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Boeing 707 Douglas DC-8 and Vickers Vc10 (Legends of the Air) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book about three first generation four engined commercial airliners. The interesting part is about the VC10, a scarcely known british master. I hope they will isuue other books about "flop" or rare aircraft, like Mercure, Trident, C990. A reccomanded book.