Ed,(posted 8877 days ago)Stephen Anchell and Bill Troop, in The Film Developing Cookbook, speak highly of Kodak VP. Unfortunately, it is only available in 120 format.
I've used it with D76(1+1), PMK, HC110 (dil. B), and Xtol (in varying dilutions). Quite frankly, I do not have enough experience with this film/developers to give any definite or worthwhile firsthand opinions. My favorite 125 speed B&W film, and the one I prefer to use in all formats, is FP4+.
At any rate, here's a brief quote from Anchell/Troop:
"For landscapes, still lifes and portraits, we strongly recommend Kodak Verichrome Pan. Its beautiful, long-scale gradation is in the tradition of of the old thick emulsion films. Once popular, this double coated film is now hard to find in the US.....It easily pushes to EI 200....Kodak Plus X, a film with the same speed as VP, is available in a variety of sizes, but is inferior to VP. Plus X is grainier, less sharp, and has more constricted gradation than VP."
I've followed the times/temps/dilutions listed in the Anchell/Troop book with success.
Hope this helps a bit, Sergio.