The
Vickers Viscount had been a great success in the early 1950s. Vickers developed the Vanguard as a larger follow-up, it was designed to match a specification issued by BEA for a hundred seat airliner. With more powerful turboprops, the Vanguard was not only larger than the Viscount but faster and could fly higher too. So, it was destined to be a sure fire success surely?
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| G-APEP. the last in service, now preserved at Brooklands |
| Information |
| Manufacturer: |
Vickers-Armstrongs |
| First flight: |
1959 |
| Propulsion: |
Rolls Royce Tyne Mk 512 turboprops (4) |
| Withdrawn: |
1996 |
| Number built: |
44 |
Unfortunately it was not, only 44 were built mainly for BEA and Trans-Canada Airlines. The Vanguard's problem was timing. By the time it entered production in the early 1960s it was up against the first generation of jet airliners.
However, the Vanguard ended up having a long service life. Conversions to a freighter known as the Merchantman began in the 1970s and in this configuation the aircraft remained in service until 1996.
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| Another view of G-APEP |
