Collection Item
Vickers Vanguard 953C
The Vanguard was a private venture airliner built to a British European Airways (BEA) specification for high-density medium range routes. Powered by new Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprop engines, the prototype was first flown by Jock Bryce and Brian Trubshaw from Brooklands on 20/1/59. Twenty Vanguards were sold to BEA and 23 to Trans Canada Airlines - a total of 44 built at Brooklands from 1959-63. Passenger operations ended in Indonesia in 1987. Some of the nine 'Merchantman' freighter conversions for BEA in the early 1970s still flew with Hunting Cargo Airlines Ltd (previously Air Bridge Carriers) in the 1990s.
G-APEP ('EP) first flew from Brooklands on 29/11/61. Named 'Superb', it joined BEA at Heathrow on 13/12/61.
After nine years carrying passengers, ‘EP was converted into a Merchantman by BEA in 1969-70. It re-entered service on 23/2/70 and joined the new British Airways Cargo division on 1/4/74.
On 8/11/79, ‘EP was sold to Air Bridge Carriers and stored at
Retired on 30/9/96, its last flight came when donated to
In June 2004, ‘EP was carefully moved across the river from the airfield to its current location.
Collection Data
Date Built
1961
Location
Aircraft Park
Category
Aircraft
Technical Specification
- Engine: Four Rolls-Royce Tyne Mk 506 propeller turbine engines
- Wing span: 118ft 7ins (36.2m)
- Length: 122ft 11ins (37.5 m)
- Height: 34ft 11ins (10.6m)
- Payload: 43,000 lb (19,505 kg) of freight
- Max. take-off weight: 146,500 lb (66,448 kg)
- Cruising speed: 400 mph at 20,000 ft
- Max. altitude: 27,000 ft.
- Operational range: 1,830 miles (with max. payload)
