Post by flyboy on Jun 14, 2016 22:01:23 GMT
THE VICKERS VANGUARD
DEVELOPMENT
The type was designed as a short/medium range turboprop airliner to become the Vickers Viscount successor. Easily recognised by it's 'double bubble' fuselage and larger size the aircraft was designed to carry 100 passengers with room below the cabin floor for freight. However, only 44 were built which included the only prototype G-AOYW designated type 950. An additional two airframes were produced for static testing. The first flight of the prototype was a very short one of only 3 miles as the aircraft was ferried from Weybridge to Wisley on the 20th January 1959. All subsequent test flying took place from Wisley.
It is of interest to note that only three days after that first flight, on the 24th of the month the aircraft was to be seen at Blackbushe undergoing overshoot trials. Certainly one of it's very earliest flights, although it didn't land at Blackbushe on that occasion. But it did later.
British European Airways were the lead customer and placed an order for 20 aircraft known as the type 951. This order was quickly followed by Trans Canadian Airlines which ordered 23 aircraft designated the Type 952 with more powerful Rolls Royce Tyne engines developing 4000hp or 3000KW each which also had a stronger fuselage and wings. The BEA order, after delivery of the first six aircraft was amended to have the modified fuselage of the type 952 but keeping the original engines and were to be known as type 953.
Deliveries were completed to the two airlines by late 1960 and BEA flew their first service with the aircraft from London Airport to Paris on December 19th of that year.
No other aircraft were sold as by this time the larger jet powered airliners were becoming available. Vanguards were used extensively world wide following disposal by BEA and Trans Canada Airlines. The aircraft was used in various different seating layouts, and also when known as the Type 953C, Merchantman, the aircraft was converted to a freighter. The last aircraft was retired from service in October 1996.
SPECIFICATION
Vanguard 952
Crew 2-3
Passengers 97-139
Engines 4x Rolls-Royce Tyne RTy.11 Mk.512 turbo-prop 4135 KW
Take off Weight 141046 lb (36977 kg)
Empty Weight 82500 lb (37421 kg)
Wingspan 119' 7" (36.14 m)
Length 123' 10" (37.45 m)
Height 35' 11" (10.64 m)
Cruise Speed 425mph (684 km/h)
Ceiling 30000' ( 9145 m)
Range ( Max payload ) 1830 miles (2945 km)
VICKERS VANGUARD OPERATORS
n.b lsd=leased.
CANADA Trans Canadian Airlines, Air Canada.
FRANCE Europe Aero Service, Inter Cargo Service, Occitan Air.
GABON Air Gabon.
ICELAND Air Viking (1 lsd }, Thor Air Cargo (2 lsd).
INDONESIA Air Fast (operated by Air Tenggara), Angkasa Civil Air Transport (1 lsd),
Merpati Nusantara Airlines.
LEBANON Lebanese Air Transport (1 lsd).
SINGAPORE Air Tenggara (1 lsd).
SWEDEN Air Trader ( 3 lsd ).
UNITED KINGDOM British European Airways, British Airways, Air Bridge Carriers,
DHL Air, Elan Air Cargo, Hunting Cargo Airlines,
Invicta International Airlines, Silver City Airways (1 lsd).
No photos of the Vanguard at Blackbushe, but this one's fairly close - at the Farnborough Air Show.
VANGUARD AIRCRAFT NOTED BLACKBUSHE.
G-AOYW 24.1.59, prototype, overshoots shortly after first flight (20.1.59), 9.3.60 ILS runs.
G-APEA 29.5.59, c/n 704, BEA ILS runs, 1st of type to land.
G-APED 27.1.60, c/n 707, BEA training.
G-APEE 6.2.60, 9.4.60, 7.5.60, c/n 708, BEA training + ILS training.
Credit - internet Wakipedia,
rz jets
rj spread sheet, new book on Blackbushe visitors very soon.
JSM 15.6.16.