The dismantled remains of this aircraft, which can be seen on Google Earth, are the subject of a very long-term restoration by the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust at the old Speke Terminal end of Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Delivered to Trans Canada AL as CF-TKB in December 1960 and transferred to Air Canada when TCAL was renamed on 1st June 1964. It was re-registered as G-AYFN to Air Holdings in June 1970, leased to Thor Air Cargo as TF-YES in March 1971 but restored as G-AYFN in October 1971. Sold to Air Trader Sweden AB in December 1971 it returned as G-AYFN in March 1973. Sold to Invicta International in October 1973 it served until September 1975 when bought by Europe Aero Service as F-BXAJ. It flew its last service on July 27, 1979 and withdrawn from use at Perpignan and was last noted in one piece in 1985.

Original titles

Photographer: Albert Storti.

Photographer: Alberto Storti.

Photographer: Bernard Crocoll.

Original titles typo

slide taken by Norbert Kröpfl. - Invicta operated seven Vanguards, all ex Air Canada. One was lost in an accident, five were sold on to Europe Aero Service in 1975, and this one here was retired at Southend in 1973 and broken up three years later.

slide scan from the NK collection. - G-AXOY was one of seven Vanguards of Invicta and stayed with the airline from 1972 until 1975. Sold to EAS / Europe Aero Service as F-BXOH, it was transferred to Perpignan in November 1975; however, it was used for spares only at Perpignan and did not fly again.

slide scan from the NK collection. - Invicta operated a total of seven Vanguards, all ex Air Canada, from 1970 to 1975. G-AXOP was unfortunately lost on approach to Basle/Mulhouse on April 1973, when the cockpit crew became disorientated in adverse weather conditions and the aircraft crashed into mountains.

Revised titles

Basic Air Trader livery

Awaiting delivery to Invicta on 2nd May 1972. Note the tail titling "Rolls Royce VC9". This had read "Roll Royce V952 Prop Jet" while with its previous operator, Thor Cargo, and is one of the few references to the post-war civil design designations used by Vickers with the Vanguard being the "Vickers Commercial 9". The Viking having been the VC1 and the system more commonly known for the VC10. To EAS as F-BXOH in November 1975 and used for spares at Perpignan.

Delivered to Trans Canada Air Lines as CF-TKN in 1961. Renamed to Air Canada in 1964. To Air Holdings as G-AXNT in 1969 then to Invicta in 1970. To Europe Aero Service in 1975 and used for parts at Perpignan. Reg F-BXOO allocated but not applied. Still there in 1983. Later scrapped.

basic Air Trader c/s