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British Airways Vanguard

Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 11:44
by Garry Russell
Although some of the Mercnatmen went into full BA livery and the rest had titles, only one Vanguard appears to have worn BA titles on it's BEA livery.

But which one?

Twenty three days after BA was formed in April 1974 the penultimate was retired and the final one a couple of months later.

No Vanguard wore full BA livery.

I have a pic partly showing it but not the registration.

I don't think (guess) :worried: it was one of the above but one that was reitred a couple of weeks before BA but found itself without titles earlier that year.

There had been a gradual shift toward BA identity for about two years before with the first visible changes happening before the official merge so it is possible it was the one retired in March.

So if anyone has a pic of this aircraft with the titles or knows which one it was I would be able to get that one done :smile:

Garry

Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 20:43
by Chris558
Can't help with that I'm afraid Garry, but you mensioned that no 'true' Vanguard wore the full BA livery, but the Airfix Vanguard, which I think was supposed to portray the last passenger one, came with full BA livery, and had a drawing of such on the box. Did Airfix get it wrong?

Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 20:51
by Garry Russell
Oh Yes

Airfix got it wrong big time

G-APER the subject was scrapped in full BEA livery and titles.

It appears that they checked and found out BA operated passenger Vanguards....but only for twelve weeks and they assumed it meant in BA livery. Not even all the Merchantmen were painted. At least G-APEG and G-APEJ went to ABC in 1979 still in BEA basic

Not for the first time either...the BUA Superfreighter G-AMWA never wore that livery, the only one of 21 BUA Superfreighters that didn't.

Garry