Western Daily Press April 11^th 1973

THE VANGUARD, powered by four Rolls- Royce Tyne turbo-prop engines and seating from 130 to 140 passengers, was built by the British Aircraft Corporation. The Vanguard which crashed yesterday was originally delivered to Air Canada in July 1962. It was sold to Air Holdings in 1968 and acquired by Invicta in January 1972. It had completed about 15,000 landings, half the air- craft’s life of 30,000 landings. There have been two fatal accidents to Vanguards since they entered service in 1961. 

One was due to a structural failure. Vanguards in service have to date accumulated a total of 890,000 flying hours. Production stopped in 1962 when only 43 had been sold, 20 to BEA and 9 to Air Canada. It came too late to sell in large numbers because of the increasing popularity of the pure jets. BEA still has five left in passenger service. Nine others were converted into the cargo version, the Merchantman. Air Canada has disposed of its Vanguards which are now mainly used by charter airlines.