Vickers Vanguard lands at Brooklands -- The incredible story

On the 17th of October 1996 the worlds only surviving Vanguard Merchantman G-APEP called Superb made its last ever flight into Brooklands. This may not seem very surprising as Vanguards flew in and out of Brooklands all the time, back in the days when they were building them there. However, now the Runway had been cut in half by the new road - Wellington Way. Also, the airfield had not been an operational field for many years and offered many challenges to the crew!

At the time I was Managing director of National Rescue and had been planning to movie the aircraft by road. I was very pleased when Peter and Gary said the could fly it in. So they went off and practised short landings at the Aircrafts base at East Midlands Airport, while we put a plan together to close a busy industrial estate down, during the landing. This video shows you what happened on the day, from my vantage point up in the Control Tower.

There have been several comments about why were the holes not covered up and the answer is simple, the aircraft was not supposed to go anywhere near the road much less the tree holes. Steel plates etc. were considered but they would have slid on the grass anyway and just filling the hole without compacting would not have worked. You have to remember this is a Charity and it was out of the kindness and generosity of Trafalgar House that the trees were temporally moved out the way to improve the approach to the runway some 100m further on.

[stevenmedlock]

i think this one of the best videos on utube...

[bmused]

Always a melancholy moment when watching a fully operation aircraft make it's last landing. Especially when it is the last of it's breed doing what it was designed to do.

[mmcbey]

In case anyone is wondering, the fire engines followed the Vanguard because it had used its' brakes HARD in order to stop and there would be the possibility of a brake fire.

[agnostic]

I lived within 300 yards of Brooklands until 2006. The museum was a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

[andro]

I have a happy memory of my one flight on a Vanguard when they were on the Heathrow-Dyce (Aberdeen) route in 1970-something. It was lightly loaded, and we were asked if everyone would mind moving to first class where they could take better care of us. A pleasant, comfortable plane with a crew to suit. Changed times!

[georgemartin]

The Vickers Vanguard was one of the most beautiful airlines here ever.

[andrewlogan]

I worked for Hunting on the day this aircraft took off on its final flight. For a few days before, the crew practiced landing on East Midlands runway using special markers set for the allowed distance available

[michaelamos]

Fantastic .Just visited the Vanguard. Great film . Well done to the crew and all the volunteers at Brooklands

[jamesbanks]

Brilliant, visited Brooklands on the 27th Feb 2017 whilst staying with my brother in Woking, one of the guides showing us round the Sultans VC10 suggested we look up this video. All of the staff at Brooklands do a tremendous job, very polite, helpful and knowledgeable. My last visit was 2004/5, its amazing to see the massive improvements made since then. A real 'must see' if you are in the area.

[CanadairCL]

The last of the Tyne freighters. Beautiful aircraft, great to hear those engines again.

[jerrycornelius]

Brilliant, particularly the use of exactly the voice most of us associate with plane spotters!

[breathtakingblue]

I used to see these as a teen at East Midlands as spotter and then as an employee. Air Bridge Cargo it was then. You'd hear the unique sound of the engines - amazing. Just listening to them in this video fills my head with so many great memories. Fantastic aircraft. 👍

[alangale]

It was an amazing sight to see, such a lovely aircraft. Glad she was saved from the scrappers.

[Agamemnon]

Use to work in the stress office for what was BAe Aircraft Division Weybridge, until we were transferred to BAe Kingston.
Best time of my career there as a young engineer working with the best.

[yuniyonson]

This was so poignant....I am 69 year old lady..and have loved Aircraft all my life....the great JOY for me, is that my German follow in my Love for Aircraft..

[shaunwhiteley-th]

Great to hear the Tyne engines again.❤

[TerenceMalone-ih]

I was at East Midlands Airport when they practice short landings. We even marked up the runway at EMA for their practice landings. When they were happy with their landings they then flew the aircraft to Brooklands. Very good pilots!

[chrisplunkett]

It never fails to amaze me that amongst other things they flew VC10s out of here!

[grubberrn]

Thanks for the memories of the Vanguard and Weybridge Brooklands. I did my BEA Engineering Vanguard Corse back in the early 1960's at Weybridge and remember so well having a chat with Barnes Wallis.

[ianspencer]

A great tribute to both Pete ang Gary great skills needed and Echo Papa back home. RIP Pete.