This very rare footage of a true British classic turboprop was filmed by my friend Ian Austin at East Midlands Airport in 1987.
G-APEP was originally delivered to BEA British European Airways in 1961 and continued carrying passengers until 1970 when she was converted to a freighter and transferred to BEA Cargo.
After becoming a freighter, G-APEP, along with the other converted BEA Vanguards became known as a 'Merchantman'.
After the merger of BEA and BOAC she was retained by the new British Airways Cargo division in 1974 and adopted the new airline's colourful livery.
In late 1979 she was sold to air bridge carriers and entered service with them in 1981 after several months storage.
In 1992 air bridge carriers adopted the new name of Hunting Cargo Airlines and G-APEP was given new titles accordingly.
In 1995 this aircraft became the world's last airworthy Merchantman and one year later in 1996 she was finally retired and then donated and flown to Brooklands Museum in Southern England where she remains to this day.
This aircraft along with several of her sister ships continued to fly regularly to London Heathrow well in to the mid 1990's! She is testament to great British design and the loving engineers who maintained these great planes for so long.
Turn up the VOLUME! and enjoy one of THE true classics of British aviation! Thanks Ian for capturing the magic!
