Vanguard storage Hunter

Anything aviation orientated is always appreciated, especially when it is displayed so prominently.

Very nice work! We prefer that version too.

Thanks Mike / Tony for the kind words, glad it is appreciated.

I prefer the low-level fly-by version 🙂

Thank you to those at Vanguard who keep her looking so good. Always nice to travel past and see her on the roof.

She is a credit to you, and thanks for the kind offer, to far for me, but you may get some folks wanting a look at her.

Unfortunately we had to get the Hawker Hunter down pretty quickly over the weekend. We were worried that she may have taken off across the A40 in the 80mph gusts! We keep her inside our main warehouse right next to the Lightning. Any enthusiasts are more than welcome to pop in to take a look. The WT555 will definitely be back up next Summer. We will keep you posted on www.vanguardholdings.co.uk/news and www.vanguardstorage.co.uk/news
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Thanks for that insight, Mr Shifter…I for one appreciate the MD’s efforts….pity the Lightning can’t be displayed.
He sounds like a fun guy.

I work with Vanguard, I hope the following helps to answer some of the questions that have been raised.

The Managing Director of the business is an ex-military man and is hugely patriotic. He acquired the Hunter from an MOD auction many years ago, he also owns a Lightening and other iconic items such as a Green Goddess and a Routemaster. The aircraft were originally used to promote the expertise of the Vanguard Engineering business, Vanguard is now focussed on storage, which is also handy and these items need quite a lot of space!

The original plan had been to put the Hunter back on display a few months ago to coincide with its 60th anniversary. (As many will know this is quite a significant airframe.) Unfortunately this was delayed because the wing-bolts had been mislaid, not the sort of thing you can pick up on ebay!

The Vanguard tower has also been used to display a Spitfire (loaned by Duxford), a Huey (loaned by someone I can’t remember) a bus and a very large Father Christmas. It would be great to see the Lightening up there but alas it is just too heavy.

The Vanguard business will be 50 years old in 2014, the managing director is one of the founding directors. It is very much a family business where the focus is as much about enjoyment as it is about business goals, why else would you go to the effort and expense of entertaining users of the Western Avenue by having a plane on the roof?

Enthusiasts often pop in to just chat, the entrance off Alperton Lane is guarded by Vanguard’s 5.5” howitzer. It is likely that other displays will be planned for next year to help celebrate the business anniversary, so watch that space, as they say!

It was last up on the roof 8 years ago

http://www.vanguardstorage.co.uk/newsfeed/getting-the-hawker-hunter-into-position

I thought I was going crazy when I saw it while driving back from RIAT the other day. I could have sworn it wasn’t up there when I was heading to Fairford last Tuesday.. now I know I wasn’t going crazy!

Back after an extended holiday? I was still driving for BRS when she was taken away. That means it was away for about 18 years. Anyone know why it was removed in the first place?

It looks to be in good condition….presumably, belonging to a storage company it is kept indoors and well cared for! Ten years since last up there…time does fly.

More pictures on the Vanguard web site: http://www.vanguardstorage.co.uk/news

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Ah yeah, the old Peerless Built In Furniture building that used to build Mossie wings or parts as I always understood it.
It does look good up there!

Long time since that was up there to improve the crawl in and out of London…as always, looks great.