Hi Tristar 500!
I have seen the pictures of G-APEP on ‘Airliners.net’ and really admire the work that’s done to preserve that last remaining example of the Vanguard. Congratulations to you and the team who look after her.
If you say there is a member of the design team there then maybe my memories are fading about that 3rd seat. I do know that TCA’s airplanes did have that seat and it was removed. The seats were surplus and eventually were utilized in a training device called ‘The Miles Trainer’. It was a glorified Link trainer type of thing and two seats were used in each device. Basically, it was used to train on the FD108 Flight Director system which was coming into use. I am pretty sure BEA’s airplanes were delivered with the 3rd seat and the airplane was crewed that way.
Before the delivery of the Vanguard in Canada much discussion was held with the Canadian MOT in regard to crewing the aircraft. TCA wanted 2 crew. The MOT relented with the proviso that F/O’s would hold an Airline Transport Pilot Licence. At the time, it wasn’t company policy for F/O’s to hold that licence until time of promotion to Captain. That requirement resulted in a large number of pilots scrambling to get the licence.
You’re right! There was nothing on that overhead panel that needed attending to in flight and couldn’t be reached by the forward crew anyway. I believe we had a cutout for ‘turbine bearing temperature’ gauges and maybe a couple of other things that were recorded in the log book for engine readings in flight.
Again, congratulations on the preservation of G-APEP. I hope she remains in good condition for many decades.
Cheers, J