G-EBEM  Vickers 61 Vulcan                                               (c/n  5)

                                 

                                       The French manufacturer Farman was notorious for producing truly ugly aircraft, but this
                                       Vickers Vulcan must surely have come in a close second.   In fact, local wags at Vickers
                                       called it the "flying pig".   Nine of these beasts were built in three different marques.
                                       G-EBEM was delivered to Douglas Vickers to compete in the King's Cup.Air Race
                                       in 1922  (it came in seventh).  Douglas was Chairman of the Board of Vickers, Ltd
                                       a large steel manufacturing company at Sheffield, one of whose constituents he
                                       was MP.   G-EBEM disappeared off the coast of Italy under unknown circumstances
                                      on 7 May 1926. It was on a special flight from Brooklands to North Africa. En route,
                                      while cruising off the Italian coast, the single engine aircraft disappeared into the sea.
                                      Search And Rescue efforts were abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft
                                      nor the crew was found.