(G-AVHE and G-AVNJ) on lease from Channel Airways and
these were put to work on both IT and Ministry charters.
In March it was announced that Air Holdings had sold all of
its aviation interests to British and Commonwealth Shipping
- with eventual confirmation that Air Ferry would cease
operations at the end on the season.
The carrier’s final revenue operation took place on October 27
and while many of the staff transferred to British United Airways
some remained loyal to their founder, transferring to Hugh
Kennard’s new venture.
Invicta Airlines
Following Hugh Kennard’s forced resignation from Air Ferry
he moved back to Ramsgate airport where he wasted no time
in planning his next project.
In November 1964, he established and registered Invicta
Airlines Ltd, which would be based at Manston with backing
from the Minster Asset Group.
The winter months saw contracts signed with several travel
agents to operate IT services into Europe over the coming
summer season. Kennard also purchased two Vickers Vikings
(G-AHOY and G-AHPL) from Autair and two Douglas
C-54s (G-ASPM and G-ASPN) from British Eagle.
Prior to operations getting underway, Hugh Kennard and
Michael Harridine formed Universal Air Transport Ltd
(UATS) to act as the commercial agency for Invicta as well as
acting as a broker for work previous done by Air Ferry.
Revenue services began on March 20, when a Viking carried
34 passengers to Basle to connect with their Balair flight to
Johannesburg (and returning with 32 au pair girls). The first
C-54 flight took place to Metz in France with a consignment
of lamb on March 30.
The first year saw IT services to Maastricht, Malaga, Ostend,
Palma, Perpignan, Rotterdam and Seville and together with
ad-hoc charters took the passengers figures to 120,000. Such
was the demand that three additional Vikings and three C-54s
were added during 1966.
Workload and revenue continued to grow over the coming
years, resulting in the purchase of two Vickers Viscounts from
British Eagle in 1968 (to replace the ageing Vikings) one of
which, G-AOCC, was based in Berlin operating flights to both
Frankfurt and Hannover.
On January 3, 1969, Invicta announced that it was to merge on
March 18 with British Midland Airways (BMA) which was also
backed by Minster Asset Group. The Viscounts would join the
BMA fleet while the C-54s would be operated by Invicta under
the title of British Midland – Invicta Cargo.
Kennard decided that the merger was not working and in
June he formed Invicta Airways (1969) Ltd buying back three
C-54s (G-ASEN, G-ASPM and G-ASPM) and operating them
on ad hoc freight flights to Europe and beyond. Many of these
involved operations from Birmingham on behalf of the motor
industry to Cologne and Düsseldorf and Coventry to Sardinia
on behalf of the RAF.Vanguards
In 1970 plans were made to replace the ageing C-54s and on
October 10 Vickers Vanguard G-AXNT was leased from Air
Holdings Ltd. Despite the aircraft not having a Merchantman-
style main deck cargo door, the cargo capacity was almost five
times that of the old C-54, thereby reducing the operating costs.
It operated from Manston to several destinations in Europe as
well as flights to North Africa.
With plans to re-enter the passenger market, Kennard renamed
the company Invicta International Airlines Ltd in January 1971
and established an operating base for passenger services at Luton
(leaving Manston purely as a freight hub).
By May two additional Vanguards were operating IT charters
to Spanish resorts from Blackpool, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton,
Manchester and Newcastle, student charters from Luton to
Milan and Rome and trooping flights to Düsseldorf. There were
also several Catholic pilgrim flights to Lourdes and Tarbes from
Cardiff, East Midlands, Glasgow and Newcastle, and French
student charters from Le Bourget to the UK.Viking G-AHOW
at rest at Manston
in 1966. By now
the Viking f leet was
reaching the end of
its useful life.
C C
CBristol Britannia
G-ANCF departs
with a wave from the
captain on a livestock
charter to Milan
from East Midlands
Airport in September- The cabin doors
remained open until
just before take-off
for ventilation.
B • In 1965
Kennard’s newly
formed Invicta
Airlines purchased
two Douglas C-54s
(G-ASPM and
G-ASPN) from
British Eagle.
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