First flown in November 1961 it was delivered to BEA at Heathrow as V.953 Vanguard "Superb" on 13th December 1961. During 1970/71 it was converted as a V.953C Merchantman and re-delivered to BEA Cargo, (renamed British Airways Cargo on 1st April 1974), on 8th March 1971. Sold to Air Bridge Carriers, (Hunting Air Cargo from 1992), in November 1979, it was stored at East Midlands Airport until entering service in 1981. When retired in September 1996 it was the last airworthy Merchantman, and made its last flight on 17th October 1996 when it was donated to the Brooklands Museum by Hunting PLC.

Wearing dual squadron markings, ZA563 had been transferred from 617 Squadron to XV Squadron based at RAF Laarbruch. The latter's 75th Anniversary special, ZA549 sits next to it.

D-0559 was built in 1970 as a Phoebus C, later converted to a Phoebus CW with special upturned wingtips. It was cancelled in 2009 and went to the Deutsches Segelflugmuseum at Wasserkuppe

D-0559 built 1970 as a Phoebus C, later converted to a Phoebus CW with special upturned wingtips, cancelled 2009 and to Deutsches Segelflugmuseum at Wasserkuppe