While Le Bourget Airport is known today for its business jet operations and location of the long-standing biennial Paris Air Show, this more than 100-year-old French capital gateway has a rich history of commercial airline operations too. Ron Mak highlights some of the aircraft from 1970 to 1980

This impressive line-up of Europe Aero Service (EAS) Vickers Vanguards brighten up the Le Bourget ramp on a cloudy day. In the foreground, this Type 952 variant, F-BXOG (c/n 739) – powered by Rolls-Royce Tyne 512 engines – was handed over to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in June 1961 as CF-TKP and then Air Canada following the flag carrier’s brand change. After later operating for Merpati Nusantara Airlines and Invicta International Airlines (based in Indonesia and the UK, respectively), EAS acquired the airliner in 1975. This example was withdrawn from use five years later at Perpignan. All images Ron Mak