The microstructure of long-range-ordered vanadium carbides based on V6C5has been analysed by means of high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Lattice images have been produced by including in the objective-aperture superlattice spots associated with the ordered distribution of vacancies in the interstitial carbon sublattice of these substoichiometric compounds: ‘perfectly’ ordered structures have been imaged, and a direct discussion of the experimental micrographs is made in terms of positions of the vacancy-containing columns. This HREM study will soon be extended to theinvestigation of various kinds of planar defects within differently annealed specimens.