Viscount prototype G-AHRF
Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
1948 - 2010
It was during the 1940s that Vickers-Armstrongs and Rolls-Royce proved that the gas-turbine
engine was the power plant of the future by developing the world class Viscount passenger
aircraft and Dart engine.
'Commercial flying', an airline passenger of the first half of the 20th Century once
observed, 'is 90% boredom and 10% fright'. This is the story of an aircraft that was
instrumental in altering this opinion. It is the story of a remarkable aircraft that so
shattered the accepted notions of travel comfort and airline economics that its standards
became accepted as a yardstick by which other forms of transport were measured. It is the
story of the first turbo-prop airliner in the world, and the first transport type ever to
break America's monopoly of the commercial aircraft market. On 29 July 1950 the prototype
Viscount G-AHRF became the first Jet Powered aircraft ever to carry fare paying passengers
on a scheduled service.
G-ALWF is the oldest surviving Viscount and is now preserved at Duxford, England
The Viscount was born of a post World War II belief that the gas-turbine in one
form or another was the power plant of the future. A statement of this belief has
now become unexceptional and unchallenged, but in 1945 it was none of these things.
There were at the time more people willing to prove conclusively that gas turbines
would never be economically suited to passenger operations, than there were converts
to rebut them. In those pioneer days the arguments on both sides were still
based on theory, plus on the side of those who supported the gas turbine, a considerable
degree of faith.
Lufthansa operated Viscounts from the end of the 1950s
When the Viscount was in full production, Vickers-Armstrongs won orders from some 60 customers
worldwide, amounting to a return of £177 million for the 439 aircraft sold. These customers
included airlines like BEA - British European Airways (BA - British Airways), Air France,
Aer Lingus, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, BOAC, Capital Airlines (United Airlines),
Central African Airways, Continental Airlines, Cubana, Hunting Clan Air Transport,
Indian Airlines Corporation, Iraqi Airways, KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines, LANICA, Lufthansa,
MEA - Middle East Airlines, Misrair - Egyptian Airlines (United Arab Airlines),
New Zealand National Airways Corporation, Northeast Airlines, Indian Airlines Corporation,
Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines, PLUNA, South African Airways,
Trans-Australia Airlines, Trans-Canada Air Lines (Air Canada), Turk Hava Yollari,
Union of Burma Airways, and VASP.
Virgin operated Viscounts during the second half of the 1980s
Later the number of operators greatly increased as examples came onto the second-hand
market, usually to play a large part in improving the carriers' financial position. These
operators included Alidair, Aloha Airlines, Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines,
BAF - British Air Ferries, Bahamas Airways, BKS Air Transport Ltd. (Northeast Airlines), Bouraq,
British Eagle, BMA - British Midland Airways, British West Indian Airways, BUA - British United Airways,
Cambrian Airways, Channel Airways, Condor Flugdienst, Cyprus Airways, Dan-Air London,
Falconair Sweden, Far Eastern Air Transport, GB Airways Ltd., Go Transportation, Guernsey Airlines,
Hong Kong Airways, Icelandair, Intra Airways, Kuwait Airways, LOT - Polish Airlines, Mandala Airlines,
Manx Airlines, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Pearl Air, Ronald J Clark, SAETA, Skyline Sweden,
Starways Ltd, TAC Colombia, Tradair, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Westernair of Alberqerque.
Pegasus Aviation was still operating 3D-PFI in the Congo during 2005
The Viscount saw service throughout the world on both passenger and freight services and although
the majority had been withdrawn by the start of the 21st century, a few soldiered on.
Numerous examples of this classic Vickers-Armstrongs design have been preserved for posterity.
While providing a fitting tribute to the magnificent aircraft and its creators, the atmosphere
and character of a living specimen is naturally missing.
