Join the Vickers Viscount Network For FREE

Click for details

Contact Us

E-Mail & Skype

Current number of Viscount photos

2548

Latest Updates

ZK-BRF RESTORATION

c/n 346

c/n 151

NEWS x 2

c/n 150

c/n 75

c/n 27

c/n 182

c/n 341

F-BGNR RESTORATION

Latest Photos

c/n 241

c/n 346

c/n 213

c/n 435

c/n 280

c/n 402

c/n 347

c/n 428

c/n 281

c/n 3

c/n 116

c/n 151

c/n 224

c/n 441

c/n 439

c/n 435

c/n 391

c/n 382

c/n 117

c/n 170


Featured Aircraft - G-AMOP

Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AMOP c/n 29

G-AMOP - BEA - British European Airways - December 1953 to December 1962

Delivered to BEA - British European Airways named 'R.M.A. Mungo Park'. Taken at Renfrew, Glasgow, Scotland 14 April 1961. Note that the traditional name bar on the nose is missing.

This aircraft c/n 29, a V.701, was built for BEA - British European Airways as G-AMOP and first flew on Friday, 8 January 1954 at Hurn, England. Its final owner/operator was Cambrian Airways. Its fate: Withdrawn from use & stored at Rhoose, Cardiff, Wales August 1971. Broken up September 1972 .

Photo © Iain C MacKay



Photo of the prototype Viscount G-AHRF Viscount prototype G-AHRF

Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount

1948 - 2008

It was during the 1940's 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.

Photo of the oldest surviving Viscount G-ALWF 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.

Photo of Lufthansa Viscount D-ANAC Lufthansa operated Viscounts from the end of the 1950's

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.

Photo of Virgin Viscount G-AOYP Virgin operated Viscounts during the second half of the 1980's

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.

Photo of Viscount 3D-PFI 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.

Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at Information@VickersViscount.net.


For more details on how you can help please CLICK HERE