26 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors


59 of the 444 Viscounts built survive as complete airframes or major components. Some are in very good condition and are looked after by museums while others are just wrecks. They can be found in 24 countries.

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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 12

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 12
Air France


France flag France

This V.708 series Viscount was built for
Air France as F-BGNM

It first flew on Friday, 3 July 1953 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 505 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd, BKS Air Transport Ltd, Silver City Airways, British United Airways (BUA), Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) and Duco Paints


Photo of Viscount c/n 12
Concorde Supermarket


France flag France

Its final owner/operator was
Concorde Supermarket as F-BOEA.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond repair on take off from Aulnat Airport, Clermont Ferrand, France on 28 December 1971.

Dismantled fuselage transferred from Air Inter for used as an office by Duco Paints in 1972.

The fuselage was transferred from Duco Paints and put on display at the Concorde Supermarket (near N89) at Lempdes, near Clermont Ferrand Airport, France in 1985.

Noted still in existence in September 1997. No further sightings so presumed as scrapped. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Operational record
Photo of Air France Viscount F-BGNM

Country of Registration France

September 1953 to June 1960

Air France

F-BGNM - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered

March 1951
An order was placed by Air France for twelve Type 708 aircraft. This was the third one built.

Production Aircraft No. 12 - the 12th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 9th Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 12th Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F03/708. Sales Order No. F03/85A. Stock Order No. F09/10B.

19 September 1952
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

27 October 1952
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

21 May 1953
Engine ground running commenced.

3 July 1953
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

23 September 1953
Delivered to Air France fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 505 engines.

29 September 1953
Registered to Air France.

1954 to c1959
The original ‘cutlass’ design propeller blades were gradually replaced by new symmetrical ‘needle’ blade propeller sets. From photographic evidence, both propeller types were fitted to Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3, Mark 505 and Mark 506 engines and many aircraft flew with an ‘intermix’ of both types of propeller blades.

circa 1955
Larger Air France titles applied.

Capacity later increased from 48 seats to 63 seats.

18 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

1 June 1960
Sold to Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd via W S Shackleton & Co.


Photo of Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd Viscount F-BGNM

Country of Registration France

June 1960 to September 1960

Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd

F-BGNM - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered

1 June 1960
Purchased from Air France.

The sale was brokered through W S Shackleton & Co.

28 June 1960
French registration cancelled.

3 July 1960
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for UK certification work by Marshall’s.

18 September 1960
First flight after maintenance.

19 September 1960
Re-registered G-ARER.


Photo of Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd Viscount G-ARER

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1960 to May 1961

Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd

G-ARER - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

19 September 1960
Re-registered from F-BGNM.

21 September 1960
Certificate of Airworthiness issued.

1 October 1960
Delivered from Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England to Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England and operated its first service to Perpignan, France.

12 January 1961
Ferried to Wymeswold Airfield, Leicestershire, England for maintenance and temporary storage with Field Aircraft Services Ltd.

13 February 1961
Ferried to Stansted Airport, Essex, England and returned to service.

27 May 1961
Last service from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Mulhouse Airport, Basel, Alsace Region, France and return.

29 May 1961
Leased to BKS Air Transport Ltd.


Photo of BKS Air Transport Ltd Viscount G-ARER

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1961 to November 1961

BKS Air Transport Ltd

G-ARER - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

29 May 1961
Leased from Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd in full livery and delivered to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

BKS relates to the surnames of three company directors: - James W Barnby, Thomas D Keegan, and Cyril Stevens.

3 June 1961
Entered service from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England to Dijon Airport, France and Rimini Airport, Italy.

3 June 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

28 August 1961
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and stored.

21 September 1961
UK certificate of airworthiness expired.

2 November 1961
Returned to Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd. The lease was originally expected to last for two summer seasons covering IT charters.


Photo of Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd Viscount G-ARER

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1961 to January 1962

Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd

G-ARER - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

2 November 1961
Returned from BKS Air Transport Ltd lease and ferried to Wymeswold Airfield, Leicestershire, England for C of A renewal and a repaint by Field Aircraft Services Ltd.

1 January 1962
Leased to Silver City Airways.


Photo of Silver City Airways Viscount G-ARER

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1962 to January 1962

Silver City Airways

G-ARER - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 January 1962
Leased from Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd and ferried to Wymeswold Airfield, Leicestershire, England.

It was repainted by Field Aircraft Services Ltd in full Silver City livery but never entered service due to a corporate merger.

23 January 1962
Silver City Airways and this aircraft were purchased by Air Holdings Ltd who then transferred the aircraft to British United Airways (BUA).

G-ARBY (C/N 10) and G-ARGR (C/N 14) were also purchased and transferred to BUA.

FURTHER READING: Books about Silver City Airways
Silver City Airways Association website



Photo of British United Airways (BUA) Viscount G-ARER

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1962 to June 1966

British United Airways (BUA)

G-ARER - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

23 January 1962
Purchased by Air Holdings Ltd from Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd whilst the aircraft was on lease to Silver City Airways and transferred to BUA.

Air Holdings Ltd were the parent group of BUA. It never entered service with Silver City who were absorbed as part of a corporate merger.

21 March 1962
Ferried from Wymeswold Airfield, Leicestershire, England to Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England in Silver City livery.

26 March 1962
Rolled out at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England in full BUA livery and entered service the same day.

9 - 10 May 1964
Appeared at the annual Air Fair at Biggin Hill Airport, Kent, England in the dark blue and white 'British United' livery.

27 April 1966
Registration to Maitland Drewery Aviation Ltd finally cancelled.

21 June 1966
Registered to British United Airways (BUA).

27 June 1966
Sold to Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures).


Photo of Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) Viscount F-BOEA

Country of Registration France

June 1966 to January 1972

Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures)

F-BOEA - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered

27 June 1966
Purchased from British United Airways (BUA).

It could not adopt the original Air France registration as this had been cancelled and French regulations would not allow it to be re-used.

1 July 1966
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on delivery to Orly Airport, Paris, France.

28 December 1971
Damaged beyond repair during a takeoff from Aulnat Airport, Clermont Ferrand, France on a training flight.

The aircraft swung off the runway during the takeoff run after the No.4 Rolls-Royce Dart engine had been feathered to simulate an engine failure for training purposes, but the crew lost directional control. The two crew on board were unhurt.

Total time 25,732 hours and 21,834 total landings.

1972
Aircraft dismantled and fuselage acquired by Duco Paints for use as an office.


Photo of Duco Paints Viscount F-BOEA

Country of Registration France

January 1972 to January 1985

Duco Paints

F-BOEA - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered

1972
Dismantled fuselage acquired from Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) for used as an office by Duco Paints in an industrial area two miles east of Clermont Ferrand Airport.

1985
Fuselage transferred to Concorde Supermarket.


Photo of Concorde Supermarket Viscount F-BOEA

Country of Registration France

January 1985 to

Concorde Supermarket

F-BOEA - c/n 12 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered

1985
Fuselage transferred from Duco Paints.

Put on display at the Concorde Supermarket (near N89) at Lempdes, near Clermont Ferrand Airport, France.

September 1997
Noted still in existence with no titles.

No further sightings so presumed as scrapped. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The 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.


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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.