19 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors

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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Letter from HRH Prince Philip

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by David Carter


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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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

Viscount c/n 22

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 22
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.701 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AMOI

It first flew on Tuesday, 20 October 1953 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 505 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

Photo of Viscount c/n 22
Eduardo André Matarazzo


Brasil flag Brasil

Its final owner/operator was
Eduardo André Matarazzo as PP-SRL.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond economic repair during a takeoff accident at Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 31 July 1969.

Acquired by Eduardo André Matarazzo circa January 1970 and moved to his plantation property.

Noted still present on Google Earth 9 June 2019.


Operational record
Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-AMOI

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1952 to October 1953

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-AMOI - c/n 22 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

August 1949
Discussions concluded between Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and British European Airways Corporation (BEA) regarding the specification for the Type 701 aircraft.

Accommodation for 47 passengers at a gross weight of 53,000 lbs was specified with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 505 engines.

3 August 1950
Order placed by British European Airways Corporation (BEA) for 20 Type 701 aircraft which was later increased to 26.

23 May 1952
Registered to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

This was the 13th Type 701 Viscount ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 19 - the 19th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 21st Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 20th complete Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F13/701. Sales Order No. F13/84A. Stock Order No. F19/10B.

11 May 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

17 June 1953
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

6 October 1953
Registration to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd cancelled.

12 October 1953
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).


Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-AMOI

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1953 to August 1962

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AMOI - c/n 22 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

12 October 1953
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA), Keyline House, Ruislip, Middlesex.

14 October 1953
Engine ground running commenced.

20 October 1953
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

30 October 1953
Certificate of Airworthiness issued.

5 November 1953
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir Hugh Willoughby'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 505 engines with serial numbers: 1117 & 1075 on the port side and 1116 & 1139 on the starboard side.

The cabin was fitted out with a 47 seat all-tourist class layout.

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd invoice C/VW/51497 dated 6 November 1953
Amount £190,314 7s 8d + £163 13s 5d (delivery fuel + 3% fuel handling charge + oil).

8 July 1954
During a flight from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands along Airway Amber 10, still in UK airspace, a near miss was reported with a USAF aircraft identified only as '0369'. This was probably on its way to or from a US air base in the east of England.

1954 to 1962
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.

Transported Sir Winston and Lady Churchill from Catania Airport, Sicily, Italy to London Airport.

April/May 1955
This aircraft was used to take Sir Winston and Lady Churchill from Catania Airport, Sicily, Italy to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

May 1955 to December 1956
All BEA Type 701 aircraft were gradually retrofitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines which were upgraded using modified Mark 505 engines.

Aircraft are known to have flown with an ‘intermix’ of both engine marks between these dates.

When completely retro-fitted with Mark 506 engines, the Type 701A designation was applied to these aircraft although this has not been seen widely used or quoted.

31 March 1958
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 8,512 hours. This was the BEA Viscount with the highest hours at the time.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 9,894 hours.

April 1959 to April 1960
Converted from 40/47 seats to 60/63 seats in a new high density configuration. This modification also entailed the installation of an 11th standard size window on the rear starboard side and a small window behind the rear entrance door on the port side.

BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery.

March 1959
A new BEA 'Red Square' livery was adopted and aircraft were repainted during the early 1960s when they next went in for overhaul.

Sadly, after repainting, the aircraft no longer carried a name including the nameplate on the forward cabin bulkhead.

21 March 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training flights.

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

22 September 1960
Noted at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England in the new BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery and appears to have been one of the earliest aircraft to have been repainted.

24 June 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

circa June 1962
Offered for sale for £110,000.

Total time 16,042 hours.

20 August 1962
Sold to Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP).

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) Viscount PP-SRK

Country of Registration Brasil

August 1962 to October 1962

Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

PP-SRK - c/n 22 - a V.701 series Viscount
Brasil registered

20 August 1962
Purchased from British European Airways (BEA) along with nine other Type 701 from the fleet.

The package deal including spare parts came to a total of £1,550.000 with an initial deposit of £310,000 and the remainder repaid over three years at an interest rate of 6%.

These Viscounts were obtained instead of an uncompleted order for new Handley Page HPR.7 Dart Heralds due to production delays and were used to replace the Saab Scanias.

11 October 1962
Noted at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England painted in full VASP livery with registration PP-SRK applied.

26 October 1962
Noted at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England with registration PP-SRL now applied. A spotters nightmare!

Registration PP-SRK was then allocated to C/N 13 but the sale was not completed.


Photo of Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) Viscount PP-SRL

Country of Registration Brasil

October 1962 to January 1970

Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

PP-SRL - c/n 22 - a V.701 series Viscount
Brasil registered

26 October 1962
Re-registered from PP-SRK. This registration was then allocated to C/N 13 but the sale was not completed.

23 March 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

23 March 1963
Departed on delivery from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England together with Viscount PP-SRM (C/N 19) in full VASP livery.

31 July 1969
During a night takeoff at Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil the aircraft momentarily became airborne and then collided with a Bull that had wandered on to the Airport.

This resulted in damage to one main undercarriage and wing so the takeoff was aborted. It landed and veered off the runway and collided with a stationary Douglas DC-3

There were no reported injuries to the 28 passenger and 5 crew on board.

It was written off as beyond economic repair and remained stored at Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Total time 23,878 hours and 16,004 total landings.

circa January 1970
Acquired by Eduardo André Matarazzo of Bebedouro, Brasil (exact date unknown). Details please to information@vickersviscount.net.


Photo of Eduardo André Matarazzo Viscount PP-SRL

Country of Registration Brasil

January 1970 to January 1900

Eduardo André Matarazzo

PP-SRL - c/n 22 - a V.701 series Viscount
Brasil registered

circa January 1970
Acquired from Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) for preservation (exact date unknown).

It was then dismantled and moved by road to Eduardo's plantation to the southwest of Bebedouro.

Eduardo, who was a very successful businessman also acquired PP-SRO (C/N 64) which resides at Museu del Armas in the centre of Bebedouro.

9 June 2019
Noted still in existence on Google Earth at location 21 degrees 01'22.60 S - 48 degrees 30'13.71 W.


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.