25 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 26

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 26
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Tuesday, 22 December 1953 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 505 engines.


Photo of Viscount c/n 26
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AMOM.

Its fate:-
Crashed on takeoff during a crew training session at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England 20 January 1956. Remains broken up for scrap.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1952 to December 1953

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-AMOM - c/n 26 - 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 18th Type 701 Viscount ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 24 - the 24th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 25th Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 23rd Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F18/701. Sales Order No. F18/84A. Stock Order No. F23/10B.

12 August 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

8 December 1953
Registration to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd cancelled as aircraft sold to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

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


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1953 to January 1956

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AMOM - c/n 26 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

17 December 1953
Engine ground running commenced.

22 December 1953
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

25 January 1954
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

27 January 1954
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A James Bruce'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 505 engines.

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

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.

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.

20 January 1956
Crashed on takeoff at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England during a crew training session.

G-AMOM crashed on takeoff at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England 20 January 1956.

After arriving from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England the aircraft was scheduled for a training flight. Takeoff commenced at 08:50 GMT and just after lifting off at the V2 point the training captain, who was occupying the left hand seat, started to simulate a No.4 engine failure. He moved the No.3 engine high pressure cock lever to the feather position and throttled the No.4 engine back to idle. This resulted in the loss of all power from both starboard engines at a critical point of the takeoff. The aircraft banked to the right and struck the ground 250 yards from the runway, then cartwheeled to a stop. The rear section of the aircraft was consumed by fire. All five crew members on board luckily survived.

20 January 1956
Registration cancelled as aircraft written off.

Remains broken up for scrap.

Total time 3,796 hours and 1,898 total landings.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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