12 October 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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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 27

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 27
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Saturday, 16 January 1954 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 505 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Cambrian Airways, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), British Airways (BA) and Flightspares Ltd

Photo of Viscount c/n 27
Cecil Jones Comprehensive School


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Cecil Jones Comprehensive School as G-AMON.

Its fate:-
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England 17 June 1976.

Broken up for scrap in May 1979 except for the forward fuselage section which was noted still in existence in April 1982. It is unclear who owned the aircraft at the time of scrapping and what happened to the forward fuselage section. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1952 to December 1953

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-AMON - c/n 27 - 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 20th Type 701 Viscount ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 26 - the 26th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 26th Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 24th Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F20/701. Sales Order No. F20/84A. Stock Order No. F24/10B.

2 September 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

9 October 1953
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

8 December 1953
Registration to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd cancelled.

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


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1953 to December 1963

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

8 January 1954
Engine ground running commenced.

16 January 1954
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

3 March 1954
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

11 March 1954
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Thomas Cavendish'.

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

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

July 1954
Believed to be the first Viscount to visit the Isle of Man arriving on a proving flight to Ronaldsway Airport from Ringway Airport, Manchester, England under the command of Manxman Captain Tom Quirk.

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.

16 November 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

25 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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 and the nameplate on the forward cabin bulkhead was also removed.

This nameplate now forms part of the Graeme Cavendish collection.

Painted in the new BEA 'Red Square' livery.
BEA
'Red Square' livery

2 March 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

19 March 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 10,479 hours.

8 April 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

May 1959 to May 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.

7 May 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

19 November 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

18 December 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

28 December 1962
Sold to Cambrian Airways.

Total flying time with BEA – 17,283 hours.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Cambrian Airways Viscount G-AMON

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1963 to June 1973

Cambrian Airways

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

28 December 1962
Purchased from British European Airways (BEA).

1 March 1963
Registration cancelled to British European Airways (BEA).

David Carter illustration of Cambrian Airways Viscount G-AMON

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


8 March 1963
Delivered from Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales after modifications, servicing and a full repaint in Cambrian Airways livery by Marshall's.

It was flown by Captain Kenneth Wakefield.

18 March 1963
Registered to Cambrian Airways Ltd.

1 April 1963
Operated the first service to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England from Speke Airport, Liverpool, England replacing the BEA service that ceased operating the service the previous day.

Operated the first scheduled Cambrian Airways Viscount service from Speke Airport, Liverpool, England to Jersey Airport, Channel Islands.

26 May 1963
Operated the first scheduled Cambrian Airways Viscount service from Speke Airport, Liverpool, England to Jersey Airport, Channel Islands.

June 1963
Noted at Lulsgate Airport, Bristol, England still fitted with integral front 'airsteps', which were installed by BEA.

28 March 1964
Operated the first Cambrian Airways Viscount inclusive tour service from Speke Airport, Liverpool, England to Son Sant Joan Airport, Palma, Mallorca, Spain.

No.2 engine’s propeller detached in flight and struck the port upper forward fuselage, entering the toilet but causing no injury.
No.2 engine’s propeller
detached in flight

23 May 1964
The No.2 (port inner) propeller detached in flight as a result of a failure in the Rolls-Royce Dart engine's Reduction Gearbox and subsequent propeller overspeed and struck the forward fuselage, entering the toilet but causing no injury but with a sudden and localised decompression, resulting in a gash of approximately 5 to 6 feet in length by 6 inches wide.

The aircraft was flying at 19,000 feet en-route from Cardiff, Wales to Palma, Mallorca, Spain on an inclusive tour service under the command of Captain Denis Paines.

A safe landing was accomplished after an emergency diversion to Barcelona, Spain. Thankfully there were no injuries amongst the 4 crew and 59 passengers on board.

The aircraft was subsequently ferried to Marshall's at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England on three engines for repairs with a temporary repair made to the fuselage and the No.2 engine's reduction gearbox front area blanked off.

Repaired and returned to service.

15 July 1964
Operated the first Cambrian Airways Viscount inclusive tour service from Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales to Rimini Airport, Italy via Lulsgate Airport, Bristol, England.

November 1967
Cambrian Airways Limited became a wholly owned subsidiary of British Air Services (BAS).

Cambrian Airways 'White Cabin' livery.
Cambrian Airways
'White Cabin' livery

circa 1968
Painted in the Cambrian Airways 'White Cabin' livery.

Painted in the Cambrian Airways 'British Air Services' livery.
Cambrian Airways
'British Air Services' livery

circa 1969
Painted in the Cambrian Airways 'British Air Services' livery.

20 August 1969
Ran off the runway at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales after landing long and aquaplaning on a service from Gerona, Spain.

It ended up going through the airport boundary fence.

There were no injuries to the 62 passengers and 4 crew on board, who were evacuated using the port door escape slides.

Recovery of the aircraft from the deep mud entailed making the aircraft as light as possible including removal of all the remaining fuel.

Wide channels were then cut in the ground down to the depth of the undercarriage wheels and WWII pierced steel planking (PSP) was laid down.

With a fire tender attached by cables to each main undercarriage leg and a tug (driven by Barrie Mortimer) attached to the nose undercarriage leg to prevent the aircraft from tipping backwards, the aircraft was slowly returned to the hard surface.

Returned to service after local repairs.

Painted in the Cambrian Airways 'Blue Tail' livery.
Cambrian Airways
'Blue Tail' livery

circa 1970
Painted in the Cambrian Airways 'Blue Tail' livery.

circa March 1971
Noted stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales.

circa August 1971
Returned to service.

September 1972
Noted stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and held as a standby for BOAC leased Viscount G-AMOG (C/N 7).

January 1970 to 2 June 1973
The distinctive small 11th window on the port side behind the rear entrance door, fitted as part of the conversion to BEA high density seating configuration in the late 1950s/early 1960s, was noted as having been removed. The reason for and the date of this conversion are unknown.

Further details please to information@vickersviscount.net

2 June 1973
Rolled out at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales in full British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery named as ‘Scottish Princess’.

3 June 1973
Leased to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).


Photo of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) Viscount G-AMON

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1973 to July 1973

British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC)

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

3 June 1973
Leased from Cambrian Airways in full BOAC livery named as 'Scottish Princess' and delivered from Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

It was operated by Cambrian Airways crews and used on the feeder service from Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh, Scotland, Dyce Airport, Aberdeen, Scotland and Aldergrove Airport, Belfast, Northern Ireland to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

This was necessary at the time because there were no long-haul international flights approved from these three airports. Passengers then transferred to several BOAC transcontinental routes.

31 July 1973
Transferred to British Airways (BA) due to the corporate merger of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), British European Airways (BEA) and British Air Services (BAS) which had absorbed Cambrian Airways Ltd and Northeast Airlines (UK).


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AMON

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to May 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 July 1973
Transferred from Cambrian Airways due to a corporate merger while the aircraft was on lease to BOAC who were also absorbed.

It initially entered service in the ex BOAC livery less titles.

The trading name of ‘British Airways’ was formally adopted at this time, however the full merger of it’s forming companies (BEA, BOAC, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines) did not take place until 1 April 1974 when BEA formally ceased to exist and the entire Viscount fleet became part of the new British Airways Regional Division.

The full integration of pilots and remaining aircraft from the previous fleets did not occur until 1 April 1976. Some Viscounts had small ‘British Airways’ titles applied to the forward lower fuselage from mid 1973 and for the former BEA Type 802 fleet the ‘BEA’ part of the main upper fuselage titling was painted over, leaving only 'Scottish Airways' or 'Channel Islands'. After September 1973 the main titling on the upper fuselage was painted over with ‘British Airways’ and the former operating division or company (Channel, Scottish, Cambrian or Northeast) was applied to most aircraft as a small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers.

Also during September 1973 the first aircraft to be repainted in the new British Airways (BA) corporate livery also included the 'Cambrian' or 'Northeast' small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers for ex Cambrian and Northeast aircraft. These were retained past the mid 1970s.

There followed a period of several months where 22 of the 33 Viscounts transferred to British Airways were gradually painted in the new British Airways livery. The remaining 11 Type 802 aircraft retained the basic BEA livery with ‘British Airways’ main titling and ‘Channel’ or ‘Scottish’ sub-titling until retired in 1975/76.

1 April 1974
Cambrian Airways officially became part of British Airways (BA) Regional Division.

It was repainted in British Airways livery.

Painted in full British Airways (BA) livery with small ‘Scottish Princess’ titles on the lower forward fuselage.
British Airways (BA)
new livery

June 1975
Noted at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales in full British Airways (BA) livery with the name ‘Scottish Princess’ on the lower forward fuselage.

31 March 1976
Performed a ceremonial flypast in formation with Viscount G-AMOG (C/N 7) at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland after a final passenger service. It was then ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales for storage along with Viscount G-AMOG. The shuttle services continued until March 1977 operated by two leased BMA – British Midland Airways V.814 Viscounts. These were G-BAPE (C/N 341) and G-BAPG (C/N 344).

Total time 32,071 hours and 27,804 total landings. Also reported as total time 32,081 hours and 27,781 total landings.

17 May 1976
Sold to Flightspares Ltd.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Flightspares Ltd Viscount G-AMON

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1976 to June 1976

Flightspares Ltd

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

17 May 1976
Purchased from British Airways (BA) for the recovery of spare parts.

17 June 1976
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and stored, still in full British Airways livery.

It was gradually robbed of all useful spares parts.

June 1977
Remains sold to the Cecil Jones Comprehensive School still in full British Airways livery.


Photo of Cecil Jones Comprehensive School Viscount G-AMON

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1976 to April 1982

Cecil Jones Comprehensive School

G-AMON - c/n 27 - a V.701 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

June 1977
Purchased from Flightspares Ltd minus engines and other robbed parts.

It remained stored at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England amongst several grounded light aircraft.

9 January 1982
Noted with the rear fuselage section chopped off.

April 1982
The forward fuselage section was noted still in existence.

It is unclear who owned the aircraft at the time of scrapping and what happened to the forward fuselage section.

Further 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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