
July 1954 to January 1961
Air France
F-BGNT - c/n 37 - a V.708 series Viscount
France registered
March 1951
An order was placed by Air France for twelve Type 700 aircraft. This was the tenth one built.
Production Aircraft No. 34 - the 34th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 30th Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 10th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F10/708. Sales Order No. F10/85A. Stock Order No. F02/21B.
17 December 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
February 1954
Fuselage transported by road from Weybridge, Surrey, England to Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
10 February 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
16 June 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
7 July 1954
Delivered to Air France.
19 July 1954
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 Type 708 aircraft flew with an ‘intermix’ of both types of propeller blades.
Capacity later increased from 48 seats to 63 seats.
1 December 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
6 January 1961
Leased to Air Viet Nam.
|