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 61

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 61
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Tuesday, 7 September 1954 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


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


Photo of Viscount c/n 61
Aero Clube Rio Claro


Brasil flag Brasil

Its final owner/operator was
Aero Clube Rio Claro as PP-SRP.

Its fate:-
Donated to the Aero Clube Rio Claro by Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) circa 1975.

Later broken up for scrap circa 1989. Does anyone know the actual date / year? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1953 to August 1954

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ANHA - c/n 61 - a V.701C 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.

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

This was the 21st Type 701 Viscount ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

12 December 1953
Registered to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

Production Aircraft No. 38 - the 38th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 12th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 14th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F01/701C. Sales Order No. F01/87A. Stock Order No. F10/22B.

12 May 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

24 June 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

23 July 1954
Registration to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd cancelled.

3 August 1954
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

August 1954 to August 1962

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-ANHA - c/n 61 - a V.701C series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

3 August 1954
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA), Bealine House, Ruislip, Middlesex.

7 October 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

The official Vickers flight test report quotes 7 September 1954 which seems unlikely.

19 October 1954
Certificate of Airworthiness issued.

19 October 1954
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Anthony Jenkinson'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines and designated as a V.701C.

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.

The high density configuration modification included the installation of extra windows.
Modification included the installation of extra windows

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.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 9,552 hours.

1959
Converted from 40/47 seats to 60/63 seats in a new high density configuration. This modification included 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 of the aircraft.

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

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

5 November 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

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

3 August 1960
Noted at Shannon Airport, County Clare, Ireland.

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

June 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England now fitted with a set of lightweight integral front 'airsteps'.

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

Total time 16,029 hours.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



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

Country of Registration Brasil

May 1963 to January 1975

Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

PP-SRP - c/n 61 - a V.701C series Viscount
Brasil registered

30 August 1962
Purchased from British European Airways (BEA) along with nine other V.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.

24 May 1963
Departed on delivery from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England in full VASP livery.

23 May 1963
Registration G-ANHA cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

28 February 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brasil.

Total time 24,730 hours and 18,158 total landings.

circa January 1975
Donated to Aero Clube Rio Claro. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Aero Clube Rio Claro Viscount PP-SRP

Country of Registration Brasil

January 1975 to December 1989

Aero Clube Rio Claro

PP-SRP - c/n 61 - a V.701C series Viscount
Brasil registered

circa January 1975
Donated by Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) and moved to Rio Claro Airfield, State of São Paulo, Brasil.

circa June 1977
Noted still in existence, retaining its faded VASP livery.

circa 1989
Broken up for scrap. Does anyone know the actual date / year? 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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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