18 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.

Viscount history


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

Viscount c/n 68

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 68
Iraqi Airways


Iraq flag Iraq

This V.735 series Viscount was built for
Iraqi Airways as YI-ACL

It first flew on Friday, 14 October 1955 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


Photo of Viscount c/n 68
Alidair


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Alidair as YI-ACL.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond economic repair after the aircraft landed at Mosul Airport, Iraq with the undercarriage retracted 17 April 1973.

Aircraft was then sold to Alidair Ltd for spares recovery and the remains scrapped locally.


Operational record
Photo of Iraqi Airways Viscount YI-ACL

Country of Registration Iraq

November 1955 to April 1973

Iraqi Airways

YI-ACL - c/n 68 - a V.735 series Viscount
Iraq registered

circa 1954
This was the 2nd Type 735 ordered by Iraqi Airways.

Production Aircraft No. 76 - the 76th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 39th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 44th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F02/735. Sales Order No. F02/54B. Stock Order No. F27/22B.

2 February 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

6 May 1955
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

14 October 1955
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

3 November 1955
Delivered to Iraqi Airways named as 'Sindbad' (Arabic spelling of Sinbad) with a Kingdom of Iraq national flag on the tail.

May 1957
Returned to Vickers-Armstrongs at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England for flap modifications.

29 December 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England on a London Airport weather diversion. The passengers were transferred to London by coach.

1958
Noted with an Arab Federation national flag on the tail.

1959
Noted with a Republic of Iraq national flag on the tail.

5 February 1960
Arrived at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for maintenance with Marshall's.

1963
Noted with a later Republic of Iraq national flag on the tail.

17 April 1973
Damaged beyond economic repair after the aircraft landed at Mosul Airport, Iraq with the undercarriage retracted.

The flight crew had declared an emergency, reportedly caused by a mis-management of the fuel remaining on board.

Clearly this distraction resulted in the failure to lower the undercarriage before landing.

There were no reported injuries to the 27 passengers and 6 crew on board.

Total time 24,498 hours and 14,649 total landings.

1973
Remains sold to Alidair Ltd for spares recovery.


Photo of Alidair Viscount YI-ACL

Country of Registration Iraq

April 1973 to April 1973

Alidair

YI-ACL - c/n 68 - a V.735 series Viscount
Iraq registered

1973
Purchased from Iraqi Airways for spares recovery.

Remains scrapped locally.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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