27 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 74

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 74
Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)


England flag England

This V.732 series Viscount was built for
Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) as G-ANRR

It first flew on Tuesday, 26 April 1955 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Middle East Airlines (MEA)


Photo of Viscount c/n 74
Clanair Ltd


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Clanair Ltd as G-ANRR.

Its fate:-
Crashed at Eastlea Court, Westerdale Drive, Frimley, Surrey, England during a test flight from London Airport, (Heathrow), Middlesex, England after maintenance 2 December 1958.

The Viscount had taken off for a test flight following major overhaul. While flying at 1,000 feet, some 10 minutes after takeoff, the starboard wing broke off and the aircraft crashed and caught fire.


Operational record
Photo of Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) Viscount G-ANRR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1955 to September 1955

Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)

G-ANRR - c/n 74 - a V.732 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa 1954
This was the first Type 732 ordered by Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).

Production Aircraft No. 55 - the 55th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 23rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 29th Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F01/732. Sales Order No. F01/52B. Stock Order No. F23/22B.

23 September 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

September 1955
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

9 November 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

2 March 1955
Registered to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).

26 April 1955
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

11 May 1955
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

11 May 1955
Delivered to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) as their first Viscount to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

May 1955
Departed from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on route proving trials to Southern Africa with representatives on board from Vickers-Armstrongs, Rolls-Royce, Rotol and Goodyear Tyres.

It was seen at Côte d'Azur Airport, Nice, France - Luqa Airport, Malta - Nuba Lake Airport, Wadi Halfa, Northern Sudan - Eastleigh Airport, Nairobi, Kenya - Khartoum Airport, Sudan and Belvedere Airport, Salisbury, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

A group photo was taken at Belvedere Airport, Salisbury, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (see photo gallery).

17 June 1955
This was the first HCA Viscount on the Woolsington Airport, Newcastle, England, Stavanger Airport, Norway, Oslo Airport, Norway route.

29 June 1955
Noted crew training at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

5 July 1955
Departed from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England at 13:55 on a route proving flight to Côte D'Azur Airport, Nice, France flown by Hunting-Clan Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell.

The flight lasted for 2 hour 25 minutes.

5 July 1955
Departed from Côte D'Azur Airport, Nice, France at 16:40 on a route proving flight to Luqa Airport, Malta flown by Hunting-Clan Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell.

The flight lasted for 2 hour 25 minutes.

5 July 1955
Departed from Luqa Airport, Malta at 20:35 on a route proving flight to Côte D'Azur Airport, Nice, France flown by Hunting-Clan Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell.

The flight lasted for 3 hour 10 minutes.

6 July 1955
Departed from Côte D'Azur Airport, Nice, France at 00:05 on a route proving flight to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England flown by Hunting-Clan Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell.

The flight lasted for 3 hours and 5 minutes.

22 September 1955
Registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

22 September 1955
Leased to Middle East Airlines (MEA).


Photo of Middle East Airlines (MEA) Viscount OD-ACF

Country of Registration Lebanon

September 1955 to September 1957

Middle East Airlines (MEA)

OD-ACF - c/n 74 - a V.732 series Viscount
Lebanon registered

22 September 1955
Leased from Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).

The company name at that time was: - Associated British Airlines (Middle East) Limited.

30 September 1957
Returned to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).


Photo of Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) Viscount OD-ACF

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1957 to October 1957

Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)

OD-ACF - c/n 74 - a V.732 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

30 September 1957
Returned from Middle East Airlines (MEA) lease.

10 October 1957
Re-registered G-ANRR.


Photo of Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) Viscount G-ANRR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1957 to December 1957

Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)

G-ANRR - c/n 74 - a V.732 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

10 October 1957
Re-registered from OD-ACF.

Seen with Airwork London titles.

24 October 1957
Operated a joint Hunting-Clan / Airwork 'African Safari' service from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to East and Central Africa replacing the Vickers Viking.

31 December 1957
Registered to Clanair Ltd.


Photo of Clanair Ltd Viscount G-ANRR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1957 to December 1958

Clanair Ltd

G-ANRR - c/n 74 - a V.732 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 December 1957
Registered to Clanair Ltd from Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).

30 October 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training flights.

3 November 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training flights.

2 December 1958
Crashed at Eastlea Court, Westerdale Drive, Frimley, England during a test flight from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England after maintenance.

All six crew on board were sadly killed.

Total time 7,600 hours and 5,000 total landings.

The Viscount had taken off for a test flight following a major overhaul. While flying at 1,000 feet, some 10 minutes after takeoff, the starboard wing broke off and the aircraft crashed and caught fire.

PROBABLE CAUSE:
Investigations found that parts of the elevator trim tab were incorrectly assembled causing the elevator spring tab to operate in the reversed sense.

The resulting violent changes in flight attitudes were caused by the pilot taking involuntary manoeuvres that overstressed the aircraft causing the starboard wing to break off.

A memorial plaque was subsequently erected near the crash site.


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