27 July 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


Share your photos and stories

Live Magazine


Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

Contact us

information@VickersViscount.net



Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE

Membership details


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


This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 92

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 92
Airwork Ltd


England flag England

This V.755D series Viscount was built for
Airwork Ltd as G-AOCB

It first flew on Thursday, 24 May 1956 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A., Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd, Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd, British Eagle International Airlines Ltd and Invicta Airways Ltd

Photo of Viscount c/n 92
British Midland Airways (BMA)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British Midland Airways (BMA) as G-AOCB.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by British Midland Airways (BMA) 30 October 1969 and stored at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England after a technical survey deemed the aircraft uneconomic to repair as extensive corrosion was found.

Spares recovery process started May 1970.

Remains finally cleared away for scrap 19 September 1970.


Operational record
Photo of Airwork Ltd Viscount G-AOCB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1955 to December 1955

Airwork Ltd

G-AOCB - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

17 May 1955
Registered to Airwork Ltd but not taken up as BOAC objected to their proposed 'Colonial Coach' overseas routes as unfair competition.

December 1955
Sold to Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A. during construction but retaining the Airwork Type 755D.

4 January 1956
UK registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.


Photo of Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A. Viscount CU-T604

Country of Registration Cuba

December 1955 to February 1960

Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A.

CU-T604 - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
Cuba registered

December 1955
Purchased from Airwork Ltd during construction retaining the Airwork type designation V.755D.

Production Order No. F02/755. Sales Order No. F02/72B. Stock Order No. F39/27B.

24 May 1956
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

5 June 1956
Delivered to Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A. at José Martí Airport, Havana Airport, Cuba and entered service to replace the Douglas DC4 services to the USA and Canada.

26 February 1960
Sold to Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Limited.


Photo of Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd Viscount VR-BBL

Country of Registration Bermuda

February 1960 to February 1962

Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd

VR-BBL - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
Bermuda registered

26 February 1960
Purchased from Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A.

February 1962
Transferred to Cunard Eagle Airways Limited.


Photo of Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd Viscount VR-BBL

Country of Registration Bermuda

February 1962 to September 1962

Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd

VR-BBL - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
Bermuda registered

February 1962
Transferred from Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Limited within the Eagle Group.

9 February 1962
Delivered to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

19 September 1962
Re-registered G-AOCB.


Photo of Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd Viscount G-AOCB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1962 to September 1963

Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd

G-AOCB - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

19 September 1962
Re-registered from VR-BBL.

12 October 1962
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued after re-painting and modification work to bring it up to British Board of Trade standards.

18 October 1962
Entered service on a British Government trooping contract flight to Luqa Airport, Malta replacing a Vickers Viking.

7 December 1962
Noted at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales on a charter service from Langenhagen Airport, Hannover, West Germany that returned the following day.

16 September 1963
Transferred to British Eagle International Airlines Ltd due to a corporate name change when Cunard joined forces with BOAC.


Photo of British Eagle International Airlines Ltd Viscount G-AOCB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1963 to November 1967

British Eagle International Airlines Ltd

G-AOCB - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

16 September 1963
Transferred from Cunard Eagle Airways Limited due to a corporate name change when Cunard joined forces with BOAC.

6 November 1963
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

19 January 1964
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

24 February 1964
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for a 'Check 4' overhaul with Marshall's.

7 April 1964
Air test from Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England after an overhaul by Marshall's. It lasted for 1 hour and 27 minutes.

Now named as 'City of Edinburgh'.

20 March 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

Reported re-named as 'City of Belfast'. Date not known as we have no photographic evidence - details please to information@vickersviscount.net

1 November 1967
Sold to Invicta Airways Ltd and registration to British Eagle International Airlines cancelled.


Photo of Invicta Airways Ltd Viscount G-AOCB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1967 to February 1969

Invicta Airways Ltd

G-AOCB - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 November 1967
Purchased from British Eagle International Airlines Ltd.

12 January 1968
Registered to Invicta Airways Ltd.

25 March 1968
First flight at Heathrow Airport, London, England after repainting by British Eagle International Airlines in Invicta Airways livery.

26 March 1968
Delivered from Heathrow Airport, London, England to Manston Airport, Kent, England.

Operated Inclusive Tours flights from several UK airports to European summer and winter holiday destinations.

circa October 1968
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England with fictitious 'Victa' titles on the upper fuselage.

It was being used to make an episode of a London Weekend Television series called 'The Gold Robbers'. The episode was called 'Crack Shot'.

The black and white series was shown in 1969 and starred Peter Vaughan with George Cole amongst others. A DVD of the series was produced 6 December 2010.

This was the last Viscount to visit the airport and depart without being scrapped!

4 February 1969
Transferred to British Midland Airways (BMA) due to a corporate merger and registration to Invicta Airways Ltd cancelled.


Photo of British Midland Airways (BMA) Viscount G-AOCB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1969 to September 1970

British Midland Airways (BMA)

G-AOCB - c/n 92 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

4 February 1969
Transferred from Invicta Airways Ltd due to a corporate merger.

11 February 1969
Registered to British Midland Airways (BMA).

20 February 1969
Ferried from Manston Airport, Kent, England to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland for re-painting in British Midland Airways (BMA) livery by Scottish Aviation Ltd.

11 April 1969
Ferried from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.

30 October 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England after a technical survey for the CofA renewal deemed the aircraft uneconomic to repair as extensive corrosion was found.

31 October 1969
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

Total time 24,545 hours and 18,518 total landings.

16 April 1970
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

May 1970
Spares recovery process started.

19 September 1970
Remains finally cleared away for scrap.


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.