Viscount c/n 93
Operational Record
Airwork Ltd
England
This V.755D series Viscount was built for Airwork Ltd as CU-T605 It first flew on Saturday, 16 June 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
British Midland Airways (BMA)
England
Its final owner/operator was British Midland Airways (BMA) as G-AOCC.Its fate:- Aircraft found to have wing structure corrosion during the early stages of an overhaul in March 1969. Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England 21 April 1969. Broken up for scrap after spares recovery circa August 1970.
May 1955 to December 1955
Airwork Ltd
G-AOCC - c/n 93 - 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.
December 1955 to January 1961
Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A.
CU-T605 - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
Cuba registered
December 1955
Purchased from Airwork Ltd during construction retaining the Airwork type designation V.755D.
Production Aircraft No. 127 - the 127th production V.700 series Viscount built,
was the 42nd Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 40th Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
Production Order No. F03/755. Sales Order No. F03/72B. Stock Order No. F40/27B.
21 December 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
10 February 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
16 June 1956
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
20 June 1956
Delivered to Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A. at José Martí Airport, Havana, Cuba and entered service to replace the Douglas DC4 services to the USA and Canada.
1 January 1961
Sold to Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd.
January 1961 to September 1962
Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd
VR-BBM - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
Bermuda registered
1 January 1961
Purchased from Compañía Cubana de Aviación S.A.
14 May 1962
The aircraft was flown from Bermuda to the Eagle Airways base at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England for a major maintenance check. The 6 hour 5 minute sector flown from Gander Airport, Newfoundland, Canada to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland was non-stop and without having extra fuel tanks installed in the cabin.
The Captain considered that this was a record and the flight was checked out by the ARB to confirm that there would have been enough fuel on board to divert to an alternative airfield on its arrival at Prestwick. It appears that other aircraft that crossed the Atlantic had extra fuel tanks installed in the cabin.
3 September 1962
Transferred to Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd.
September 1962 to September 1963
Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd
G-AOCC - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
3 September 1962
Transferred from Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd within the Eagle group.
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.
5 December 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Hurn Airport, Bournemouth weather diversion. The passengers were transferred to Bournemouth by coach.
16 September 1963
Transferred to British Eagle International Airlines Ltd due to a corporate name change when Cunard joined forces with BOAC.
September 1963 to January 1968
British Eagle International Airlines Ltd
G-AOCC - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
16 September 1963
Transferred from Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd due to a corporate name change when Cunard joined forces with BOAC.
Named as 'City of Belfast'.
Reportedly later re-named as 'City of Edinburgh'. Date not known and there is no photographic evidence. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
21 August 1964
Noted at Benina Airport, near Benghazi, Libya operating a trooping charter flight from RAF El Adem, near Tobruk, Libya with the next stop at Luqa Airport, Malta on its way back to the UK.
10 November 1964
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
1 November 1967
Registration cancelled as aircraft sold.
12 January 1968
Sold to Invicta Airways Ltd.
January 1968 to February 1969
Invicta Airways Ltd
G-AOCC - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
12 January 1968
Purchased from British Eagle International Airlines Ltd and named as 'Sylt'.
1 February 1968
Delivered to Manston Airport, Kent, England.
March 1968
Noted with the name 'Sylt' in yellow lettering on a black background on the lower forward fuselage.
June 1968
Noted with the name 'Sylt' in black lettering on a yellow background on the lower forward fuselage.
July 1968
Noted with the name 'Sylt' in white lettering on the red cheatline under the cockpit windows.
13 January 1969
Ferried from Manston Airport, Kent, England to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.
4 February 1969
Transferred to British Midland Airways (BMA) due to a corporate merger and the registration to Invicta Airways Ltd was cancelled.
February 1969 to August 1970
British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AOCC - c/n 93 - a V.755D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
4 February 1969
Transferred from Invicta Airways Ltd due to a corporate merger.
March 1969
Aircraft inspected during the early stages of an overhaul and found to have major wing structure corrosion.
The Certificate of Airworthiness was still valid until 11 September 1969 but was now revoked.
21 April 1969
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.
Total time 23,331 hours and 17,907 total landings.
circa August 1970
Broken up for scrap after spares recovery.