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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.

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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


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

Viscount c/n 152

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 152
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.802 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOJC

It first flew on Wednesday, 7 November 1956 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
British Airways (BA), Wales Aircraft Museum.

Photo of Viscount c/n 152
Spoors & Prive


United Kingdom flag United Kingdom

Its final owner/operator was
Spoors & Prive as G-AOJC.

Its fate:-
Ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and withdrawn from service by British Airways (BA) 10 October 1975. Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use 31 October 1975.

Donated to the South Wales Aircraft Preservation Society (SWAPS) for display at the Wales Aircraft Museum circa January 1976. Painted in Cambrian Airways final livery of orange upper fuselage, white window line and grey underside in 1978, even though the aircraft was never operated by Cambrian.

Noted painted up in a poor rendition of the BEA 'Red Square' livery in December 1993.

Dismantled after the closure of the Wales Aircraft Museum circa June 1996.

The fuselage less the tail was transferred to Spoors & Prive at Enstone, Oxfordshire.

Noted chopped up 30 March 1997 with only the forward fuselage section remaining at the airfield.

The forward fuselage section was reported in the Wrecks & Relics book Volume 16 (April 1998) as going to a 'watery grave'.

Does anyone know if this went to a diving school somewhere, as happened to G-AWXI C/N 339?


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1956 to March 1956

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-AOHC - c/n 152 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

11 February 1953
An order was placed for the first 800 series Viscount which was specifically designed for British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Initially the order was for twelve Type 801 aircraft, which was actually longer than the Type 802 which BEA finally decided to receive.

This was the 3rd Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

2 January 1956
Allocated registration G-AOHC for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) but not taken up, to avoid confusion with G-ANHC (C/N 63).

6 March 1956
Re-registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOJC.

G-AOHC was finally used on a de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1956 to September 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOJC - c/n 152 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

6 March 1956
Re-registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA) from G-AOHC.

Although the reason for this registration change is not known, it is likely to have been done to avoid conflict operationally with V.701 Viscount G-ANHC (C/N 63).

Production Aircraft No. 3 - the 3rd production V.800 series Viscount built,
was the 3rd V.800 Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 3rd V.800 Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F03/802. Sales Order No. F03/63B. Stock Order No. F03/26B.

21 April 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

June 1956
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England

30 June 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

7 November 1956
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

15 January 1957
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

19 January 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Robert O’Hara Burke'.

20 January 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

6 February 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

6 December 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

12 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

24 December 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

February 1959
Noted at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England awaiting overhaul with Marshall's.

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.

20 March 1959
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for modifications by Marshall's.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 4,310 hours.

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

30 September 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

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

26 February 1960
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

17 September 1960
Nose undercarriage collapsed on landing at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands.

Repaired locally and returned to service.

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

31 March 1961
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 8,890 hours.

This was the highest total hours in that year for the BEA Viscount V.802/806 fleet.

31 March 1962
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 11,229 hours.

This was again the highest total hours in that year for the BEA Viscount V.802/806 fleet.

4 December 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

9 September 1963
The nose undercarriage collapsed on landing at Cointrin Airport, Geneva, Switzerland due to a fractured component.

The aircraft had made a precautionary flapless landing here due to a loose flap beam fairing being observed during the flight.

There were no reported injuries to the 30 passengers and 4 crew on board.

Repaired locally and returned to service.

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

5 July 1965
Noted at Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England operating UK services on behalf of BKS Air Transport Ltd.

31 March 1968
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 24,666 hours.

This was again the highest total hours in that year for the BEA Viscount V.802/806 fleet.

Painted in the BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery.
BEA
‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery

circa 1968
A new BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery was adopted and most aircraft were repainted when they went in for major overhaul, which took some of them into the early 1970s before this was accomplished.

20 December 1969
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.

6 November 1970
Noted at Luqa Airport, Malta with 'Malta' replacing the BEA red squares on the cheatline.

1971
The Chairman of BEA, Henry Marking, split the airline into several divisions as part of his ‘profit centre’ philosophy, with each division being responsible for it’s own financial performance. As a result the Viscount V.802 fleet was split into two.

The ‘Scottish Airways' division had eight Viscounts based at Abbotsinch, Glasgow, Scotland. The ‘Channel Islands' division had twelve Viscounts with four being operated from Jersey Airport, five from Birmingham International Airport, West Midlands, England and one from Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands. The remaining two aircraft of the ‘Channel Islands' fleet were used on a charter to GB Airways to operate the Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco service, and to act as operational spares.

All aircraft had either ‘Scottish Airways’ or ‘Channel Islands’ titling applied to the upper fuselage. In practice to maintain operational flexibility there was considerable mixing of the aircraft. On one occasion in August 1971 two of the ‘Channel Islands’ Viscounts were on the ramp together at Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands, some 750 miles (1,250 km) from the Channel Islands.

Painted in the BEA ‘Scottish Airways‘ livery.
BEA
‘Scottish Airways‘ livery

G-AOJC was allocated to the ‘Scottish Airways’ division and had titles applied alongside ‘BEA’ titling on the upper fuselage.

31 March 1972
BEA annual report quotes a total flying time of 31,818 hours.

This was the last year that individual aircraft flying hours were reported.

Painted in the BEA ‘Scottish Airways‘ livery.
‘Scottish Airways‘ livery

31 July 1973
Transferred to British Airways (BA) due to a corporate merger.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOJC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 1973 to January 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AOJC - c/n 152 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 July 1973
Transferred from British European Airways (BEA) due to a corporate merger.

It continued to operate on the Scottish routes.

The trading name of ‘British Airways’ was formally adopted at this time, however the full merger of its forming companies (BEA, BOAC, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines) did not take place until 1 April 1974 when BEA formally ceased to exist and the entire Viscount fleet became part of the new British Airways Regional Division.

The full integration of pilots and remaining aircraft from the previous fleets did not occur until 1 April 1976. Some Viscounts had small ‘British Airways’ titles applied to the forward lower fuselage from mid 1973 and for the former BEA Type 802 fleet the ‘BEA’ part of the main upper fuselage titling was painted over, leaving only 'Scottish Airways' or 'Channel Islands'. After September 1973 the main titling on the upper fuselage was painted over with ‘British Airways’ and the former operating division or company (Channel, Scottish, Cambrian or Northeast) was applied to most aircraft as a small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers.

Also during September 1973 the first aircraft to be painted in the new British Airways (BA) corporate livery appeared that also included the 'Cambrian' or 'Northeast' small title to the lower fuselage adjacent to the propellers for ex Cambrian and Northeast aircraft. These were retained past the mid 1970s.

There followed a period of several months where 22 of the 33 Viscounts transferred to British Airways were gradually painted in the new British Airways livery. The remaining 11 Type 802 aircraft retained the basic BEA livery with ‘British Airways’ main titling and ‘Channel’ or ‘Scottish’ sub-titling until retired in 1975/76.

1 April 1974
BEA – Scottish Division officially became part of British Airways Regional Division.

2 May 1975
Operated the inaugural flight between Jersey/Guernsey and Dusseldorf, West Germany flown by Captain Voak with a flight time of 1 hour 55 minutes.

This is the envelope that was carried and franked on the inaugural flight 2 May 1975
This is the envelope that was carried and franked on the inaugural flight 2 May 1975


Withdrawn from service at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales.
Withdrawn from use at
Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales

10 October 1975
Ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and withdrawn from service.

Total time 37,252 hours and 32,679 total landings.

31 October 1975
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

circa January 1976
Donated to the South Wales Aircraft Preservation Society (SWAPS) for display at the Wales Aircraft Museum at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales.

The actual date of transfer to museum is unknown.

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Wales Aircraft Museum Viscount G-AOJC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1976 to June 1996

Wales Aircraft Museum

G-AOJC - c/n 152 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa January 1976
Donated by British Airways (BA) to the South Wales Aircraft Preservation Society (SWAPS) for display at the Wales Aircraft Museum.

The actual date is not known.

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

20 January 1977
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

16 February 1978
Noted in the process of being repainted in the Cambrian Airways final livery of orange upper fuselage, white window line and grey underside.

This aircraft was never operated by Cambrian Airways.

December 1993
Noted repainted in a poor rendition of the British European Airways (BEA) 'Red Square' livery.

circa June 1996
The aircraft was dismantled after the closure of the Wales Aircraft Museum.

The fuselage less the tail was then transferred to Enstone Airfield, Oxfordshire, England.

Does anyone know the date it was dismantled and also the date that it was transferred to Enstone Airfield.

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net.


Photo of Spoors & Prive Viscount G-AOJC

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1996 to March 1997

Spoors & Prive

G-AOJC - c/n 152 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

February 1996
Fuselage less the tail transferred from the closed Wales Aircraft Museum at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales to Enstone, Oxfordshire, England.

This aviation company also had one other forward fuselage section at Enstone in 1996, namely Avro Vulcan B.2 XM569 and also a complete Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B XX889.

Does anyone know the date that it was transferred to Enstone Airfield.

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net.

30 March 1997
Fuselage noted chopped up with only the forward fuselage section remaining at the airfield.

The forward fuselage section was reported in the Wrecks & Relics book Volume 16 (April 1998) as going to a 'watery grave'.

Does anyone know if this went to a diving school somewhere, as happened to G-AWXI C/N 339?


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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