25 April 2024
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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.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

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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.


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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


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

Viscount c/n 154

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 154
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Thursday, 10 January 1957 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)

Photo of Viscount c/n 154
Cardiff Airport Fire Service


Wales flag Wales

Its final owner/operator was
Cardiff Airport Fire Service as G-AOJE.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales 31 March 1981. Fuselage transferred to the Cardiff Airport Fire Service in 1982. The burnt out remains were finally disposed of circa June 1989.


Operational record
Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-AOHE

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1957 to January 1957

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHE - c/n 154 - 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 5th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

2 January 1956
Allocated registration G-AOHE for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) but not taken up, to avoid confusion with G-ANHE (C/N 65).

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

G-AOHE was finally used on a Westland-Sikorsky WS.55 Whirlwind Series 1.

FURTHER READING: Books about British European Airways



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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOJE - c/n 154 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

Although the reason for this registration change is not known, it is likely to have been done to avoid conflict operationally with Type 701 Viscount G-ANHE (C/N 65).

Production Order No. F05/802. Sales Order No. F05/63B. Stock Order No. F05/26B.

10 January 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

26 January 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir Alexander Mackenzie'.

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

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

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

18 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Jersey Airport, Channel Islands weather diversion.

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.

17 September 1960
During the landing at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands the nose undercarriage leg suddenly retracted resulting in damage to the lower forward fuselage, curled inboard propellers and shockload damage to the inner Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

There were no reported injuries to the 71 passengers and 3 crew onboard.

No mechanical defect was found during the post accident investigation.

Repaired locally and returned to service.

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

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

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

14 December 1965
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

circa 1968
Painted in the new BEA 'Flying Union Jack' livery.

Painted in the new BEA 'Flying Union Jack' 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-AOJE

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to January 1982

British Airways (BA)

G-AOJE - c/n 154 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

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 – Channel Islands Airways Division officially became part of BA – British Airways Regional Division.

31 March 1981
Withdrawn from service and stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales. It was then gradually robbed of all useful spares.

circa January 1982
Fuselage and inner wings but minus its tail transferred to Cardiff Airport Fire Service for training purposes.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Cardiff Airport Fire Service Viscount G-AOJE

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1982 to June 1989

Cardiff Airport Fire Service

G-AOJE - c/n 154 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa January 1982
Gutted fuselage and inner wings but minus its tail transferred from British Airways (BA) for fire and rescue training use.

April 1982
Noted lying on its belly in the fire training area.

circa June 1989
The burnt out remains were finally disposed of.


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.