19 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.

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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 155

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 155
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Friday, 18 January 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 155
British Airways (BA)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British Airways (BA) as G-AOJF.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service at Elmdon Airport, Birmingham, West Midlands, England and ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and stored 12 February 1980. Broken up for scrap after spares recovery in August 1981.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1956 to March 1956

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHF - c/n 155 - 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 6th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

2 January 1956
Allocated registration G-AOHF for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) but not taken up, to avoid confusion with G-ANHF (C/N 66).

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

G-AOHF was finally used on an Auster J-5P Autocar.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1956 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOJF - c/n 155 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

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-ANHF (C/N 66).

Production Aircraft No. 6 - the 6th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 6th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 6th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F06/802. Sales Order No. F06/63B. Stock Order No. F06/26B.

10 June 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced.

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

23 August 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

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

4 February 1957
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

8 February 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir George Somers'.

10 February 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport weather diversion.

18 February 1957
Operated the first V.802 Viscount service from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France with 46 passengers flown by Captain MacKeown.

Painted in the BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery.
British European Airways
‘Red Square‘ livery

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.

31 March 1959
British European Airways annual report quotes a total time of 3,919 hours.

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

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

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

Painted in the British European Airways ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery.
British European Airways
‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery

circa 1968
A new British European Airways ‘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.

BEA 'Scottish Airways' titles applied.
British European Airways
‘Scottish Airways‘ titles

11 October 1968
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.

29 June 1969
Noted with Malta logos applied for the service to Heathrow via Rome, Italy.

circa 1971
British European Airways 'Scottish Airways' titles applied.

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

FURTHER READING: Books about British European Airways (BEA)



Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOJF

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to August 1981

British Airways (BA)

G-AOJF - c/n 155 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

31 July 1973
Transferred from British European Airways Corporation (BEA) due to a corporate merger and continued to operate on the old BEA 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.

Noted with Gibair titles applied to the basic British Airways (BA) livery.
British Airways (BA)
‘Gibair‘ livery

September 1973
Noted with Gibair titles applied to the basic BEA livery.

Painted in the new British Airways (BA) livery.
British Airways (BA)
‘New‘ livery

October 1973
Noted with British Airways (BA) titles applied to the ex BEA livery and small 'Scottish' titles on the forward lower fuselage.

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

April 1977
Noted repainted in the new British Airways (BA) livery.

6 November 1978
During a takeoff at Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England in poor weather the aircraft nearly collided with a fire truck on the runway.

Flight BA5403 to Heathrow Airport, London was cleared to takeoff from runway 15 in poor visibility.

Prior to this two airport fire trucks had been active on the runways carrying out visibility checks to determine the Runway Visual Range (RVR) and had been ordered by Air Traffic Control to clear the active runway before the Viscount was given permission to takeoff. A single return confirmation of 'Roger' was received.

At 09:30 Air Traffic Control cleared the aircraft to depart and during the takeoff run the flight crew saw an indistinct shape in the mist which they suddenly realised was an obstruction.

The Captain rotated the aircraft at 95 knots instead of the scheduled 105 knots and the undercarriage was quickly retracted by the First Officer resulting in a clearance of approximately 10 feet above the parked fire truck.

The incident was reported to Air Traffic Control by the Captain in no uncertain terms and the flight continued safely to London with the passengers unaware of the situation.

Air Traffic Control were held responsible for the situation as they had failed to establish that both fire trucks had cleared the active runway area.

Further Reading: - AIB Aircraft Accident Report 2/79

Stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales.
Stored at Rhoose,
Cardiff, Wales

12 February 1980
Withdrawn from service at Elmdon Airport, Birmingham, West Midlands, England and ferried to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales and stored.

Total time 42,440 hours and 40,049 total landings.

Broken up for scrap at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales.
Broken up for scrap

August 1981
Broken up for scrap after spares recovery.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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