10 June 2023
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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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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 156

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 156
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Monday, 4 February 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 156
Unknown Scrapyard


Wales flag Wales

Its final owner/operator was
Unknown Scrapyard as G-AOHG.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales in April 1975.

Purchased for metal salvage in October 1975 and transferred to a scrapyard in Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, Wales or Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. Forward fuselage section noted still there circa March 1976.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHG - c/n 156 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

This was the 7th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 7 - the 7th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 7th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, England,
and the 7th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F07/802. Sales Order No. F07/63B. Stock Order No. F07/26B.

7 July 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

12 September 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

4 February 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

20 February 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Richard Hakluyt'.

When it arrived at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England two Douglas DC-3 Pionair aircraft were positioned nose on, on each side of the taxiway near the BEA maintenance facilty to welcome the newest member of the fleet.

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

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

18 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out ILS approaches. It then returned to London Airport (Heathrow).

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.

7 November 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, 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.

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

Painted in the BEA 'Malta Airlines' livery.
BEA
'Malta Airlines' livery

September 1966
Noted at Luqa Airport, Malta operating a service to Rome, Italy in BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery with the Maltese Cross replacing the BEA logos on the cheatline and the title 'The Malta Airline' underneath.

1970
Withdrawn from service at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales due to life expired wing spars.

It then became a convenient aircraft to rob parts from which was commonly described by engineers as the 'Christmas Tree'.

late 1970
Operations had a requirement for an extra 'Regional Division' aircraft so a miracle occurred, and a virtually new aircraft emerged and returned to service.

May 1971
Repainted in a new BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery.

BEA ‘Channel Islands‘ titles were added circa 1971.
BEA
‘Channel Islands‘ titles

circa 1971
'Channel Islands' titles were added to the 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-AOHG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to October 1975

British Airways (BA)

G-AOHG - c/n 156 - 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 V.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 V.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 British Airways Regional Division.

30 March 1975
Operated its last service to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales and withdrawn from service and stored.

Total time 36,429 hours and 31,568 total landings.

April 1975
Noted minus its tailplanes and outer Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

June 1975
Noted on its belly minus all Rolls-Royce Dart engines, tail and outer wings.

1 October 1975
Broken up for metal salvage and moved to a scrapyard in Merthyr Tydfil, South Glamorgan, Wales for final processing.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Unknown Scrapyard Viscount G-AOHG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 1975 to December 1976

Unknown Scrapyard

G-AOHG - c/n 156 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 October 1975
Remains purchased from British Airways for metal salvage and moved to their yard in Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, Wales for final processing.

There is a possibility that the yard is in Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net.

circa March 1976
Forward fuselage section noted still lying in the scrapyard.


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.