26 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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records and photos

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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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Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

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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 159

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 159
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Thursday, 7 March 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 159
British Airways (BA)


England flag England

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

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Woolsington Airport, Newcastle, England in April 1976. Broken up for scrap in August 1976.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHJ - c/n 159 - 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 10th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Order No. F10/802. Sales Order No. F10/63B. Stock Order No. F10/26B.

2 January 1956
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

7 March 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

21 March 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

27 March 1957
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

27 March 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir John Manderville'.

13 February 1958
It was used to bring back the coffins of the Manchester United football players and staff who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster.

BEA Airpeed Ambassador (Elizabethan) G-ALZU had crashed 6 February following several attempted takeoffs in snowy conditions.

The Viscount arrived at Ringway Airport, Manchester, England to a solemn crowd of family, friends and club supporters of the 'Busby Babes' and was featured in a newsreel report.

29 October 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

12 November 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

8 September 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.

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

3 September 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

August 1967
Noted in full BEA 'Red Square' livery with 'Malta' logos over the fuselage cheatline, replacing the 'BEA' logos. It operated to Malta via Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy as a joint service, with Maltese cabin crews.

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

1971
Noted with BEA 'Channel Islands' titles applied.

25 October 1972
Total time 32,876:22 hours and 26,863 total landings.

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-AOHJ

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to August 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AOHJ - c/n 159 - 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 Channel Islands 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 Channel Islands Airways Division officially became part of British Airways (BA) Regional Division.

4 August 1975
Total time 37,254:25 hours and 32,086 total landings.

6 April 1976
Ferried from Birmingham International Airport, Elmdon, West Midlands, England to Woolsington Airport, Newcastle, England and withdrawn from service and stored.

7 May 1976
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

Total time 38,089 hours and 33,220 total landings.

August 1976
Broken up for scrap. The rear fuselage and tail section was moved to Lampton Pleasure Park, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, England to join the forward fuselage of G-AMOE (C/N 17).

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



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.