20 April 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
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.


Share your photos and stories

Live Magazine


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.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

Contact us

information@VickersViscount.net



Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE

Membership details


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


This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 160

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 160
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Wednesday, 20 March 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP) and British Airways (BA)

Photo of Viscount c/n 160
Hotel de France


Jersey flag Jersey

Its final owner/operator was
Hotel de France as G-AOHK.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England in April 1976.

Broken up for scrap in the latter part of 1976. Forward fuselage sold to Hotel de France, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands together with the rear fuselage of Viscount G-AOHO (C/N 164).

This was subsequently broken up for scrap circa 1983.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHK - c/n 160 - 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 11th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 11 - the 11th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 12th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 11th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F11/802. Sales Order No. F11/63B. Stock Order No. F11/26B.

17 September 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced.

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

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

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

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

1 April 1957
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

2 April 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A John Hanning Speke'.

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

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

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

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

June 1959 to September 1962
Leased to Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP) on an adhoc basis in full BEA livery with TAP insignia near the forward door.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total time of 3,832 hours.

17 April 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

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 December 1959
Noted at Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh, Scotland now repainted in the new 'Red Square' livery.

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

14 September 1960
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.

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

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

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 70s before this was accomplished.

circa 1968
BEA 'Channel Islands' titles applied.

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

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP) Viscount G-AOHK

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1959 to September 1962

Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP)

G-AOHK - c/n 160 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

9 June 1959 to September 1962
Leased from British European Airways (BEA) on an occasional ad hoc basis in full BEA livery with TAP insignia near the forward door.

This was an interim requirement on the Lison to London route until TAP acquired suitable aircraft of their own.


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-AOHK

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to June 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AOHK - c/n 160 - 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 BA – British Airways Regional Division.

1 April 1976
Withdrawn from service at Birmingham International Airport, Elmdon, West Midlands, England and ferried to Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England for storage.

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

Total time 37,108 hours and 31,831 total landings.

circa June 1976
Broken up for scrap.

1976
Forward fuselage sold to Hotel de France, Jersey, Channel Islands together with Viscount c/n 164 G-AOHO for a hotel bar project.

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of Hotel de France Viscount G-AOHK

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1976 to

Hotel de France

G-AOHK - c/n 160 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1976
Forward fuselage section purchased from British Airways (BA) together with the rear fuselage section of Viscount G-AOHO (C/N 164).

May 1977
Forward fuselage section transferred to the Hotel de France, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands and joined to the rear fuselage section of Viscount G-AOHO (C/N 164).

circa June 1983
Composite fuselage removed due to its poor condition and scrapped.
The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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