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.

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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 161

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 161
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Friday, 29 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
British Airways (BA), British Air Ferries (BAF), Southend Airport Fire Service and Hanningfield Metals

Photo of Viscount c/n 161
Mayhem Paintball Centre


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Mayhem Paintball Centre as G-AOHL.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and used as a cabin services trainer by British Air Ferries (BAF) at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England in February 1981.

Transferred to the Airport Fire Service circa April 1990.

Broken up for scrap in 2004 except for the forward fuselage section which was saved by Hanningfield Metals and kept in their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England. In 2006 it was offered for sale on eBay with a starting price of £500.00 but there were no bidders.

circa September 2010 it was sold to the Mayhem Paintball Centre and moved to their facility at Abridge, Essex, England.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - 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 12th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Order No. F12/802. Sales Order No. F12/63B. Stock Order No. F12/26B.

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

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

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

17 April 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Charles Sturt'.

19 April 1957
First noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

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

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

25 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

2 December 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out ILS approaches and overshoots. It then returned to Heathrow Airport.

15 January 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion. The passengers were transferred to London by coach.

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.

31 March 1959
BEA annual report quotes a total time of 3,697 hours.

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

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

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

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 1970s before this was accomplished.

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-AOHL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to February 1981

British Airways (BA)

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

It continued operating on the 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 (BA) 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 BA 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 Scottish Airways Division officially became part of British Airways (BA) Regional Division.

2 April 1980
Operated its last service for British Airways (BA) from Birmingham International Airport, Elmdon, West Midlands, England to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales and withdrawn from service and stored.

11 April 1980
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

February 1981
Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF).

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount G-AOHL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

February 1981 to April 1990

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

February 1981
Purchased from British Airways (BA).

6 February 1981
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England on a one-off permit to fly and robbed of all useful spares.

All the instruments were removed and replaced with life sized photos. The aircraft was then moved to the British Air Ferries (BAF) training school area.

27 March 1981
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from service.

25 April 1981
Noted in ex British Airways (BA) livery minus engines and with 'BAF Cabin Service Trainer' titles.

29 August 1981
Noted mounted on a newly constructed brick plinth ready to be used for training cabin staff.

circa 1 April 1990
Transferred to the Southend Airport fire service.


Photo of Southend Airport Fire Service Viscount G-AOHL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1990 to May 2004

Southend Airport Fire Service

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa 1 April 1990
Transferred from British Air Ferries (BAF) after they finished using it as a cabin services trainer.

It was then used for non-destructive training

Volunteers from the Brooklands Museum removed the port rear cabin door which were needed to help restore G-APIM (C/N 412).
Rear cabin door removal

early May 2004
Useful parts were removed by volunteers from the Brooklands Museum which were needed to help restore G-APIM (C/N 412). This included the port rear cabin door.

Several trips were made to transport the parts on a trailer. The Airport Authority gave them permission to remove the parts before the remains were sold as scrap.

13 May 2004
Fuselage sold by the Southend Airport Authority to Hanningfield Metals who chopped it into sections and moved it to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England.


Photo of Hanningfield Metals Viscount G-AOHL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 2004 to September 2010

Hanningfield Metals

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

13 May 2004
Fuselage dismantled into sections by Hanningfield Metals and moved to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England.

Forward fuselage section saved and kept in the Hanningfield Metals yard.

October 2006
Forward fuselage section offered for sale on eBay with a starting bid of £500.

circa September 2010
Forward fuselage section sold to the Mayhem Paintball Centre. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Mayhem Paintball Centre Viscount G-AOHL

Country of Registration United Kingdom

September 2010 to

Mayhem Paintball Centre

G-AOHL - c/n 161 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa September 2010
Forward fuselage section purchased from Hanningfield Metals. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

It was then moved to their paintball centre at Abridge, Essex, England RM4 1AA, which is close to Stapleford Airfield.

April 2012
Forward fuselage section noted painted in olive drab. Further back from it is a rear fuselage section from Fokker F27 Friendship 3C-QSB.

9 November 2019
Noted with the olive drab paint now eroded off. The rear fuselage section from Fokker F27 Friendship 3C-QSB is still in position behind.


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.