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.

Viscount history

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 165

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 165
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

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

Photo of Viscount c/n 165
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-AOHP.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in a field near Ballerup, Denmark while on a cargo flight to Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen carrying mail, freight and newspapers from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England 17 November 1957.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1957 to November 1957

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHP - c/n 165 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

This was the 16th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 16 - the 16th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 16th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 16th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F16/802. Sales Order No. F16/63B. Stock Order No. F16/26B.

10 November 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

December 1956 - January 1957
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

8 January 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

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

17 May 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A James Weddel'.

21 May 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport weather diversion.

Damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in a field near Ballerup, Denmark.
Forced landed in a field near Ballerup, Denmark

17 November 1957
Damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in a field near Ballerup, Denmark while on a cargo flight to Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen, Denmark carrying mail, freight and newspapers from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

Total time 989 hours and 600 total landings.

After departing from London Airport the aircraft climbed to FL210 (21,000 feet) and continued to Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen. At 03:27 the crew were cleared to descend to 7,000 feet and later to 3,500 feet. At 4,000 feet the aircraft descended through a layer of stratus clouds, so the propeller anti-icing was switched on. At 03:46 the aircraft was requested to hold at the 'Bella' beacon to wait for another aircraft to land. At 03:51 Copenhagen Control told the crew that they could expect further clearance in 3 minutes. Initial approach drills were completed and the undercarriage was lowered and after 3 minutes the Captain started to make a procedure turn to the Northwest in order to join the ILS to land.

At 03:57 the aircraft was on the right-hand procedure turn when the Captain switched on the airframe anti-icing system. Immediately the left current flow warning light and the central warning light came on, and the aircraft swung to port. The No.1 engine rpm and jet pipe temperature were falling so a fire drill was carried out on that engine. The aircraft was straightened up and the No.2, 3 and 4 engines were set to full power.

The aircraft now started to lose height rapidly so the Captain retracted the undercarriage and flaps. Turning to the right to intercept the ILS caused the aircraft to enter a 45 degree bank turn at 135 knots and a high rate of descent. At this point the crew noticed that the Nos. 3 and 4 engines had also failed. The props were feathered as the aircraft descended at a rate of 600 feet/min. An emergency gear and flaps-up landing was carried out at 04:03, 14 miles northwest of Kastrup Airport. Captain R I McLennan and First Officer M E Crossbell both escaped without any injuries.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The cause of the engine failures, which brought about the accident, lay in the accumulation of ice on the air intake cowlings which, because of the malfunctioning of the electrical anti-icing system, was allowed to build up before being dislodged. The passage of lumps of ice through the engines caused partial flameout, which produced a sufficient loss of power to initiate the auto-feathering and thus to stop the engines.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



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.