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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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 166

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 166
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Wednesday, 22 May 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) and 1092 Squadron ATC

Photo of Viscount c/n 166
RAF St Athan


Wales flag Wales

Its final owner/operator was
RAF St Athan as G-AOHR.

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Withdrawn from service and stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales in August 1975.

Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use 1 October 1975.

Broken up for scrap but the forward fuselage section was donated to 1092 Squadron ATC at TAVR Centre, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales (on A473 road) June 1976.

Forward fuselage section put up for disposal as the ATC unit was moving to a new location 1 November 1993.

Forward fuselage section noted on the dump at RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales 1 November 1995. Presumed subsequently scrapped.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1957 to July 1973

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHR - c/n 166 - 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 17th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 18 - the 18th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 17th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 18th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F17/802. Sales Order No. F17/63B. Stock Order No. F17/26B.

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

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

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

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

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

4 June 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir Richard Burton'.

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

A new BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery was adopted circa 1959.
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 3,486 hours.

Painted with BEA ‘Channel Islands‘ titles.
‘Channel Islands‘ titles added

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

26 October 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.

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

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

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

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. G-AOHR was repainted circa 1972.

18 November 1968
Total time 25,376:48 hours and 18,758 total landings.

26 February 1969
Total time 25,827:45 hours and 19,211 total landings.

circa 1971
'Channel Islands' titles were added to the BEA livery.

Painted in the BEA ‘Flying Union Jack‘ livery with ‘Channel Islands‘ titles.
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-AOHR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to June 1976

British Airways (BA)

G-AOHR - c/n 166 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

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

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 it’s 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.

Painted in the new British Airways (BA) livery.
British Airways (BA)
‘New‘ livery

circa 1974
Painted in the new British Airways (BA) livery.

August 1975
Withdrawn from service and stored at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales.

1 October 1975
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

June 1976
Broken up for scrap but the forward fuselage section was donated to 1092 Squadron ATC at TAVR Centre, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales (on A473 road).

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of 1092 Squadron ATC Viscount G-AOHR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1976 to November 1993

1092 Squadron ATC

G-AOHR - c/n 166 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

June 1976
Forward fuselage section donated by British Airways (BA) to 1092 Squadron ATC at TAVR Centre, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales (on A473 road).

1 November 1993
Forward fuselage section put up for disposal as 1092 Squadron ATC were moving to a new location.

Mid 1990s
Forward fuselage section moved to RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.


Photo of RAF St Athan Viscount G-AOHR

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1993 to

RAF St Athan

G-AOHR - c/n 166 - a V.802 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 November 1993
Forward fuselage section put up for disposal by the 1092 Squadron ATC as they were moving to a new location.

1 November 1995
Forward fuselage section noted on the dump at RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.

When did it arrive and what happened to it? 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.