26 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 169

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 169
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Friday, 28 June 1957 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 169
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

Its fate:-
After touchdown in fog at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on a service from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland 7 January 1960, the nose undercarriage leg collapsed. The plane skidded 500 yards down the runway before coming to rest. A fire erupted in the nose section and almost destroyed the whole aircraft. The cause was put down to Air Traffic Control not informing the Captain of a critical deterioration in runway visiblility resulting in a heavy landing, nosewheel first, which overstressed the nose gear fracturing its attachments. Broken up for scrap circa March 1960.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1957 to March 1960

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-AOHU - c/n 169 - 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 20th Type 802 ordered by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

Production Aircraft No. 23 - the 23rd production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 20th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 23rd 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F20/802. Sales Order No. F20/63B. Stock Order No. F20/26B.

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

20 December 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

14 February 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

28 June 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

11 July 1957
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Sir George Strong Nares'.

3 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.

This aircraft was written off before it was repainted.

After touchdown in fog at London Airport after flying from Dublin, Ireland the nose undercarriage failed and a fire erupted in the nose undercarriage bay which almost destroyed the whole aircraft.
Destroyed by fire after the nose gear failed at Heathrow, London, England

7 January 1960
After touchdown in fog at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on a service from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland the nose undercarriage leg collapsed.

The aircraft skidded 500 yards down the runway before coming to rest.

A fire erupted in the nose undercarriage bay. After evacuation of the passengers the flight crew used their on-board extinguishers to try and put out the fire which was being fuelled by hydraulic oil but it eventually burnt through the floor and into the cabin.

The airport fire service were delayed in reaching the aircraft because of the thick fog and by the time they arrived the cabin roof had started to burn through.

Duty free drinks in the cabin no doubt added to the blaze.

There were no serious injuries reported to the 54 passengers and 5 crew on board.

The cause was put down to Air Traffic Control not informing the Captain of a critical deterioration in runway visiblility (RVR) resulting in a heavy landing, nosewheel first, which overstressed the nose undercarriage and fracturing its attachments. A modification was later introduced to strengthen these attachment points.

circa February 1960
After settlement of the insurance claim the aircraft was robbed of all useful spares and the Rolls-Royce Dart engines were given to the BEA Apprentice School where they were made into cutaway display engines.

circa March 1960
Remains broken up for scrap.

Total time 5,299 hours and 3,457 total landings.

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.


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.