
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.
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
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