25 April 2024
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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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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 179

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 179
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM)


Netherlands flag Netherlands

This V.803 series Viscount was built for
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) as PH-VIH

It first flew on Friday, 1 November 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 Air Ferries (BAF)


Photo of Viscount c/n 179
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines


Ireland flag Ireland

Its final owner/operator was
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines as EI-AOI.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland 30 September 1971 after the short BAF dry lease period. A proposed sale to Air Viet Nam was not completed. It was broken up for scrap circa June 1973. Does anyone know the date it was scrapped? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Operational record
Photo of Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) Viscount PH-VIH

Country of Registration Netherlands

November 1957 to June 1966

Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM)

PH-VIH - c/n 179 - a V.803 series Viscount
Netherlands registered

June 1955
An order for nine Type 803 was placed by Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM).

This was the 8th aircraft for KLM.

Production Aircraft No. 38 - the 38th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 9th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 38th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F08/803. Sales Order No. F08/83B. Stock Order No. F30/26B.

11 February 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

31 May 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

1 November 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

Registration certificate 414 issued.

18 November 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England during the test flight period.

23 November 1957
Delivered to Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) named as 'Wright Brothers' with a 53 seat mixed-class cabin.

The original livery had ‘The Flying Dutchman’ titles on the port side and ‘De Vliegende Hollander’ titles on the starboard side.

After delivery it was renamed as 'Alberto Santos Dumont' (without the hyphen).

16 January 1958
This was the first KLM Viscount to visit Speke Airport, Liverpool, England.

The cabin seating was later increased to 59/64 all-tourist class configuration.

15/16 November 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport weather diversion.

Painted in the new KLM 'diagonal striped tail' livery.
KLM
'diagonal striped tail' livery

circa 1960
Painted in the new KLM 'diagonal striped tail' livery with ‘KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines’ titles.

Did this happen during the previous livery change?

circa 1965
Painted in the new KLM 'horizontal striped tail' livery.

13 June 1966
Dutch registration cancelled.

13 June 1966
Sold to Aer Lingus.


Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AOI

Country of Registration Ireland

June 1966 to March 1971

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AOI - c/n 179 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

13 June 1966
Purchased from Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) .

It was ferried to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland for a repaint in Aer Lingus livery by Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL).

16 June 1966
Registered to Aer Lingus.

8 July 1966
Noted outside at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland now fully repainted in Aer Lingus livery and named as 'St Fergal' / 'St Fearghal'.

It departed on delivery the same day.

Interesting that this aircraft and EI-AOH (C/N 180) didn't have the weather radar system installed, unlike EI-AOG (C/N 172) which went to SAL at the same time.

10 November 1968
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.

29 October 1970
Withdrawn from service and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

28 March 1971
Test flown at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland after a repaint, prior to going on lease to British Air Ferries (BAF).

31 March 1971
Leased to British Air Ferries (BAF) in a blue and white livery for the summer season.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount EI-AOI

Country of Registration Ireland

March 1971 to September 1971

British Air Ferries (BAF)

EI-AOI - c/n 179 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

31 March 1971
Leased from Aer Lingus and ferried from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England in a unique BAF livery.

Surprising that it was repainted in a BAF livery for only a six month lease period, so perhaps it was meant to be a lot longer.

As this was an Irish registered aircraft it was operated with Aer Lingus flight crews and BAF cabin crews.

It was used for the short services from Southend to Middelkerke Airport, Ostend, Belgium and Le Touquet Airport, France.

30 September 1971
Returned to Aer Lingus.


Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AOI

Country of Registration Ireland

September 1971 to June 1973

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AOI - c/n 179 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

30 September 1971
Returned from British Air Ferries (BAF) lease and immediately withdrawn from service and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

A proposed sale to Air Viet Nam was not completed.

16 October 1971
Registration cancelled as the aircraft was permanently withdrawn from use

circa June 1973
Broken up for scrap after the removal of all useful parts, particularly the valuable Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

Does anyone know the date it was scrapped? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



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.