19 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 180

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 180
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-VII

It first flew on Friday, 22 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
Aer Lingus


Photo of Viscount c/n 180
Ballyboughal Airfield Group


Ireland flag Ireland

Its final owner/operator was
Ballyboughal Airfield Group as EI-AOH.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Aer Lingus and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland November 1970. Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use 3 January 1972.

Broken up for scrap except for the forward fuselage section which was saved for preservation June 1973. Forward fuselage section donated to the Irish Aviation Museum and displayed at Shannon Airport, County Clare, Ireland in September 1974.

Transferred for display inside the terminal building at Dublin Airport, Ireland circa 1976.

Transferred for display inside Castlemoate House, near Dublin Airport, Ireland due to terminal building development work at Dublin Airport circa 1985. By this stage the lower section of the fuselage had been cut away. Noted in existence at Castlemoat House in October 1997.

Reported in Wrecks & Relics book 24th Edition as preserved privately in the Dublin area in October 2013.

Transferred back to Aer Lingus from an unknown location circa April 2017.

Noted stored inside Aer Lingus Engineering Hangar 6 at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland with the lower fuselage cut away and in poor internal condition.

Noted in a garden adjacent to Ballyboughal Airfield, County Dublin, Ireland circa December 2017. It is now located at the Airfield mounted on a large six-wheeled trailer and utilised as a temporary office / rest area during flying days. There are plans to eventually restore the interior.


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

Country of Registration Netherlands

December 1957 to May 1966

Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM)

PH-VII - c/n 180 - 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 9th and final aircraft for KLM.

Production Aircraft No. 40 - the 40th production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 11th 800 series Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 40th 800 series Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F09/803. Sales Order No. F09/83B. Stock Order No. F31/26B.

13 March 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

26 June 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

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

17 December 1957
Local test flight from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England with Captain W D Jarvis and John W Charles Judge which lasted for 50 minutes.

They were checking vibration levels.

21 December 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England during the test flight period.

23 December 1957
Registered to Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM).

23 December 1957
Delivered to Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (KLM) named as 'Daidalos' (Daedalus) with a 53 seat cabin.

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

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

7 December 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

25 January 1960
Noted at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

6 February 1960
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

David Carter illustration of KLM Viscount PH-VII

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


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.

Painted in the KLM 'horizontal striped tail' livery.
KLM
'horizontal striped tail' livery

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

1 May 1966
Sold to Aer Lingus.


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

Country of Registration Ireland

May 1966 to September 1974

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AOH - c/n 180 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

1 May 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).

At this time the KLM cabin interior was retained, but later replaced.

5 May 1966
Dutch registration cancelled.

31 May 1966
Noted outside at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland, now fully repainted in Aer Lingus livery.

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

It was now named as 'St Fiacre' / 'St Fiachra' who was born in Ireland at the end of the 6th century

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

Total time 22,766 hours.

3 January 1972
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

June 1973
Broken up for scrap by Walls metal salvage except for the forward fuselage section which was saved for preservation.

September 1974
Foreward fuselage section donated to the Irish Aviation Museum.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Irish Aviation Museum Viscount EI-AOH

Country of Registration Ireland

December 1974 to April 2017

Irish Aviation Museum

EI-AOH - c/n 180 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

September 1974
Forward fuselage section donated by Aer Lingus to the Irish Aviation Museum and displayed at Shannon Airport, County Clare, Ireland and still named as 'St Fiacre' / 'St Fiachra'.

Displayed inside the terminal building at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.
Displayed inside the terminal building at Dublin Airport, Ireland

circa 1976
The forward fuselage section was transferred for display inside the terminal building at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Displayed at Castlemoat House, near Collinstown Airport, Dublin Ireland.
Displayed at Castlemoat House, near Dublin Airport, Ireland

circa 1985
The forward fuselage section was transferred for display inside Castlemoate House, near Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland due to terminal building development work.

The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

By this stage the lower section of the fuselage had been cut away.

October 1997
Last noted in existence at Castlemoate House.

October 2013
Reported in Wrecks & Relics book 24th Edition as preserved privately in the Dublin area.

circa April 2017
Transferred back to Aer Lingus from an unknown location.


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

Country of Registration Ireland

April 2017 to December 2017

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AOH - c/n 180 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

circa April 2017
Transferred from an unknown location back to Aer Lingus still named as 'St Fiacre' / 'St Fiachra'.

Noted stored inside Aer Lingus Engineering Hangar 6 at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

circa December 2017
Transferred to Ballyboughal Airfield Group.


Photo of Ballyboughal Airfield Group Viscount EI-AOH

Country of Registration Ireland

December 2017 to

Ballyboughal Airfield Group

EI-AOH - c/n 180 - a V.803 series Viscount
Ireland registered

circa December 2017
Transferred from Aer Lingus to this small grass airfield in County Dublin, Ireland still named as 'St Fiacre' / 'St Fiachra'.

Aer Lingus were considering restoring it but finally decided not to proceed.

Initially it was parked on the ground in the garden of the owner of Ballyboughal Airfield.

24 June 2018
Noted on Google Earth, parked outside at the Airfield.

9 March 2019
Noted parked under cover at the Airfield.

It is mounted on a large six-wheeled trailer and brought outside and utilised as a temporary office / rest area during flying days.

There are plans to eventually restore the interior.


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.