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.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

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records and photos

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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 240

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 240
BOAC Associated Companies Ltd


England flag England

This V.754D series Viscount was built for
BOAC Associated Companies Ltd as OD-ACU

It first flew on Thursday, 29 August 1957 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Middle East Airlines (MEA), Jersey Airlines, Jordan Airways, Middle East Airlines (MEA) / Air Liban, Air Rhodesia, Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd and Swazi Air

Photo of Viscount c/n 240
Air Zimbabwe


Zimbabwe flag Zimbabwe

Its final owner/operator was
Air Zimbabwe as VP-WAR.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Air Zimbabwe and stored at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe 30 November 1983. Broken up for scrap in August 1986.


Operational record
Photo of BOAC Associated Companies Ltd Viscount OD-ACU

Country of Registration Lebanon

September 1957 to September 1957

BOAC Associated Companies Ltd

OD-ACU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

circa June 1955
This was the 2nd Type 754 ordered by BOAC Associated Companies Ltd for use by Middle East Airlines (MEA).

Production Aircraft No. 215 - the 215th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 167th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 170th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F02/754. Sales Order No. F02/97B. Stock Order No. F33/32B.

8 March 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn

4 May 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

29 August 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

7 September 1957
Delivered to BOAC Associated Companies Ltd.

9 September 1957
Leased to Middle East Airlines (MEA).


Photo of Middle East Airlines (MEA) Viscount OD-ACU

Country of Registration Lebanon

September 1957 to July 1961

Middle East Airlines (MEA)

OD-ACU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

9 September 1957
Leased from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd.

The company name at that time was: - Associated British Airlines (Middle East) Limited.

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

1 July 1961
Sub-leased to Jersey Airlines.


Photo of Jersey Airlines Viscount OD-ACU

Country of Registration Lebanon

July 1961 to August 6161

Jersey Airlines

OD-ACU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

1 July 1961
Sub-leased from Middle East Airlines (MEA) while on lease from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd, in full MEA livery.

This lease was required as they had not yet received their new Handley Page Dart Herald.

1 July 1961
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from Rome, Italy.

31 July 1961
Operated the final three services to Jersey Channel Islands from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1 August 1961
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on the return to Middle East Airlines (MEA).


Photo of Middle East Airlines (MEA) Viscount OD-ACU

Country of Registration Lebanon

August 1961 to September 1961

Middle East Airlines (MEA)

OD-ACU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

1 August 1961
Returned from Jersey Airlines sub-lease.

1 August 1961
Purchased from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd.

30 September 1961
Leased to Jordan Aiways.


Photo of Jordan Airways Viscount JY-ACI

Country of Registration Jordan

September 1961 to January 1964

Jordan Airways

JY-ACI - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Jordan registered

30 September 1961
Leased from Middle East Airlines (MEA).

January 1964
Returned to Middle East Airlines (MEA) / Air Liban.


Photo of Middle East Airlines (MEA) / Air Liban Viscount OD-ACU

Country of Registration Lebanon

January 1964 to September 1968

Middle East Airlines (MEA) / Air Liban

OD-ACU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

January 1964
Returned from Jordan Airways lease.

Note the new name after the merger with Air Liban.

19 September 1968
Sold to Air Rhodesia.


Photo of Air Rhodesia Viscount VP-WAR

Country of Registration Rhodesia

September 1968 to December 1975

Air Rhodesia

VP-WAR - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

19 September 1968
Purchased from Middle East Airlines (MEA) / Air Liban.

24 October 1968
Entered the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility at Salisbury for a Check 2 inspection.

11 November 1968
Returned to service.

4 September 1969
Entered the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility at Salisbury for a Check 2 inspection.

12 September 1969
Returned to service.

2 February 1970
Entered the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility at Salisbury for a Check 4 major inspection.

27 February 1970
Returned to service after two test flights, flown by Ted Kruger.

28 April 1970
Total time 24,105:41 hours.

17 August 1970
Entered the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility at Salisbury for a Check 2 inspection.

21 August 1970
Returned to service.

3 February 1971
Entered the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility at Salisbury for a Check 3 inspection.

12 February 1971
Returned to service. Total time 25,551:54 hours.

20 March 1972
Total time 27,721:00 hours.

circa June 1975
Noted repainted in the later 'Calair' livery and now named as 'Umzingwani', a river south of Bulawayo.

15 December 1975
Transferred to Aviation Hire & Travel Ltd (AT).


Photo of Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT) Viscount ZS-JPU

Country of Registration South Africa

December 1975 to January 1976

Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT)

ZS-JPU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
South Africa registered

15 December 1975
Transferred from Air Rhodesia.

January 1976
Leased to Swazi Air.


Photo of Swazi Air Viscount ZS-JPU

Country of Registration South Africa

January 1976 to April 1976

Swazi Air

ZS-JPU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
South Africa registered

January 1976
Leased from Aviation Hire & Travel Ltd (AT).

8 February 1976
Seen in service, but still in full AT livery.

1 April 1976
Re-registered 3D-AAL.


Photo of Swazi Air Viscount 3D-AAL

Country of Registration Swaziland

April 1976 to March 1979

Swazi Air

3D-AAL - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Swaziland registered

1 April 1976
Re-registered from ZS-JPU.

Swazi Air titles were then applied to a basic AT green and white livery.

31 March 1979
Returned to Aviation Hire & Travel Ltd (AT).


Photo of Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT) Viscount ZS-JPU

Country of Registration South Africa

March 1979 to August 1981

Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT)

ZS-JPU - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
South Africa registered

31 March 1979
Returned from Swazi Air lease.

29 March 1980
Noted at Salisbury International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe Rhodesia operating Air Rhodesia service RH839 to Kumalo Airport, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

September 1980
Noted at Salisbury International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe now repainted in a basic Air Zimbabwe livery with a white tail.

13 August 1981
Registration cancelled as aircraft exported to Zimbabwe.

14 August 1981
Returned to Air Zimbabwe.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount VP-WAR

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

August 1981 to August 1986

Air Zimbabwe

VP-WAR - c/n 240 - a V.754D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

14 August 1981
Returned from Aviation Hire & Travel Ltd.

Registration Z-WAR was not taken up.

Broken up for scrap in August 1986.
Broken up for scrap
at Harare, Zimbabwe

30 November 1983
Withdrawn from service and stored at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe.

Total time 39,985 hours and 29,606 landings.

August 1986
Broken up for scrap.


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.