12 October 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 244

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 244
BOAC Associated Companies Ltd


England flag England

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

It first flew on Sunday, 24 November 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
Cyprus Airways Ltd


Photo of Viscount c/n 244
Middle East Airlines (MEA)


Lebanon flag Lebanon

Its final owner/operator was
Middle East Airlines (MEA) as OD-ADE.

Its fate:-
Crashed after a mid-air collision with a Turkish Air Force Douglas C47 Skytrain during an approach to land at Esenboğa International Airport, Ankara, Turkey 1 February 1963.


Operational record
Photo of BOAC Associated Companies Ltd Viscount G-APCE

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1955 to December 1957

BOAC Associated Companies Ltd

G-APCE - c/n 244 - a V.754D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa June 1955
This was the 6th Type 754 ordered by BOAC Associated Companies Ltd for use by Middle East Airlines (MEA).

Production Aircraft No. 229 - the 229th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 186th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 184th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F06/754. Sales Order No. F06/97B. Stock Order No. F37/32B.

2 April 1957
Registered to Cyprus Airways Ltd instead of Middle East Airlines (MEA) hence the UK registration.

11 June 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

23 July 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

31 October 1957
Registered to Middle East Airlines (MEA) as OD-ADE.

November 1957
Noted at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England ground running the Dart engines still carrying G-APCE and still in full Cyprus Airways livery named 'Buffavento'.


Photo of Cyprus Airways Ltd Viscount G-APCE

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1957 to November 1957

Cyprus Airways Ltd

G-APCE - c/n 244 - a V.754D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 September 1957
The lease contract to Cyprus Airways from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd was cancelled when British European Airways (BEA) took over the London to Cyprus route.

12 December 1957
Leased by BOAC Associated Companies Ltd to Middle East Airlines (MEA).


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

Country of Registration Lebanon

October 1957 to February 1963

Middle East Airlines (MEA)

OD-ADE - c/n 244 - a V.754D series Viscount
Lebanon registered

31 October 1957
Registered to Middle East Airlines (MEA) as OD-ADE.

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

5 November 1957
UK registration cancelled.

24 November 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

12 December 1957
Leased from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd to Middle East Airlines (MEA) in full livery and delivered to Beirut, Lebanon.

1 February 1963
Crashed after a mid-air collision with Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force) Douglas C-47 Skytrain CBK-28 near Ankara, Turkey.

MEA flight 265 was descending on approach to Esenboğa International Airport, Ankara, Turkey and had been cleared to land on runway 03. The last radio call received was when the crew reported being over the Ankara NDB at 8,000 feet, descending for 6,500 feet. The Turkish Air Force Douglas C-47 had just completed an instrument training flight and was returning to nearby Etimesgut Air Base under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions.

The Viscount was flying on a heading of 280° magnetic and at a speed of 155 miles per hour (250 KPH) when it overtook the C-47 which was on a heading of 240° magnetic at a speed of 139 miles per hour (225 KPH) when the collision occurred.

The Viscount had an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan but was cruising under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions as the weather was clear with good visibility.

The lower side of the nose and the starboard wing of the Viscount struck the C-47 between the port side rear door and the tail at an angle of approximately forty degrees from the left rear, and at an angle of approximately five to ten degrees in an upward direction. The port horizontal tailplane on the C47 was cut off by the No.3 (starboard inner) propeller. The Viscount crew did not see the C-47 cruising below them at 7,000ft on their starboard side and the Viscount, having a higher speed easily caught up with the C47.

At the last moment the MEA pilots saw the C-47 and tried to avoid a collision by pulling up, but it was too late.

The starboard side of the Viscount fuselage was torn open causing some of the passengers to be sucked out. Both aircraft crashed into residential areas of Ankara, killing 87 people on the ground and injuring over 100.

All 11 passengers and 3 crew were sadly killed along with the 3 crew on the C-47.

This was the first fatal accident involving an MEA aircraft since the airline was formed in 1946.

Total time 13,187 hours and 5,515 total landings.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.