September 1957 to July 1960
Transair (UK) Ltd
G-AOXU - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
24 June 1955
This was the first of two Type 804 series Viscounts ordered by Transair (UK) Ltd. The second was G-AOXV (C/N 249).
This order represented the third purchase of Viscounts by a British independent airline and had brought the total number of these aircraft sold worldwide to 229.
Transair was also the third company to select the extended fuselage 800 series Viscount; BEA - British European Airways who had inspired the development of this version, had ordered 22 Type 802s and KLM had recently announced a purchase of nine Type 803s. Seating capacity of the 800 series varied from 53 (first-class) to 70 (tourist) according to the operator's requirements.
 Flight Magazine report - 1 July 1955
Production Aircraft No. 31 - the 31st production 800 series Viscount built,
was the 22nd V.800 Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, England,
and the 31st V.800 Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
Production Order No. F01/804. Sales Order No. F01/84B. Stock Order No. F06/33B.
21 January 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
March 1957
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.
Erecting Shop 'E' at
Weybridge Airfield, Surrey, England
8 March 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
31 August 1957
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
7 September 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.
17 September 1957
Delivered to Transair Ltd fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.
10 February 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.
May 1958
Operated services from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to and from Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France on behalf of Air France as their own Viscounts were grounded having their wing spars replaced.
30 May 1958
Arrived at the new Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.
2 December 1959
Noted arriving at Speke Airport, Liverpool, England from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.
28 March 1960
During a service from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Côte d'Azur Airport, Nice, France at a cruise level of 21,000 feet some of the electrically driven flight instruments were intentionally switched off by the flight crew for some reason.
The standby system failed to operate and the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path and attitude resulting in structural damage to the mainplanes and attachment fittings.
Thankfully the crew regained control of the aircraft and it landed safely.
There were no reports of serious injuries to the 59 passengers and 6 crew on board.
Repaired and returned to service.
1 July 1960
Transferred to British United Airways (BUA) due to a corporate merger.
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July 1960 to November 1962
British United Airways (BUA)
G-AOXU - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
1 July 1960
Transferred from Transair (UK) Ltd due to a corporate merger.
1 July 1960
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on the first day of BUA service.
18 December 1960
After landing on runway 24 at Lohausen Airport, Düsseldorf, West Germany on a freight service the aircraft overran the end of the runway by appoximately 140 yards.
This resulted in damage to the nose undercarriage and curl damage to all four propellers and shockload damage to the four Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.
The weather was reported as 6 knot winds, visibility 2,800 metres with mist, 8/8 cloud at 300 feet and a temperature of minus 2 degrees C.
The runway had been visually inspected for signs of ice 20 minutes before the aircraft landed.
Subsequent examination of the aircraft found no fault with the braking system.
There were no reported injuries to the 2 crew and 3 supernumery on board.
Repaired and returned to service.
Radar fitted.
circa 1961
Weather radar system fitted.
11 November 1962
Sold to Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT).
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November 1962 to December 1966
Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT)
SP-LVC - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
Poland registered
11 November 1962
Purchased from British United Airways (BUA).
15 November 1962
UK registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.
8 December 1962
Rolled out at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England in full Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) livery and departed on a local air-test.
21 December 1962
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on an acceptance air-test and returned.
23 December 1962
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on delivery to Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) at Warsaw, Poland.
Viscount illustrations by David Carter
10 February 1963
First noted at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England in service with LOT.
1 December 1966
Sold to New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC).
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December 1966 to July 1975
New Zealand National Airways Corp (NAC)
ZK-NAI - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
New Zealand registered
Delivered in an ex
LOT - Polskie Linie Lotnicze livery
1 December 1966
Purchased from Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT).
13 December 1966
Registered to New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) and named as 'City of Palmerston North'.
20 January 1967
Noted at Heathrow Airport, London, England carrying out air test flights after an overhaul with British European Airways (BEA).
25 January 1967
Departed from Heathrow Airport, London, England on delivery to New Zealand flown by Captains J Nevill-Jackson, R F Hoyle and W T Eiby together with Engineer H Clarkson.
It was still in the basic LOT livery minus titles
4 February 1967
Noted at Kingsford Smith Airport, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on its way to New Zealand.
6 February 1967
Arrived at Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand for conversion to V.807B standard and a repaint by NAC Engineering.
It was repainted in the original NAC livery, even though a new livery had already been adopted.
5 June 1967
Entered NAC service, just in time to help with the increased weekend traffic related to the Queen's Birthday celebrations.
New Zealand National
Airways Corporation (NAC)
final Viscount livery
circa 1968
Painted in the final New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) Viscount livery.
1 July 1975
Sold to Pearl Air.
FURTHER READING
The Illustrated history of New Zealand National Airways Corporation
by Richard Waugh, Peter Layne and Graeme McConnell
The Illustrated history of New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947 - 1978
The delivery of New Zealand’s first Viscount by Peter Layne
The delivery of New Zealand’s first Viscount
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July 1975 to May 1978
Pearl Air
VQ-GAB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
Grenada registered
1 July 1975
Purchased from New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) and registered in Grenada.
5 July 1975
Departed from Harewood Airport, Christchurch, New Zealand on delivery to Pearl Air still in the basic New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) red and white livery with Pearl Air titles and tail logo.
The journey to the Northern Hemisphere took it via Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand.
5 July 1975
New Zealand registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.
The first operations were conducted out of Mombasa, Kenya.
It operated ad-hoc charters around Africa and some Island destinations such as Mauritius and the remote Dzaoudzi Island, which is part of the Mayotte Islands.
26 July 1975
Seen at Beek Airport, Maastricht, Netherlands.
14 August 1975
Seen at Zestienhoven Airport, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
It operated ad-hoc charters around Europe.
26 September 1975
Departed Rhein-Main Airport, Frankfurt, West Germany on its way to the Caribbean.
It was finally noted in Grenada, where it was previously officially registered.
January 1976
Chartered clandestinely by the CIA to deliver supplies to UNITA force in Angola.
February 1976
Departed Huambo Airport, Angola to Lusaka Airport, Zambia, in a combi configuration, where it was impounded by the Zambian Authorities.
May 1976
Noted at Moi Airport, Mombasa. Kenya operating a freight service to Italy.
2 June 1976
Noted at Lohausen Airport, Düsseldorf, West Germany.
June 1976
Noted at Albenga Airport, Italy operating contract freight flights to Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa.
12 May 1978
Sold to Southern International Air Transport Ltd.
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May 1978 to January 1979
Southern International Air Transport Ltd
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
12 May 1978
Purchased from Pearl Air and registered.
Their registered address was: - 20 Springfield Road, Crawley, West Sussex.
15 May 1978
Arrived at Eastleigh Airport, Southampton, Hampshire, England from Albenga Airport, Italy, still in full Pearl Air livery.
6 August 1978
Entered service in full Southern International Air Transport Ltd livery.
January 1979
Leased to Dan-Air London.
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January 1979 to March 1980
Dan-Air London
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
January 1979
Leased from Southern International Air Transport Ltd initially in full Southern International Air Transport livery.
10 January 1979
Noted operating the Dan-Air London Ferryfield Airport, Lydd, Kent, England to Beauvais Airport, France service. Coaches transferred the passengers to Paris.
24 January 1979
Noted operating the Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, England to Woolsington Airport, Newcastle, England service.
May 1979
Noted now repainted in full Dan-Air London livery.
November 1979
Noted operating oil rig support flights from Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh, Dyce Airport, Aberdeen and Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands, all in Scotland.
January 1980
Ran off the runway at Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, England due to heavy snow and ferried on three engines to Eastleigh Airport, Southampton, Hampshire, England for repairs.
March 1980
Returned to Southern International Air Transport Ltd.
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March 1980 to May 1980
Southern International Air Transport Ltd
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
March 1980
Returned from Dan-Air London lease and operated in Dan Air London livery with no titles.
May 1980
Sold to Philstone International Ltd.
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May 1980 to November 1983
Philstone International Ltd
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
May 1980
Purchased from Southern International Air Transport Ltd and stored at Eastleigh Airport, Southampton, Hampshire, England.
September 1980
Noted painted up in Royal American Airways (RA) livery less titles.
4 January 1981
Ferried to Stansted Airport, Essex, England for a proposed sale to Royal American Airways (RA).
The proposed sale to Royal American Airways (RA) was not completed and the aircraft was stored outside.
28 May 1982
Noted with 'RA' logo on the tail.
15 August 1982
Ferried to Exeter Airport, Devon, England and stored in Royal American (RA) livery less titles and tail logo outside the West Country Aircraft Servicing Ltd facility.
1 November 1983
Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF).
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January 1981 to
Royal American Airways (RA)
N141RA - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United States registered
The aircraft was painted up at Stansted, Essex, England in Royal American Airways (RA) livery but the sale was not completed.
The reserved US registration was not applied to the aircraft and was subsequently cancelled.
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November 1983 to December 1984
British Air Ferries (BAF)
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
1 November 1983
Purchased from Philstone International Ltd.
3 November 1983
Ferried from Stansted Airport, Essex, England to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.
9 December 1984
Sold to Euroair Transport Ltd.
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December 1984 to May 1985
Euroair Transport Ltd
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
9 December 1984
Purchased from British Air Ferries (BAF) and delivered to Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, England.
May 1985
Sold back to British Air Ferries (BAF).
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May 1985 to April 1993
British Air Ferries (BAF)
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
May 1985
Purchased from Euroair Transport Ltd.
It was repainted in full BAF livery and named as 'Viscount Scotland'.
16 July 1985
Noted at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England with all four Rolls-Royce Dart engines removed.
1 August 1985
Noted back in service at Middelkirke Airport, Ostend, Belgium.
British Air Ferries (BAF)
'British' livery
September 1987
Noted repainted in the British Air Ferries (BAF) 'British' livery still named as 'Viscount Scotland'.
British Air Ferries (BAF)
'Final' livery
circa 1990
Painted in the British Air Ferries (BAF) 'Final' livery and now un-named.
1 April 1993
Transferred to British World Airlines (BWA) due to a corporate name change.
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April 1993 to May 2002
British World Airlines (BWA)
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
1 April 1993
Transferred from British Air Ferries (BAF) due to a corporate name change.
Departing Sumburgh,
Shetland Islands, Scotland
21 June 1996
Operated a special enthusiasts charter flight from Dyce Airport, Aberdeen, Scotland.
29 June 1996
Operated the final passenger contract service from Dyce Airport, Aberdeen, Scotland to Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands, Scotland for Shell Exploration and Production.
On arrival at Sumburgh Captain Peter Meldrum elected to beat up the airfield before landing in marginal 400 foot cloudbase weather.
31 July 1996
Ferried from Dyce Airport, Aberdeen, Scotland to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England at the conclusion of the Shell Exploration and Production contract.
After taking off Captain Peter Meldrum carried out a low pass along Aberdeen's runway 34 before heading south to its home base.
Converted to cargo confuration and contracted to Parcelforce, still in full BWA livery.
14 October 1996
Final service from Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh, Scotland to Baginton Airport, Coventry, Warwickshire, England for Parcelforce.
15 October 1996
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and withdrawn from service and stored.
Total time 46,220 hours and 40,643 total landings.
24 January 1997
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.
19 August 1998
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.
October 1998
Broken up for scrap except for the nose section which was retained for preservation.
Some parts were sent to the Moorabbin Air Museum in Australia to help restore Viscount VH-TVR (C/N 318).
9 May 2002
Nose section noted stored in the yard of J A Renton & Sons Haulage at Coalville, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.
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May 2002 to June 2003
J A Renton & Sons
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
9 May 2002
Forward fuselage section noted stored in the haulage yard of J A Renton & Sons at 1 Ashby Road, Thringston, Coalville, near Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.
Forward fuselage section moved to the grounds of the 'Fox Inn' public house in Thringstone, near Whitwick, Leicestershire, England and noted being used as a children's plaything. The move was due to the Renton yard being cleared out which took approximately two months. The actual dates are not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
2003
Offered for sale for £500.00.
circa June 2003
Forward fuselage section sold to Colin Jacobs.
The actual date is not yet known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
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June 2003 to August 2003
Colin Jacobs
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
circa June 2003
Forward fuselage section purchased from J A Renton & Sons. The actual date is not yet known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
circa August 2003
Forward fuselage section loaned to the East Midlands Aeropark aircraft display at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.
The actual date is not yet known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
At the time Colin was a member of the East Midlands Airport Volunteers Association.
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August 2003 to
East Midlands Aeropark
G-CSZB - c/n 248 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered
circa August 2003
Forward fuselage section loaned to the Aeropark aircraft display at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.
The actual date is not yet known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
At the time Colin was a member of the East Midlands Airport Volunteers Association.
There is no public access to the interior.
March 2020
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public for a limited period.
15 April 2022
Noted with a fresh coat of paint and still carrying the name 'Viscount Scotland'. The museum is now operating normally
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