20 April 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
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.


Share your photos and stories

Live Magazine


Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

Contact us

information@VickersViscount.net



Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE

Membership details


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


This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 346

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 346
South African Airways (SAA)


South Africa flag South Africa

This V.813 series Viscount was built for
South African Airways (SAA) as ZS-CDT

It first flew on Wednesday, 17 September 1958 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 530 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
British Midland Airways (BMA), Air Anglia, British Aerospace PLC (BAe), Dowty Aerospace, Technical Aeroparts, Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School, North East Aircraft Museum (NEAM) and Imperial Air Salvage

Photo of Viscount c/n 346
Brooklands Museum


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Brooklands Museum as G-AZLP.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by British Midland Airways (BMA) and stored at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England on the 2 April 1982. Ferried using a one-off permit to fly, from East Midlands Airport to Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England on the 7 November 1983 and stored in a hangar.

Sold to British Aerospace (BAe) in part-exchange for the new British Midland Airways (BMA) ATP turboprop fleet 7 May 1986. Parts recovery by Dowty Aerospace and Technical Aeroparts during 1986.

Donated to the CAA Fire Training School at the same airport for training and test purposes circa June 1986. Noted as a fuselage only, lying on its belly March 2000.

Transferred to joint ownership between the North East Aircraft Museum (NEAM) and the RAF Millom Aviation and Military Museum on the 25 June 2008. Plans to restore it were eventually abandoned and it was sold to Imperial Air Salvage for scrap metal recovery circa October 2013. The forward fuselage section was donated by Captain Mustafa Azim (retd) to Brooklands Museum in November 2013. Now on display in an 'under construction' condition inside the relocated and refurbished 'Bellman' hangar. This 'Aircraft Facorty' feature opened to the public 14 November 2017. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public 20 March 2020 but has now reopened.


Operational record
Photo of South African Airways (SAA) Viscount ZS-CDT

Country of Registration South Africa

November 1956 to January 1972

South African Airways (SAA)

ZS-CDT - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
South Africa registered

November 1956
Registered to South African Airways (SAA) / Suid Afrikaanse Lugdiens.

17 September 1958
First flight at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

26 October 1958
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to South African Airlines (SAA) named as ‘Blesbok’.

Originally it had SAA titles in Afrikaans on the starboard side and English on the port side but this was later changed to various combinations.

27 October 1958
Arrived at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

28 November 1958
Entered service with SAA.

Painted in the SAA 'orange tail' livery.
SAA – South African Airways
'orange tail' livery

from 1962
Painted in the new SAA 'orange tail' livery which was first introduced on the Boeing 707 in 1960.

January 1969
SAA changed its registration policy and was allocated registration blocks in the ZS-S** range.

Registration ZS-SBT was not taken up as the South African DCA would not allow SAA to change the registrations on its existing Viscount fleet.

This policy was later changed, but came too late for the Viscount fleet as it was nearly time for them to be disposed of.

30 September 1971
Withdrawn from SAA service and stored at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Total time 26,091 hours.

1 January 1972
Sold to British Midland Airways (BMA).


Photo of British Midland Airways (BMA) Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1972 to July 1973

British Midland Airways (BMA)

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

November 1971
BMA Managing Director Michael Bishop discovered that the SAA Viscount fleet was for sale by reading an advertisement in a Flight International weekly magazine during a business trip to Tel Aviv, Israel.

He quickly travelled to Johannesburg with the intention of buying two of the aircraft but was dismayed to find out that SAA were only interested in selling the complete fleet of seven aircraft together with a spares package.

Mike discussed this situation with SAA and made an offer of £98,000 for the aircraft and £37,000 for the spares package.

To his surprise this offer was accepted. He subsequently purchased their Viscount simulator for a further £5,000.

December 1971
Chief Buyer George Morrell, Chief Inspector Tony Topps and Planning Manager Mike Baker travelled out to Johannesburg together with Air Registration Board representative Ray Atwood to finalise things and review the fleet.

4 January 1972
Registered to British Midland Airways (BMA).

Arrived at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.
East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England

6 January 1972
Rolled out at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa with the British registration applied to the basic South African Airways (SAA) livery minus titles and fin logo.

18 January 1972
Departed from Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa on delivery to the UK in company with sister Viscount G-AZLR (C/N 347) (ex SAA ZS-CDU).

Both aircraft stopped at Blantyre, Malawi - Nairobi, Kenya - Khartoum, Sudan - Cairo, Egypt - Benina (Benghazi), Libya - Nice, France en route.

The aircraft was flown by BMA Captain Court.

20 January 1972
Arrived at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.

9 March 1972
Noted in service at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland painted in a modified British Midland Airways (BMA) livery.

9 April 1972
Noted at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England painted in full British Midland Airways (BMA) livery.

16 July 1973
Leased to Air Anglia.


Photo of Air Anglia Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to July 1973

Air Anglia

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

16 July 1973
Leased from British Midland Airways (BMA) and delivered to Norwich Airport, Norfolk, England in full BMA livery.

23 July 1973
Returned to British Midland Airways (BMA).


Photo of British Midland Airways (BMA) Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1973 to May 1986

British Midland Airways (BMA)

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

23 July 1973
Returned from Air Anglia lease.

2 April 1982
Last service from Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.

2 April 1982
Withdrawn from service and stored at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.

3 April 1982
Certificate of Airworthiness expired.

7 November 1983
Ferried using a one-off permit to fly, from East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England to Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England and stored in a hangar.

7 May 1986
Sold to British Aerospace PLC (BAe) in part exchange for the new British Midland Airways (BMA) BAe ATP turboprop fleet.


Photo of British Aerospace PLC (BAe) Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1986 to June 1986

British Aerospace PLC (BAe)

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

7 May 1986
Purchased from British Midland Airways (BMA) in part exchange for the new BMA BAe ATP turboprop fleet. The aircraft remained stored at Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England.

June 1986
Sold to Dowty Aerospace.

Exact date unknown – further details please to
information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Dowty Aerospace Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1986 to June 1986

Dowty Aerospace

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

June 1986
Purchased from British Aerospace PLC (BAe) for Dowty specific spares recovery that included propellers and auxiliary gearboxes. The aircraft remained stored at Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England.

June 1986
Sold to Technical Aeroparts.

Exact dates unknown – further details please to
information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Technical Aeroparts Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1986 to June 1986

Technical Aeroparts

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

June 1986
Purchased from Dowty Aerospace for general spares recovery. The aircraft remained stored at Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England.

circa June 1986
Donated to the Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School which was located at the same airport.


Photo of Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1986 to June 2008

Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa June 1986
Donated by Technical Aeroparts for use as a training aircraft and for non-destructive trials of smoke hoods, emergency lighting and low visibility evacuation.

19 December 1986
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

March 2000
Noted as a fuselage only, lying on its belly.

March 2002
Fuselage noted painted in grey. Date of re-painting unknown.

25 June 2008
Transferred to joint ownership between the North East Aircraft Museum (NEAM) and the RAF Millom Aviation and Military Museum.


Photo of North East Aircraft Museum (NEAM) Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 2008 to October 2013

North East Aircraft Museum (NEAM)

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

25 June 2008
Fuselage transferred from the CAA Fire School, Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England as a joint venture between the North East Aircraft Museum, Wearside, Sunderland, England and the RAF Millom Aviation and Military Museum, Cumbria, England.

Cockpit taken in August 2010.
Cockpit in August 2010

G-AZLP was expected to be extensively renovated and then moved to RAF Millom in Cumbria for final display in their museum. Sadly, the project was eventually abandoned.

circa October 2013
Remains sold to Imperial Air Salvage for scrap metal recovery.


Photo of Imperial Air Salvage Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

October 2013 to November 2013

Imperial Air Salvage

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa October 2013
Remains purchased by Imperial Air Salvage for scrap metal recovery. The owner, Captain Mustafa Azim (retd) decided that the forward fuselage section was worth saving and donated it to the Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

13 November 2013
Forward fuselage section departed from the North East Aviation Museum (NEAM) on its way to the Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It was transported by Dave Stretton of CMG Rescue Services.

14 November 2013
Forward fuselage sectiion arrived at the Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, England.




Photo of Brooklands Museum Viscount G-AZLP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 2013 to

Brooklands Museum

G-AZLP - c/n 346 - a V.813 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

14 November 2013
Forward fuselage sectiion delivered to Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, England as a gift from Captain Mustafa Azim (retd) of Imperial Air Salvage.

24 July 2014
Forward fuselage sectiion lifted onto a flatbed trolley. It will now be gutted and turned into a production line exhibit, to show how it was originally built.

29 September 2015
Noted in a nose up position and being prepared for eventual display.

21 June 2017
Transferred to a horizontal position and placed into a specially designed trolley to complete the restoration before eventual display.

Now on display inside the relocated and refurbished 'Bellman' hangar in an 'under construction' condition as part of an 'Aircraft Factory' display.
On display inside the
'Bellman' hangar

8 August 2017
It has now been fully painted in a yellow etch primer colour on the outside with Vickers green paint in the cockpit and forward cabin areas.

Technically speaking Viscounts were not painted in etch primer during construction but had a blue plastic coating to protect the bare aluminium sheeting before the operator's livery was applied. This was the most practical way of preserving this exhibit and to also cover up areas of damage sustained before it arrived at the museum.

3 October 2017
Now on display inside the relocated and refurbished 'Bellman' hangar in an 'under construction' condition as part of an 'Aircraft Factory' display.

14 November 2017
'Aircraft Factory' display opened to the public.

20 March 2020
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public but has now reopened.


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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