24 April 2024
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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 352

Click on a photo to see a larger version

Below are the 36 photos we have on file for Viscount c/n 352 together with either the actual date that the photo was taken or an estimate of that date based on clues such as the livery worn or other background information.

1

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
November 1958

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England in November 1958 on the production line in the Erecting Shop.

The aircraft behind are G-APND (C/N 402), VH-RMG (C/N 414) and G-APNE (C/N 403).

Vickers Photo Ref MP9693.

Photo source - BAE Systems Heritage Photographic Archive

2

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1961

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa circa June 1961.

Note the ‘oily’ ramp which is definitely not due to the Viscount as Rolls-Royce Darts were not known as ‘leaky’ engines.

Behind is a SAA Boeing 707 in the 'orange tail' livery and a second SAA Viscount.

SAR Publicity and Travel Department photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

3

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1961

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa circa June 1961.

Note the ‘oily’ ramp which is definitely not due to the Viscount as Rolls-Royce Darts were not known as ‘leaky’ engines.

Behind is a SAA Boeing 707 in the 'orange tail' livery and a second SAA Viscount.

SAR Publicity and Travel Department photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

4

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1961

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa circa June 1961.

Note the ‘oily’ ramp which is definitely not due to the Viscount as Rolls-Royce Darts were not known as ‘leaky’ engines.

Behind is a SAA Boeing 707 in the 'orange tail' livery and a second SAA Viscount.

This was issued as a period postcard.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

5

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
January 1963

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken during a publicity flight circa January 1963.

SAR Publicity and Travel Department photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

6

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
April 1964

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Louis Botha International Airport, Durban, South Africa 22 April 1964 in the later 'orange tail' livery.

After landing it suffered a nose undercarriage leg collapse resulting in flattened undercarriage doors, curled inner propellers and shockloaded Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

SAA Museum Society photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

7

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
April 1964

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Louis Botha International Airport, Durban, South Africa 22 April 1964 in the later 'orange tail' livery.

After landing it suffered a nose undercarriage leg collapse resulting in flattened undercarriage doors, curled inner propellers and shockloaded Rolls-Royce Dart engines. A nice view of the 'Springbok' logo.

SAA Museum Society photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

8

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1966

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa in June 1966.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

9

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1966

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa in June 1966.

More publicity photos are being taken from the Bedford 'Cherry Picker' truck.

SAR Publicity and Travel Department photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

10

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
February 1970

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken arriving at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa in February 1970.

The outboard Rolls-Royce Dart engines have already been shut down.

SAR Publicity and Travel Department photo.

Photo source - Tony Ward collection

11

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
June 1969

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Louis Botha International Airport, Durban, South Africa circa June 1969.

Photo source - Etienne du Plessis collection

12

South African Airways (SAA)
ZS-CDZ
December 1970

Delivered new to South African Airways (SAA) named 'Hartbees'. Taken at Bloemfontein Airport, Free State, South Africa circa December 1970.

Photo source - John Morris collection

13

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZLW
February 1972

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa 10 February 1972 with an incorrect registration that had been painted on in error.

This was rectified before it was delivered.

Photo source - Ed Jones collection

14

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
April 1972

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England in April 1972 soon after its arrival from South Africa.

Photo source - Brian R Burrage collection (gallery 2)

15

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
May 1973

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken arriving at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England 12 May 1973.

The outboard Rolls-Royce Dart engines have already been shut down.

The small hangar in the background on the south side of the runway was built for Morton Air Services in the late 1950s.

Photo source - Steve Fitzgerald

16

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1973

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands, Scotland circa June 1973.

Note the prominent white 'no smoking' signs.

Photo source - Hugh Urquhart collection

17

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1974

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken arriving at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England circa June 1974 with the ground Stewardesses waiting to guide the passengers to the terminal building.

It doesn't look like they are wearing ear defenders!

The outboard Rolls-Royce Dart engines have already been shut down.

Note the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy in the background, affectionately known as the 'Flying Wheelbarrow'. Also note the distinctive concrete cooling towers on the horizon.

This is the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal fired power station which opened in 1968.

Photo source - Mick West

18

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1974

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England circa June 1974 with G-BAPE (C/N 341) in the foreground.

Note the Armstrong Whitworth Argosy in the background, affectionately known as the 'Flying Wheelbarrow'.

Photo source - Mick West

19

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
July 1974

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England in July 1974 outside the main hangar 35 with Fitter Chris Brown and Engine Inspector Dick Chester, after the No. 3 engine had been changed.

Photo source - George Stringer

20

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
May 1975

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland 1 May 1975.

Photo source - Thomas Moloney

21

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
August 1975

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Larnaca Airport, Cyprus in August 1975 whilst on temporary deployment to Cyprus Airways to cover one of the leased BMA Viscounts that had returned to the UK for maintenance.

At the rear of the aircraft is the ground power unit (GPU) and on the other side is the air conditioning unit (ACU) that was essential to keep the cabin at a reasonable temperature for the passengers to board which looks to be imminent as the operations officer has just arrived in his Ford Escort Mark I van.

Behind it is another BMA Viscount on lease to Cyprus Airways.

Photo source - George Stringer

22

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
August 1976

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken departing from an unknown location 30 August 1976.

Photo source - John Yates

23

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1977

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken landing at Heathrow Airport, London, England in June 1977.

Photo source - Stefan Sjogren

24

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
May 1978

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Ringway Airport, Manchester, England 12 May 1978 with Servisair providing the ground support equipment.

Photo source - Mike Powney

25

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
July 1978

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England 15 July 1978 with the aircraft being refuelled with AVTUR or Jet A1 kerosine from the Shell Aviation bowser.

Photo source - Tim Collins

26

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
July 1978

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England 15 July 1978 with passengers now boarding through the rear door.

The forward door is normally open with a set of small steps to allow the load sheet to be passed to the flight crew on completion of the boarding process.

Photo source - Tim Collins

27

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
July 1978

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England 15 July 1978 with the aircraft taxiing out to the runway.

Photo source - Tim Collins

28

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1979

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken departing from Baginton Airport, Coventry, Warwickshire 16 June 1979.

Photo source - Rob Hodgkins

29

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
June 1981

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). Taken at Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands circa June 1981.

Note that the starboard rear door is being used as it is nearest to the terminal building.

Photo source - Mike Stedman

30

British Midland Airways (BMA)
G-AZNC
August 1981

Purchased from South African Airways (SAA). A view of the smart cabin taken at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England in August 1981.

Photo source - Clive Peace

31

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
May 2007

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 19 May 2007.

Photo source - Stuart Reid (www.stuartsaviationpictures.co.uk)

32

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
July 2009

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 21 July 2009.

Photo source - Ian Haskell

33

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
May 2011

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 19 May 2011 after the forward fuselage section was chopped off.

Photo source - airTeeside.com

34

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
May 2011

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 19 May 2011 after the forward fuselage section was chopped off.

Photo source - airTeeside.com

35

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
May 2011

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 19 May 2011 after the forward fuselage section was chopped off.

Despite the poor exterior condition the interior is still in remarkably good condition.

Photo source - airTeeside.com

36

Tees Valley Airport Fire Service
G-AZNC
September 2023

Fuselage transferred from Technical Aeroparts. Taken at Tees Valley Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England 1 September 2023 with the main fuselage section less the forward cockpit section still in use.

A great authorised drone shot!

Photo source - Graham Robson

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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.