19 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 364

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 364
Continental Airlines


United States flag United States

This V.812 series Viscount was built for
Continental Airlines as N252V

It first flew on Saturday, 25 October 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

Photo of Viscount c/n 364
Channel Airways


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Channel Airways as G-APPU.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond repair after landing too fast and too long on a wet runway during a rainstorm at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England inbound from Zestienhoven Airport, Rotterdam 4 May 1968. The aircraft aquaplaned and went off the end of the runway and slid sideways into and over a railway embankment. The fuselage was broken open forward of the wing. The aircraft was subsequently written off as beyond repair. Registration cancelled 5 May 1968.


Operational record
Photo of Continental Airlines Viscount N252V

Country of Registration United States

June 1958 to November 1958

Continental Airlines

N252V - c/n 364 - a V.812 series Viscount
United States registered

December 1955
Continental Airlines placed an order for fifteen Type 812 aircraft, which were to be marketed by Continental as the 'Viscount II'.

Sales Order No. F12/94B.

25 October 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

7 November 1958
Re-registered as G-APPU for Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd for use as a short-term demonstrator.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-APPU

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1958 to November 1958

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-APPU - c/n 364 - a V.812 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

7 November 1958
Re-registered from N252V by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd for use as a short-term demonstrator.

12 November 1958
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

12 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England. It came from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England and later departed to Athens, Greece.

15 November 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England. It came from Athens, Greece and later departed to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England.

16 November 1958
It flew to Warsaw Airport, Poland for a demonstration flight to LOT - Polish Airlines and returned to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England.

17 November 1958
Title transferred to Continental Airlines and registered as N252V.


Photo of Continental Airlines Viscount N252V

Country of Registration United States

November 1958 to March 1967

Continental Airlines

N252V - c/n 364 - a V.812 series Viscount
United States registered

17 November 1958
Title transferred to Continental Airlines and registered as N252V.

February 1959
Noted in open storage at Weybridge Airfield, Surrey, England now marked as N252V.

23 March 1959
Handed over to Continental Airlines fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

The plush first class cabin, designed by Charles Butler & Associates was laid out in two plus two configuration with a capacity for 52 passengers, who enjoyed a sumptious meal en-route. A lounge area at the rear allowed for four people to sit on two curved side couches when the aircraft was cruising. A small window was added on each side.

25 March 1959
Departed from Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England on delivery.

Painted in the Continental Airlines 'Golden Tail' livery.
Continental Airlines
'Golden Tail' livery

circa 1962
Painted in the Continental Airlines 'Golden Tail' livery.

19 March 1967
Sold to Channel Airways.


Photo of Channel Airways Viscount N252V

Country of Registration United States

March 1967 to March 1967

Channel Airways

N252V - c/n 364 - a V.812 series Viscount
United States registered

1 March 1967
Purchased from Continental Airlines.

Delivered to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England in a basic Continental livery less titles.

20 March 1967
Re-registered as G-APPU.


Photo of Channel Airways Viscount G-APPU

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1967 to May 1968

Channel Airways

G-APPU - c/n 364 - a V.812 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

20 March 1967
Registered to Channel Airways.

The integral front 'airsteps' were removed in order to save some weight.

Damaged beyond repair after aquaplaning off runway 06 during rainstorm at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.
Crashed at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex

4 May 1968
Damaged beyond repair after landing too fast and too long on a wet runway during a rainstorm at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England inbound from Zestienhoven Airport, Rotterdam at 21:20 local time.

The parking brake was used to try and bring the aircraft to a halt but it aquaplaned and went off the end of the runway and slid sideways into and over a railway embankment.

It stopped short of the main electrified railway line but caused disruption until the aircraft was recovered.

The fuselage was broken open forward of the wing. There were four crew and 79 passengers on board and 22 were injured.

The Viscount had just returned from the Dutch Bulb fields with a party from the Women’s Institute organised by Clarksons.

The operator and registration markings were quickly painted out.

The aircraft was subsequently formally written off as beyond economic repair.

Total time 25,219 hours and 28,335 total landings.

5 May 1968
Registration cancelled as aircraft destroyed and subsequently scrapped.


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.