18 April 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 369

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 369
Deutsche Lufthansa AG


Germany flag Germany

This V.814 series Viscount was built for
Deutsche Lufthansa AG as D-ANAB

It first flew on Thursday, 16 April 1959 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Holzen-Ith Restaurant


Photo of Viscount c/n 369
Flugzeug Restaurant Silbervogel


Germany flag Germany

Its final owner/operator was
Flugzeug Restaurant Silbervogel as D-ANAB.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored in November 1969. Where? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net. Used as a restaurant initially at Holzen-Ith, near Eschershausen, West Germany and from May 2002 at Ricklingen, near Hannover, Germany. Still operating in February 2020.


Operational record
Photo of Deutsche Lufthansa AG Viscount D-ANAB

Country of Registration Germany

April 1959 to January 1970

Deutsche Lufthansa AG

D-ANAB - c/n 369 - a V.814 series Viscount
Germany registered

February 1957
An order was placed by Deutsche Lufthansa AG for an additional two Type 814 aircraft.

16 April 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

The test flying accumulated 14 hours and 50 minutes.

20 April 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out a single ILS approach and overshoot.

24 April 1959
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

29 April 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out a single ILS approach and overshoot.

17 November 1959
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from Köln, West Germany on a VIP flight using flight number LH874.

It brought German statesman Dr Konrad Adenauer who was the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949 to 1963).

From 1946 to 1966 he was the first leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), a party he co-founded, which under his leadership became the dominant political party in the country.

After clearing customs it departed to RAF Northolt, Middlesex, England.

19 November 1959
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from RAF Northolt on a VIP flight.

After clearing customs it departed to Koln, West Germany.

6 December 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

The second Lufthansa Viscount livery

4 December 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored. Where? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Total time 20,600 hours and 21,212 total landings.

March 1970
Sold to a private individual for use as a restaurant.


Photo of Holzen-Ith Restaurant Viscount D-ANAB

Country of Registration Germany

January 1970 to January 2002

Holzen-Ith Restaurant

D-ANAB - c/n 369 - a V.814 series Viscount
Germany registered

March 1970
Purchased from Deutsche Lufthansa AG by an unknown individual for use as a restaurant.

It was dismantled and the fuselage was transferred by road and installed at the entance of a glider airfield at Holzen-Ith, near Eschershausen, which is 70 KM south of Hannover, West Germany.

The wings and other assemblies travelled by rail to a local freight depot at Stadtoldendorf before transferring on by road.

It remained privately owned and had no connection with the local Gliding Club.

6 March 1971
Officially opened as a restaurant, still in its basic Lufthansa livery less titles.

May 2002
Dismantled and moved by road to Ricklingen, near Hannover, Germany for the continued use as a restaurant.


Photo of Flugzeug Restaurant Silbervogel Viscount D-ANAB

Country of Registration Germany

January 2002 to

Flugzeug Restaurant Silbervogel

D-ANAB - c/n 369 - a V.814 series Viscount
Germany registered

May 2002
Dismantled and moved by road from Holzen-Ith, near Eschershausen, Germany to Ricklingen, near Hannover, Germany.

The fuselage was transferred with a police escort which took twelve hours.

14 February 2003
Officially opened as 'Flugzeug Restaurant Silbervogel' - 'Airplane Restaurant - Silver Bird' at Mercedesstrasse 1 in a blue and silver livery.

October 2007
Noted repainted in a red and silver livery.

8 September 2012
Noted with Greek and a German flag added to the forward fuselage which presumably represents the cuisine offered on-board.

February 2020
Still being used as a restaurant.

See the links pages for further details on this facility.


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.