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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 381

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 381
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

This V.806 series Viscount was built for
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-APEX

It first flew on Friday, 13 June 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 520 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
BKS Air Transport Ltd, Northeast Airlines (UK) and British Airways (BA)


Photo of Viscount c/n 381
British Air Ferries (BAF)


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
British Air Ferries (BAF) as G-APEX.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex due to corrosion 26 March 1984 and immediately robbed of all useful spares. Noted as a fuselage only in May 1990. Remains broken up for scrap by Hanningfield Metals circa June 1994.


Operational record
Photo of British European Airways Corporation (BEA) Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1958 to December 1969

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

January 1956
An order for eighteen Type 806 was placed by British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

The first (C/N 255) was not delivered as it was loaned to Vickers-Armstrongs for Type 810 development work.

15 August 1957
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

13 June 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

20 June 1958
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

24 June 1958
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A John Harrison'.

24 December 1958
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

29 January 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

28 February 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

March 1959
A new BEA 'Red Square' livery was adopted and aircraft were repainted during the early 1960s when they next went in for overhaul.

Sadly, after repainting, the aircraft no longer carried a name including the nameplate on the forward cabin bulkhead.

4 March 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

18 December 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

1961
Noted still painted in the BEA 'Red Stripe' livery.

15 October 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

29 October 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

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

1964
Converted to V.806X standard by Marshall's at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England.

This involved replacing the Dart RDa7 Mark 520 engines with RDa6 Mark 510 engines and installing a V.802 style cabin.

The RDa7 Mark 520 engines were returned to Rolls-Royce where some of them were converted to Mark 526 standard for use on the BEA Armstrong Whitworth 650 Argosy.

23 June 1965
Noted at Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England operating UK services on behalf of BKS Air Transport Ltd.

1965
Operated by BEA on behalf of 'The Malta Airlines'.

The aircraft was operated in the BEA 'Red Square' livery with the Maltese Cross and 'The Malta Airlines' logo applied to the fuselage cheatline squares instead of the BEA logo. Additionally, the red and white Maltese flag was applied to the port upper and starboard lower mainplane surfaces. It was operated by BEA flight crews with Malta Airlines trained cabin staff.

26 November 1965
Due to strong winds and rain a landing at Jersey Airport, Channels Islands was intentionally firm and everything seemed normal during the landing run but suddenly the nose undercarriage leg collapsed resulting in curled No.2 and No.3 propellers and shockloaded Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

There were no reported injuries to the 75 passengers and 4 crew on board.

16 August 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.

28 August 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England under the care of Marshall's.

29 December 1969
Sold to BKS Air Transport Ltd.

FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways



Photo of BKS Air Transport Ltd Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1969 to November 1970

BKS Air Transport Ltd

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

29 December 1969
Purchased from British European Airways (BEA).

BKS relates to the surnames of three company directors: - James W Barnby, Thomas D Keegan, and Cyril Stevens.

1 January 1970
Ferried from Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England to Heathrow Airport, London, England.

19 January 1970
Registered to BKS Air Transport Ltd.

2 March 1970
Noted at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England still in BEA livery.

30 March 1970
Departed from East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England to Leeds / Bradford Airport, Yeadon, Yorkshire, England after a repaint in BKS livery by Field Aircraft Services Ltd.

1 November 1970
Transferred to Northeast Airlines (UK) due to a corporate name change.


Photo of Northeast Airlines (UK) Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

November 1970 to April 1974

Northeast Airlines (UK)

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 November 1970
Transferred from BKS Air Transport Ltd due to a corporate name change.

1 April 1974
Transferred to British Airways (BA) due to a corporate merger.


Photo of British Airways (BA) Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1974 to March 1981

British Airways (BA)

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 April 1974
Transferred from Northeast Airlines (UK) due to a corporate merger.

3 April 1980
Operated its last service for British Airways (BA) from Heathrow Airport, London, England to Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales and put into storage.

Total time 35,044 hours and 34,672 total landings.

26 March 1981
Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF).

FURTHER READING: Books about British Airways (BA)



Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

March 1981 to June 1994

British Air Ferries (BAF)

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

26 March 1981
Purchased from British Airways and registered to British Air Ferries.

27 March 1981
Ferried from Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, Wales to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England in BA livery less titles.

16 May 1981
Total time 35,044:16 hours.

20 May 1981
Noted in service in full BAF livery.

Reportedly named as 'Sun Seeker' but the name has not been noted in any photographs of the aircraft.

15 October 1981
Total time 35,508:04 hours.

12 February 1982
Total time 35,838:25 hours.

5 July 1982
Total time 36,137:00 hours.

26 March 1984
Ferried to Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England and permanently withdrawn from service due to corrosion.

It was immediately robbed of all useful spares including the valuable Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

12 May 1984
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

December 1986
Noted with the tail now removed

14 February 1990
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

May 1990
Noted as a fuselage only, lying on its belly.

circa June 1994
Remains broken up for scrap by Hanningfield Metals. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Hanningfield Metals Viscount G-APEX

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1994 to December 1994

Hanningfield Metals

G-APEX - c/n 381 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

circa June 1994
Fuselage purchased from British Air Ferries (BAF) for metal salvage. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

The fuselage was then broken up into sections and moved to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England for final processing.


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.


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