
July 1958 to April 1968
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)
G-APEY - c/n 382 - 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).
7 July 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.
It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.
18 July 1958
Delivered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA) named as 'R M A William Murdoch'.
20 July 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.
29 October 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
2 December 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, 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.
16 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
17 February 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery
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.
15 October 1961
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.
15 April 1963
Total time 9,449:53 hours.
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.
26 November 1965
Due to strong and gusting winds at Jersey Airport, Channel Island the Captain elected to land the aircraft more firmly than normal.
During the landing run the nose undercarriage leg collapsed resulting in curled propellers and shock-load damage to the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.
There were no reported injuries to the 5 crew and 75 passengers on board.
Repaired locally and returned to service.
21 September 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.
9 December 1967
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.
2 April 1968
Sold to BKS Air Transport Ltd.
FURTHER READING: Books about BEA - British European Airways
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