26 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 395

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 395
Transair (UK) Ltd


England flag England

This V.804 series Viscount was built for
Transair (UK) Ltd as G-APKG

It first flew on Tuesday, 15 April 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
British United Airways (BUA)


Photo of Viscount c/n 395
Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT)


Poland flag Poland

Its final owner/operator was
Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) as SP-LVB.

Its fate:-
Crashed on approach to Okecie Airport, Warsaw, Poland while on a return service from Brussels National Airport, Zaventum, Belgium, via Berlin, West Germany 19 December 1962. The aircraft had departed Berlin at 17:55 and approached at 19:30 for its second attempt to land with a cloud base of 250 metres. When between 60 and 70 metres above the ground it was cleared to land, but just 45 seconds later the aircraft crashed in flames 1.3 km from the runway threshold. The aircraft type was relatively new to the flight crews, SP-LVB had only accumulated 80 hours of flying with LOT - Polskie Linie Lotnicze.


Operational record
Photo of Transair (UK) Ltd Viscount G-APKG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1958 to July 1960

Transair (UK) Ltd

G-APKG - c/n 395 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

22 January 1958
Registered to Transair Ltd.

15 April 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

23 April 1958
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

24 April 1958
Handed over to Transair Ltd at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England as a Type 804.

May 1958
Operated services from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to and from Paris, France on behalf of Air France as their own Viscounts were grounded having their spars replaced.

26 April 1959
Noted at Squires Gate Airport, Blackpool, Lancashire, England. This was the first Viscount to visit this airport.

10 June 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

6 November 1959
Noted at Rhoose Airport, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales on a flight from Köln Airport, West Germany. This was the first Transair Viscount to visit this airport.

12 May 1960
Noted at Renfrew Airport, Glasgow, Scotland bringing a private group for a River Clyde ship launch together with Airwork G-APND (C/N 402).

1 July 1960
Transferred to British United Airways (BUA) due to a corporate merger.


Photo of British United Airways (BUA) Viscount G-APKG

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1960 to October 1962

British United Airways (BUA)

G-APKG - c/n 395 - a V.804 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 July 1960
Transferred from Transair Ltd due to a corporate merger initially in a modified Transair livery.

1 July 1960
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England on the first day of BUA service.

16 July 1962
Registered to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd but continued in service with British United Airways (BUA).

25 October 1962
Sold to Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT).


Photo of Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) Viscount SP-LVB

Country of Registration Poland

October 1962 to December 1962

Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT)

SP-LVB - c/n 395 - a V.804 series Viscount
Poland registered

25 October 1962
Purchased from British United Airways (BUA).

UK registration cancelled the same day as aircraft sold abroad.

20 November 1962
Rolled out at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England in full Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) livery.

19 December 1962
Crashed on approach to Okecie Airport, Warsaw, Poland while on a return service from Brussels National Airport, Zaventum, Belgium, via Berlin, West Germany.

Total time 9,822 hours and 5,119 total landings.

The aircraft had departed Berlin at 17:55 local and approached for its second attempt to land with a cloud base of 250 metres. When between 60 and 70 metres above the ground it was cleared to land, but just 45 seconds later the aircraft crashed in flames 1.3 km from the runway threshold.

All 28 passengers and 5 crew were sadly killed. The pilots were Captain M Rzepecki and First Officer H Kafarski.

Investigations discovered that the aircraft was correctly configured for landing, with the undercarriage down and the flaps extended. The temperature at the time was minus 7 degrees C with a horizontal visibility of 7 km with local mist patches. There was not enough evidence to determine the reasons for the crash but it could have been a poorly handled approach with too low an air speed resulting in a loss of longitudinal stability and therefore control of the aircraft if it stalled. One of the two local NDB's (Non-directional Beacon) may well have been non-operational at the time which may have distracted the pilots during the critical approach phase. There was also reports of lightning in the area at the time which may have impaired the visibility of the instruments and also the view of the approach.

The aircraft type was relatively new to Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT) flight crews. At the time of the accident SP-LVB had only accumulated 80 flying hours since being purchased from British United Airways (BUA).


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.