25 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 418

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 418
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)


England flag England

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

It first flew on Tuesday, 24 March 1959 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 520 engines.


Photo of Viscount c/n 418
Mandala Airlines


Indonesia flag Indonesia

Its final owner/operator was
Mandala Airlines as PK-RVL.

Its fate:-
Built from the remains of G-AOYF (C/N 255) which had suffered a landing accident at Johannesburg, South Africa in October 1957. Withdrawn from service by Mandala Airlines and stored at Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia 16 March 1971.
Broken up for scrap circa 1978.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1959 to June 1970

British European Airways Corporation (BEA)

G-APOX - c/n 418 - a V.806 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

Built as a Type 806 from the remains of G-AOYF (C/N 255) which had suffered a landing accident at Johannesburg, South Africa in October 1957.

10 September 1958
Registered to British European Airways Corporation (BEA).

24 March 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England after the rebuild.

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

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

9 April 1959
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

11 April 1959
Delivered to British European Airways (BEA) named as 'R M A Isambard Brunel'.

Painted in the BEA ‘Red Square‘ livery.
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.

In open storage at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England.
Open storage at Teversham, Cambridge, England

9 June 1959
Noted at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England operating a service to Portela Airport, Lisbon, Portugal on behalf of Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP).

This happened on a regular basis with various BEA V.700 and V.800 aircraft being utilised.

A 'TAP' decal was applied to the forward fuselage, near the door whenever the service was operated.

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

August 1960
Took the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Footballers to Rome, Italy for the forthcoming summer Olympic Games. It was still in the 'red stripe' livery.

10 September 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

14 September 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

24 September 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

22 October 1960
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

18 December 1960
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.

31 January 1966
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

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

Total time 20,103 hours and 16,659 total landings.

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

20 January 1970
Ferried from Heathrow Airport, London, England to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland as BE646E.

It then went into the Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL) facility for overhaul and a repaint in Mandala Airlines livery

12 June 1970
Noted outside, carrying out engine runs in full Mandala Airlines livery named as 'Prabu Brawidjaja' and carrying PK-RVL.

18 June 1970
Returned to Heathrow Airport, London, England as G-APOX.

21 June 1970
Departed from Heathrow Airport, London, England on delivery to Mandala Airlines, Indonesia, still carrying its UK registration.

24 June 1970
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

FURTHER READING: Books about British European Airways



Photo of Mandala Airlines Viscount PK-RVL

Country of Registration Indonesia

June 1970 to December 1978

Mandala Airlines

PK-RVL - c/n 418 - a V.806 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

21 June 1970
Departed from Heathrow Airport, London, England on delivery to Mandala Airlines, Indonesia.

24 June 1970
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported. It then reverted to PK-RVL.

Stored at Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Stored at Kemayoran Airport,
Jakarta, Indonesia

16 March 1971
Withdrawn from service and stored at Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.
Does anyone know why it was prematurely withdrawn from service?
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Total time 20,975 hours.

circa 1973
Noted in derelict condition.

circa 1978
Broken up for scrap.


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.