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 421

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 421
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines


Ireland flag Ireland

This V.808 series Viscount was built for
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines as EI-AKJ

It first flew on Sunday, 21 December 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Air Commerz, Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) and Scibe Airlift Zaire


Photo of Viscount c/n 421
MMM Aero Services (3MAS)


Zaire flag Zaire

Its final owner/operator was
MMM Aero Services (3MAS) as 9Q-CGM.

Its fate:-
Converted to a V.808C cargo configuration for Aer Lingus that included the fitment of a double sized forward cabin door in 1967.

Withdrawn from service by MMM Aero Services (3MAS) and stored at Ndolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire in 1985.

Final fate unknown. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Operational record
Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AKJ

Country of Registration Ireland

January 1959 to February 1959

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AKJ - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Ireland registered

2 March 1956
Aer Lingus placed an order for six Type 808 aircraft.

21 December 1958
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

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

31 December 1958
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

7 January 1959
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Aer Lingus named as 'St Colman'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines, 70 seat configration and a fuel capacity of 1,940 imperial gallons.

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

18 February 1959
Re-registered EI-AKO. The registration was changed to avoid confusion with EI-AJK (C/N 291).

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AKO

Country of Registration Ireland

February 1959 to October 1970

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AKO - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Ireland registered

18 February 1959
Re-registered from EI-AKJ still named as 'St Colman'. The registration was changed to avoid confusion with Viscount EI-AJK (C/N 291).

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

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

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

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Top White Tail International' livery.
Aer Lingus
'Green Top White Tail
International' livery

circa 1962
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Top White Tail International' livery.

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Linel' livery.
Aer Lingus
'Green Cheat Line' livery

circa 1964
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Line' livery.

15 July 1966
Struck a glancing blow by Cambrian Airways Viscount G-AMOE (C/N 17) at Speke, Liverpool, England which had lost all its hydraulic pressure and eventually crashed into the terminal building.

Converted to a cargo V.808C that included the fitment of a double sized forward cabin door in 1967.
Converted to a cargo configuration

circa August 1967
Converted to Type 808C cargo configuration by Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL) at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

This included the fitment of double forward cabin doors on the port side to increase the loading access area.

It was still able to operate as a passenger aircraft if required.

March 1970
Noted at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England undergoing maintenance with Vickers and now repainted in Air Commerz livery.

26 August 1970
Noted back in service with Aer Lingus at Heathrow Airport, London, England still in Air Commerz livery.

1 October 1970
Sold to Air Commerz.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Air Commerz Viscount D-ADAN

Country of Registration Germany

October 1970 to September 1972

Air Commerz

D-ADAN - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Germany registered

I October 1970
Purchased from Aer Lingus and re-registered.

1 September 1972
Repossessed by Aer Lingus due to financial difficulties.


Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount D-ADAN

Country of Registration Germany

September 1972 to April 1973

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

D-ADAN - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Germany registered

1 September 1972
Repossessed from Air Commerz due to financial difficulties and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

April 1973
Sold to the Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO).

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) Viscount 505

Country of Registration Oman

April 1973 to September 1976

Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO)

505 - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Oman registered

April 1973
Purchased from Aer Lingus.

Delivered to the Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) with arabic serial ٥٠٥ (505).

21 September 1976
Sold to Scibe Airlift Zaire.


Photo of Scibe Airlift Zaire Viscount 9Q-CBT

Country of Registration Zaire

September 1976 to January 1983

Scibe Airlift Zaire

9Q-CBT - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Zaire registered

21 September 1976
Purchased from Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO).

1 October 1976
Ferried from Hurn Airport, Dorset, England to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England with the Zaire registration applied to the full AFSO livery.

October 1976
Noted inside the Field Aircraft Services Ltd hangar having a partial repaint and Scibe logo and titles applied. The registration position was also moved to the red cheatline.

16 November 1976
Departed from East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England on delivery to Zaire, together with 9Q-CBS (C/N 423).

December 1978
Noted at Salisbury International Airport, Kentucky, Rhodesia outside the Air Rhodesia maintenance facility.

January 1983
Sold to MMM Aero Services (3MAS).


Photo of MMM Aero Services (3MAS) Viscount 9Q-CGM

Country of Registration Zaire

January 1983 to January 1985

MMM Aero Services (3MAS)

9Q-CGM - c/n 421 - a V.808 series Viscount
Zaire registered

January 1983
Purchased from Scibe Airlift Zaire.

1984
According to local villagers a Viscount force landed in a remote floodplain area of the Cuando river, which is also known as the Chobe river in South Eastern Angola.

Apparently it ran out of fuel and may well have been on a clandestine flight. The occupants were rescued by National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) troops.

It is not known if there were any fatalities amongst the crew and passengers. It was also reportedly carrying arms, possibly for use by UNITA.

See C/N 423 history and photos regarding this incident as it is considered to be the best candidate but it may well be this one, as both have double freight doors.

1985
Reported as withdrawn from service and stored at Ndolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire.

Final fate unknown.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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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