18 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors

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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by David Carter


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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 424

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 424
Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)


England flag England

This V.833 series Viscount was built for
Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) as G-APTB

It first flew on Wednesday, 13 May 1959 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
British United Airways (BUA), Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines, British Air Ferries (BAF) and Chelmer Transport Hauliers

Photo of Viscount c/n 424
Hanningfield Metals


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Hanningfield Metals as 4X-AVB.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines Ltd at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel 4 March 1983. Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF) 4 March 1989 for spares and broken down into sections for air shipment back to the UK. Sections of 4X-AVB and Viscount 4X-AVF (C/N 402) arrived at Stansted Airport, Essex, England in late March 1989 inside Heavylift Canadair CL-44-0 EI-BND, and were transferred by road to the BAF facility at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England. Redundant sections of the aircraft were taken away by Hanningfield Metals to their yard at Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England for scrapping circa April 1989. The forward fuselage section was saved and was transferred to the yard of Chelmer Transport Hauliers at Coggleshall, Essex, England circ April 1989 but it was noted in the Hanningfield Metals yard in February 1994. The final fate of this forward fuselage section is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net.


Operational record
Photo of Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) Viscount G-APTB

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1959 to July 1960

Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA)

G-APTB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1959
Sale to Black Lion Aviation as a Type 825 with C/N 388 not completed.

1959
Converted to Type 833 for sale to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA).

13 May 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed back at Brooklands Airfield and made a second test flight later in the day.

After the second test flight it landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and further test flying.

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

17 June 1959
Officially handed over to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) during a ceremony of the 400th Viscount at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England.

18 June 1959
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

It was flown by HCA Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell and took 20 minutes.

2 July 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training flights.

4 July 1959
Operated the first 800 series service from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England to Entebbe Airport, Uganda via Ciampino Airport, Rome, Italy - Benina International Airport near Benghazi, Libya - Khartoum, Sudan.

It was flown by HCA Chief Flying Instructor Brian Alexander Powell.

3 November 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

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

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

February 1960
Featured in a Rank Organisation film called 'Look at Life - Air Hostess 1960' operating an eleven hour service to Benghazi, Libya via Rome, Italy.

Look at Life - Air Hostess 1960



8 April 1960
Noted at Renfrew Airport, Glasgow, Scotland arriving from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England at 19:13 (local) and departing at 20:55 (local) operating a charter flight to Reykjavik, Iceland on behalf of Loftleidir.

This was because Loftleidir's own aircraft, Douglas DC-6B TF-LLB (C/N 44118) was late in returning from maintenance in Stavanger, Sola, Norway.

9 April 1960
Noted at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland arriving from Reykjavik, Iceland operating another charter flight on behalf of Loftleidir (see above).

It was carrying passengers that had previously arrived at Reykjavik from the Eastern USA on Loftleidir / Braathens S.A.F.E. Douglas DC-4 LN-HAT (C/N 10358).

Was Prestwick used rather than Renfrew due to a weather diversion?

Large reciprocating radial engines such as the Pratt & Whitney R-2000 fitted to the DC-4 were notoriously noisy in the cabin, so the smooth and quiet ride in the Viscount must have been very welcome to the passengers. Presumably the flight continued south to London Airport.

25 April 1960
Noted at Stansted Airport, Essex, England.

30 May 1960
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland pending the formation of British United Airways (BUA).

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


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1960 to December 1969

British United Airways (BUA)

G-APTB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 July 1960
Transferred from Hunting-Clan Air Transport Ltd (HCA) due to a corporate merger.

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

27 March 1965
Arrived at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland for overhaul by Scottish Aviation.

Painted in the BUA 'Sand and turquoise' livery.
British United Airways
'Sand and turquoise' livery

29 July 1967
Noted repainted in the new BUA 'Sandstone and blue' livery.

Damaged at Jersey Airport.
Damaged at Jersey Airport

11 September 1968
Suffered a very heavy nose first landing at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands, resulting in the nose undercarriage leg breaking away and being forced back under the fuselage.

It was on a Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) renewal test flight, flown by a CAA pilot.

Both the inner Rolls-Royce Dart engines were damaged due to severe shockloading of the alloy casings.

Repaired and returned to service.

22 October 1969
Ferried from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland for a repaint in Arkia livery by Scottish Aviation Ltd.

It was flown by Captain Brian Alexander Powell and took 1 hour 30 minutes.

15 December 1969
Ferried from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland to Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England after the repaint.

17 December 1969
UK registration cancelled.

17 December 1969
Sold to Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines Ltd.


Photo of Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines Ltd Viscount 4X-AVB

Country of Registration Israel

December 1969 to March 1989

Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines Ltd

4X-AVB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
Israel registered

17 December 1969
Purchased from British United Airways (BUA).

Prior to delivery, the aircraft was modifed by Field Aircraft Services Ltd to incorporate an anti-terrorist bullet proof cockpit bulkhead and door.

This affected the performance of the air conditioning system which resulted in a very hot working environment for the flight crews and less cooling for the avionics.

18 December 1969
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England.

It returned later the same day

20 December 1969
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England to Brindisi, Italy on the delivery to Israel.

March 1970
Captain Brian Alexander Powell then spent over a month training Arkia pilots out of Lod Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel in this aircraft and 4X-AVD (C/N 426).

Noted at Hurn in March 1973.
Noted East Midlands Airport
March 1973

March 1973
Noted at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England undergoing maintenance with the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) within the BAC One-Eleven production hangar.

9 April 1973
An attack by three armed Arab terrorists took place at Nicosia Airport, Cyprus which was stopped by security forces.

They had driven up to the plane in a Land Rover and tried to board as it was about to close for departure.

One of the terrorists was killed and the other two were captured.

It is understood that no one else was killed or injured in the attack.

25 July 1977
Total time 32,150:08 hours.

1 September 1977
Entered the Arkia maintenance hangar for a 'Check 3' inspection.

28 September 1977
Returned to service.

23 April 1978
Total time 33,094:00 hours.

9 October 1978
Total time 33,831:41 hours.

26 July 1979
Total time 34,874:00 hours.

Noted at East Midlands Airport with Arkia titles blacked out.
Noted East Midlands Airport
with Arkia lettering blacked out

10 August 1979
Departed from Israel on its way to the UK for maintenance.

11 August 1979
Noted at Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany on its way to the UK.

11 August 1979
Arrived at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicester, England for maintenance with Field Aircraft Services Ltd. The ferry flights totalled 9 hours and 26 minutes.

7 September 1979
Noted outside the Field Aircraft Services Ltd hangar with all Arkia titles blacked out.

Total time 34,919:13 hours and 30,297 total landings.

19 April 1980
Returned to Arkia in full livery.

15 October 1980
Total time 35,635:06 hours and 31,385 total landings.

31 December 1980
Total time 35,875:40 hours and 31,759 total landings.

11 January 1981
Withdrawn from service for a 'Check 3' inspection.

Total time 35,970:00 hours.

22 February 1981
Returned to service after a 'Check 3' inspection.

19 August 1981
Total time 36,377:07 hours and 32,563 total landings.

29 March 1982
Total time 36,888:24 hours and 33,387 total landings.

25 May 1982
Sold to Ronald J Clark but immediately leased back.

21 September 1982
Total time 36,992:02 hours and 33,547 total landings.

10 October 1982
Suffered an accident but no details known.

4 March 1983
Withdrawn from service at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel.

31 May 1983
Israeli registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

37,009 total Hours and 33,566 total landings.

4 March 1989
Sold to British Air Ferries (BAF) for spares recovery.


Photo of British Air Ferries (BAF) Viscount 4X-AVB

Country of Registration Israel

March 1989 to April 1989

British Air Ferries (BAF)

4X-AVB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
Israel registered

4 March 1989
Purchased from Arkia - Israel Inland Airlines Ltd for spares recovery and broken down into sections for air shipment back to the UK.

Sections of 4X-AVB and 4X-AVF (C/N 402) were then transported to Stansted Airport, Essex, England inside Heavylift Canadair CL-44-0 EI-BND, which was the unique Conroy conversion with the enlarged diameter fuselage.

The sections of both aircraft were then transferred by road to the BAF facility at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England.

circa April 1989
Forward fuselage section transferred to Chelmer Transport Hauliers yard.


Photo of Chelmer Transport Hauliers Viscount 4X-AVB

Country of Registration Israel

April 1989 to February 1994

Chelmer Transport Hauliers

4X-AVB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
Israel registered

circa April 1989
Forward fuselage section transferred from British Air Ferries (BAF).

February 1994
Forward fuselage section noted in the scrap yard belonging to Hanningfield Metals at Stock, Essex, England.


Photo of Hanningfield Metals Viscount 4X-AVB

Country of Registration Israel

February 1994 to January 1900

Hanningfield Metals

4X-AVB - c/n 424 - a V.833 series Viscount
Israel registered

February 1994
Forward fuselage section noted back at Hanningfield Metals yard in Templewood Industrial Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Essex, England.

The final fate of this fuselage section is not known.
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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