Travel back in time with the Viscount
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England
G-APIM - Brooklands Museum - June 1989 to current
On loan from British Air Ferries (BAF) and still named 'Viscount Stephen Piercey'. Taken at Weybridge, Surrey, England 17 October 2010. A view of Vickers Viking G-AGRU that was recently moved to the same area of the museum as the Viscount and Vanguard in order to show a natural progression in the civil airliners produced by Vickers. As can be seen, the wings and engines have yet to be installed.
Photo source - Brian R Burrage collection (gallery 3)
Aircraft Summary
British European Airways Corporation (BEA)
This aircraft c/n 412, a V.806, was built for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) as G-APIM and first flew on Wednesday, 4 June 1958 at Weybridge, Surrey, England.
During its life it was also owned and/or operated by Cambrian Airways, British Airways (BA) and British Air Ferries (BAF)
Its final owner/operator was Brooklands Museum as G-APIM.Its fate:-
Damaged beyond economic repair while owned by British Air Ferries (BAF) after Fairflight operated Shorts SD3-30 G-BHWT collided with it at Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England due to a hydraulic failure 11 January 1988. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft and the starboard propeller chewed its way into the Viscount cockpit area. Luckily there was no one sitting in the cockpit at the time.
Offered on a 99 year term loan to the Brooklands Museum aviation collection on the 29 June 1989. On 11 February 1990 the fuselage departed from Southend Airport, Rochford, Essex, England by road on delivery using a National Rescue Group vehicle to the Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey, England - back to where she was built in 1958. An enforced nightstop was made in a layby on the M25 motorway near Leatherhead, Surrey. Part of the journey was through the Dartford Tunnel, a unique experience for a Viscount! Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public 20 March 2020. The museum re-opened 1 August 2020 to the general public from Thursday to Sunday each week but with restricted access to the interior of the display aircraft. The museum fully re-opened 19 May 2021 from Wednesdays to Sundays 10am – 5pm (and every day of half term) but entry tickets must be booked in advance, now without a defined entry time.