B.O.A.C. Viscounts

[billw212]

Do you know, I cannot remember, but did BOAC have any Viscounts or were they all BEA ?
Being a short haul aircraft I suppose it was BEA but someone might know better than my memory.
Bill

[johnoakes]

somewhere I have a photo of a BOAC viscout.
At least onre in BOAC colours.I will try to search it out.Its not one of mine so there could be copyright issues but I will search during this next week after the familoy leave for England after their holiday:

[calflier]

BOAC had a few Viscounts in their colours and titles,in the early years they used Viscount 700,s,mainly for feeder services in the Carribbean,however the most well known especially to people in this area that people old enough,can remember,were the two Viscount 700,s of Cambrian G-AMOG,and G-AMON.OG I think was named Scottish prince,and they were used for feeder services from Edinburgh and Belfast to Prestwick to link into BOAC transatlantic services,they were in full BOAC colours and they looked superb,they also visited Liverpool many times both for maintenace and back up for Cambrian,s own services.you will find photos on Airliners.net
hope that helps.

[Deleted]

Couple of photos (not brilliant scans) of G-AMOG on the Western Apron at Liverpool in 1974.

Cheers,

Dave

[viscount]

BOAC and BEA were formed 1947 as nationalised airlines, BEA serving short haul European routes, BOAC long-haul to Middle and Far East, Africa, Australia and the Americas. As the Viscount is essentially a short to medium-haul airliner, it was not suited to BOACs network, the Bristol Britannia being developed to meet BOACs long-haul requirements.

However BOAC Associated Companies did operate the Viscount. British West Indian Airlines in the Caribbean operated 8 in all, marks V.702 and V.772 all delivered in the second half of the '50s. Some of the earlier aircraft went on to fly with Kuwait Airways and Bahamas Airways in early 60s. Two V.760 were purchased for Hong Kong Airways and later served with Aden Airways. Aden's colour scheme was very similar to BOACs with blue cheat and tail, with two horizontal white bands on the tail. I cannot recall any of these Associated Companies wearing BOAC titles though (although while finding the link quoted below spotted a photo of BOAC Associated Companies G-APNE in BUA scheme, BOAC titles prior to lease to BMA!).

In the early 70s BOAC used two Viscounts on a feeder service into Prestwick to connect with transatlantic flights from Edinburgh and Belfast. As shown on Dave's photos they both wore the dark blue colours, wide cheat line and the gold 'speedbird' logo on tail.

G-AMOG a V.701 Viscount. Leased by Cambrian Airways to BOAC and rolled out at Heathrow in full BOAC colours 28.3.72 named "Scottish Prince". Operated the daily link flights into Prestwick. BOAC absorbed into BA 31.7.73. Ferried Prestwick-Rhoose 31.3.76, onward to RAF Cosford 27.4.76 for preservation and now (since 8.06) at East Fortune Museum near Edinburgh.

G-AMON a V.701 Viscount. Leased by Cambrian to BOAC and rolled out at Cardiff/Rhoose in full BOAC livery 2.6.73 and delivered to Prestwick 3.6.73 named "Scottish Princess". BOAC absorbed into BA 31.7.73. Ferried Prestwick-Rhoose 31.3.76. To Southend 17.6.76 having been purchased by a Comprehensive School. Subsequently scrapped.

Look up 'Vickers Viscount' on Wikipedia. Also try a Google search based on the two registrations to find photos. There is also a very good history site dedicated to the Vickers Viscount (G-AMOG c/no. 7, G-AMON c/no. 27) www.vickersviscount.net search their photos section by airline and registration.

I'm sure the moderator would not mind me pointing out that within 6 hours of a question being posed, 4 authoritive answers with dates, photos and links (and not a single mention of a light bulb).

[danairamb]

G-APNE c/n 403 Vickers Viscount 831was built for Airwork and then transferred to BUA upon its formation. According to the information available on the Vickers Viscount network this aircraft was leased to BOAC from March to August 1961 and there is a picture of her in BOAC titles on the VV network's incredible website. Recently in the network's newsletter someone had written and were pretty certain that they had flown on a BOAC Viscount in lieu of regular Britannia service at that time. This was a transatlantic flight from Montreal. I was incredulous, but considering that APNE had slipper tanks, and with stops at Gander or Shannon this would have been possible.

[viscount]

Becoming an interesting one this. The mention I found on a photo caption on Vickers Viscount.net was that G-APNE had served with BOAC in Africa on unknown duties April-May 1961. I looked it up in the original Air Britain Viscount History book (Peter Davies 1981, not the more recent Ray Kittle one - which I cannot afford) and found, without reference to dates it had briefly been with BOAC Associates. On looking again, that reference gives G-APNE with BUA in 1961, and BOAC Associates early 1967. Clearly the 1961 lease to BOAC was not recorded at that time. As I started with, an interesting one this.

[danairamb]

Yes, very interesting. The airframe's history on Vickers Viscount .net refers to the 1961 lease to BOAC but nothing for 1967 other than her sale to BMA in April. Her serving in Africa makes sense, as I believe her original role was on Airwork's African routes hence the slipper tanks. I have P. St-John Turners Handbook of the Vickers Viscount (1968) which make no reference to any time with BOAC. I guess its feasible that she did a transatlantic run to substitute for an inoperable Britannia.

[billw212]

There is some very interesting answers in this thread chaps, thank you.
But when you see a plane in BOAC colours it makes you feel good, well it does me, brings back many good old memories. Do you know, at my local airfield,Cranfield, there was a small airplane there, about 15 years ago, that was actually painted in BOAC colours and with BOAC name on it. I knew the owner, who himself was an enthusiast and also used to own the BEA Trident which used to be parked at Cranfield. That airplane has now gone, broken up I beleive, but what has happened to the little one in BOAC livery I dont know, I lost contact with the owner.

Bill