Vickers 806 Viscount 1/144

Vickers 806 Viscount 1/144

Author
Discussion

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Wednesday 5th May 2021
quotequote all
I've not posted any model builds on here for quite a while. I've been building quite a bit - but not finishing anything, until now.

This is the rather basic S&M kit which I had started a couple of years ago but decided to get on and finish during lockdown.

Sadly, the proprietor of S&M Models passed away suddenly over the weekend so this build has ended up being a bit of a tribute. Mel was a lovely chap and a regular attendee as a trader at numerous model shows. He will be missed.






r159

2,326 posts

81 months

Thursday 6th May 2021
quotequote all
Best dressed man at a model show ever.

Sad times.

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Friday 7th May 2021
quotequote all
Certainly compared to the usual scruff pots (which includes me, naturally).

CeramicMX5ND2

8,336 posts

80 months

Friday 7th May 2021
quotequote all
I remember many years ago doing a day-trip to Dublin from Luton to get a flight on this Viscount before they ceased passenger services in the UK.. Was a lovely experience...


Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Friday 7th May 2021
quotequote all
G-APEY. I think that was operated by Northeast in the early/mid ‘70s.

CeramicMX5ND2

8,336 posts

80 months

Saturday 8th May 2021
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
G-APEY. I think that was operated by Northeast in the early/mid ‘70s.
http://www.vickersviscount.net/Index/VickersViscount382History.aspx

hidetheelephants

27,774 posts

200 months

Saturday 8th May 2021
quotequote all
What was Virgin using it for?

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Saturday 8th May 2021
quotequote all
Virgin used Viscounts as feeder aircraft to fly people into Gatwick to connect with their early Virgin Atlantic flights.

The oil boom in the North Sea was also a boom for the Viscount as they became very useful as ferry aircraft to carry oil rig crews to and from Aberdeen. That's how a lot of Viscounts saw out their final days. Another end user was Royal Mail who used them for overnight mail deliver.




CeramicMX5ND2

8,336 posts

80 months

Saturday 8th May 2021
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
What was Virgin using it for?
Virgin were using an old Boeing 727 on the route Luton - Dublin, and the Viscount from Dublin back to Luton when I flew on it..
Not quite sure how the schedule worked using 2 different aircraft, but I knew the Viscount was coming to the end of it's life on passenger services, and I wanted to fly on one. I'd not flown on a 727 either, so that was a bonus smile

r159

2,326 posts

81 months

Saturday 8th May 2021
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Virgin used Viscounts as feeder aircraft to fly people into Gatwick to connect with their early Virgin Atlantic flights.

The oil boom in the North Sea was also a boom for the Viscount as they became very useful as ferry aircraft to carry oil rig crews to and from Aberdeen. That's how a lot of Viscounts saw out their final days. Another end user was Royal Mail who used them for overnight mail deliver.

I’ve taken one from Aberdeen to Sumbrugh on Shetland, I was the only one not in a immersion suit, remember looking around to see who was my size in case the worse happened....

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Sunday 9th May 2021
quotequote all
I've inherited a whole stack of these S&M Viscounts. The Viscount was one of the most successful British airliners (over 400 built) so they were operated in dozens of different colour schemes.

However, the next Viscount I build will be a Series 700, which was the original operational version and different in some significant ways to the later 800s.

I'd like to do either a BEA or Aer Lingus 700.




robemcdonald

9,127 posts

203 months

Sunday 9th May 2021
quotequote all
Great to see you posting again on this forum Eric. Lovely build as usual.

You might inspire me to get the cutting mat out again!

MarkwG

5,090 posts

196 months

Sunday 9th May 2021
quotequote all
CeramicMX5ND2 said:
hidetheelephants said:
What was Virgin using it for?
Virgin were using an old Boeing 727 on the route Luton - Dublin, and the Viscount from Dublin back to Luton when I flew on it..
Not quite sure how the schedule worked using 2 different aircraft, but I knew the Viscount was coming to the end of it's life on passenger services, and I wanted to fly on one. I'd not flown on a 727 either, so that was a bonus smile
It's a long while ago, but iirc the schedule was planned around the Viscount, but subbed in the 727 for peaks in load & maintenance issues with the Viscount, they were getting on a bit by then. The schedule didn't last long, there was some politics involved around access to Gatwick or Dublin & proving a point, I think, it seemed Virgins heart wasn't fully in it.

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
This is the 727 that Virgin used for a short time. I think it was in 1988.


CanAm

10,027 posts

279 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
My first flight in an airliner was in a Viscount from Southend to Ostend (Channel Airways??) on a cheap and cheerful Page & Moy trip to Le Mans.

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
Depends on when the trip was. Channel Airways went out of business in 1972. Their two Tridents were sold to BKS, which became Northeast and eventually British Airways.











CeramicMX5ND2

8,336 posts

80 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
Virgin also used this Boeing 727-200


CanAm

10,027 posts

279 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Depends on when the trip was. Channel Airways went out of business in 1972. Their two Tridents were sold to BKS, which became Northeast and eventually British Airways.
It was 1970. A glorious warm summer's day.....until the race started, then it piddled down!

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

122,853 posts

272 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
Very likely it was Channel then.

CanAm

10,027 posts

279 months

Monday 10th May 2021
quotequote all
Thanks Eric; I knew you'd know thumbup