Vickers 806 Viscount G-APIM 1958
Aircraft Type History
The Vickers Viscount - the world's first turboprop airliner - was one of the few commercially successful aircraft of postwar Britain. First flight of the prototype was at Wisley on 16/7/1948 and the first (40 seat) production aircraft entered regular service with British European Airways (BEA) in 1953. Viscount production ceased in the early 1960s after 444 had been made.
Exhibit History
G-APIM ('IM), was one of the last Viscounts built at Brooklands. First flown from Brooklands on 4/6/1958 it was delivered to BEA named 'Robert Boyle' on 23/6/1958, serving with this airline until 1969. Briefly with Cambrian Airways in 1971-72, then British Airways from 1973-82, 'IM' joined British Air Ferries (BAF) at Southend in 1982. Flying again from July 1984 it was officially named 'Viscount Stephen Piercy' on 25/8/84 after the late Stephen Piercy of Addlestone Surrey. An accomplished aviation photographer, Stephen was founder and first editor of 'Propliner' magazine, but was tragically killed aged 26 at the Hanover Air Show on 20/5/84.
On 11/1/88, a Shorts 330 accidentally taxied into 'IM' at Southend. With the aircraft badly damaged, 'IM' was later offered to the Museum on 29/6/89. Dismantling, repair and reassembly
of 'IM' at Brooklands was carried out by Proteus Aero Services and the fuselage arrived via National Rescue on 11/2/90.
Ground equipment and missing parts were supplied by BAF and JRB Aviation and volunteers at Southend and Brooklands contributed too. By 1993 'IM' was restored and repainted.
Museum volunteers and the 'Friends of Viscount Stephen Piercy' continue to look after 'India Mike' today.
Data
Four 1,890 hp Rolls Royce Dart Rda7 Mk 520 engines; wing span 93ft 8ins (28.6m); length 85ft 8ins (26.1m); height 26ft 9ins (8.2m); carried 58 (later up to 71) passengers.
The Rolls Royce Dart Propeller Turbine Aero-Engine is a gas turbine which drives a propeller. It has no up or down moving parts such as pistons or valves and no intermittent explosions or exhausts. It achieves the ideal of rotary motion and continuous combustion, which produces high power with no vibration.
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