Maitland Drewery Viking

Post by **Garry Russell** » 11 Nov 2006, 00:00

One of the lesser known operator of the Viking was Maitland Drewery

They operated two for one year before bering replaced by three ex Air France Viscounts

This one wore the Maitland livery as did the Viscounts but it appears that the other Viking (G-AJBX) remained in Continental livery.

Uploaded to Classic British Files, Flighsim.com and Simviation

Garry

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 11 Nov 2006, 01:14

Not Brewery???...

You never seem to stop....what talent.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 11 Nov 2006, 01:24

No Dan but it probably contained beer in a later life

Just trying to get a few more Vikings done to fill the Brit gaps as few seem to realise what a big part the tubby little chap played in aviation just after the war.

It was used to replaced Dakotas and was considered an improvement, which it was.

It was not so good on the grass runways so that meant the Dak tended to out live it in fleets but it was certainly faster and one of the more successful bomber adaptions

There were many small start ups with Viking mostly lasting a season or two then fading away.

And of course a Viking was the first ever pure jet powered transport and airliner when a proof of concept aircraft was used on tests.

The Viking deserved more recognition

Garry

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 11 Nov 2006, 01:33

It shines through, that you have a soft spot for the little fella' ;-)

Brilliant work

Post by **Garry Russell** » 11 Nov 2006, 01:39

Cheers Dan

Garry

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 11 Nov 2006, 10:47

There were many small start ups with Viking mostly lasting a season or two then fading away.

Garry,

Your'e not wrong there. My four volumes of "British Independent Airlines since 1946" (and a set of these went for Â£26 on Ebay yesterday) shows lots of pictures of Vikings in different schemes.

Then you begin to realise that the same registrations keep re-occurring.

The problem about these pictures is that they are monochrome, so not much use for repainting unless you know the colours.

Ian

Post by **Garry Russell** » 11 Nov 2006, 11:25

HI Ian

Colour has been the problem all along but I have most of it sorted

There will be about another dozen to come on this project

And of course the other problem is trying to do the various airlines without repeating the registrations if possible.

Since a lot had differences on the various aircraft it is not really on to take a pic of one and paint it as another.

Some aircraft appear on lists but were never used either sold on or left in a corner for spares.

Others like the ex Queens flight bought by Tradair G-APOO, G-APOP, G-APOR were bought to fly one, keep another flying as back up and use the other for spares. They were found to be in such good condition all three went into service ASAP

Personally I only ever saw three Vikings all Channel Airways and since I have never been to Brookland the last time I ever clapped eyes on one was in the Summer of 1962.

So memory plays no part in these liveries

Garry