Editing Vickers VC.1 Viking (section)

==Operational history==
[[File:BEA Viking 1B at Manchester.jpg|thumb|right|BEA Vickers Viking 1B G-AHPO "Venturer" at [[Manchester Airport]] in 1952]]

The first Viking was flown from Vickers' flight test airfield at Wisley, Surrey, by chief test pilot [[Joseph Summers|Joseph "Mutt" Summers]] on 22 June 1945 and the third aircraft built was delivered to BOAC at [[Bournemouth Airport|Hurn]] near Bournemouth on 20 April 1946. Upon the delivery of nine examples to BOAC for development flying, including the two remaining prototypes, [[British European Airways]] (BEA) was established on 1 August 1946 to operate airliners within Europe and these first VC.1 Vikings were transferred to the new [[airline]].<ref name="Taylor p39">Taylor 1983, p. 39.</ref>

After a trial flight from [[RAF Northolt|Northolt]] to [[Oslo]] on 20 August 1946 by the newly formed BEA, the first regular Viking scheduled service commenced between Northolt and [[Copenhagen Airport]] on 1 September 1946.<ref name="database p81">Chorlton ''Aeroplane Monthly'' Winter 2013, p. 81.</ref>

In all 163 Vikings were built. The initials "VC" stood for ''Vickers Commercial'',<ref>''Flight'' 24 May 1945</ref> echoing the "VC" precedent set by the earlier [[Vickers Vimy|Vimy Commercial]] of 1919. Vickers soon ceased to use the 'VC' letters, instead using type numbers in the 49x and 600 series, which indicated the specific customer airline.
[[File:Viking 1B VK500 Arab Legion Air Force BLA 04.55.jpg|thumb|right|Viking 1B of the Arab Legion Air Force (Jordan) at [[Blackbushe Airport]], Hants, in April 1955]]

BEA operated their large fleet of Vikings on many European and UK trunk routes for eight years. From 1951, the remaining fleet was modified with 36, instead of 27 seats, and named the "Admiral Class". BEA operated the Viking until late 1954, when the last was displaced by the more modern and pressurised [[Airspeed Ambassador]] and [[Vickers Viscount]].

BEA sold their Vikings to several UK independent airlines for use on their growing scheduled and charter route networks. Some were sold to other European operators. An ex-BEA Viking 1B was fitted out as a VIP aircraft for the [[Arab Legion]] Air Force, mainly for the use of the King of [[Jordan]].<ref>Martin 1975, p. 26.</ref> Most Vikings had been retired from service by the mid-1960s and there are now only six extant worldwide with two surviving examples in the UK, both being under long-term major restoration.