VP-TAT  Vickers 657 Viking  1                        (c/n  119)

                                      
                                    
                                           In 1948 BWIA purchased five Vickers Vikings from British European Airways (later augmented
                                           by three more).  VP-TAT was the first and is seen here in its original all metal with light blue trim. 
                                           Both are Vickers publicity shots, the one above from the Austin Brown collection and the lower
                                           from my own.   The registration was also in light blue outlined in black (just forward of the door)
                                           and hence is difficult to discern against the natural metal finish.    This aircraft was later named
                                           "Trinidad" although that appears not have been applied when these photos were taken
                                       .   VP-TAT returned to the U.K. in 1957 and was registered back to its original G-AHOP.  After
                                           several charter owners it was broken up in 1962 at Hurn-Bournemouth.