26 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors

Viscount Survivors


59 of the 444 Viscounts built survive as complete airframes or major components. Some are in very good condition and are looked after by museums while others are just wrecks. They can be found in 24 countries.

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Letter from HRH Prince Philip

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by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 99

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 99
Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)


Rhodesia flag Rhodesia

This V.748D series Viscount was built for
Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) as VP-YNB

It first flew on Saturday, 5 May 1956 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Kuwait Airways, Aden Airways, Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia, Zambia Airways and Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia

Photo of Viscount c/n 99
Air Zimbabwe


Zimbabwe flag Zimbabwe

Its final owner/operator was
Air Zimbabwe as Z-YNB.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and used for ground training at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe in December 1985.

Noted with '50 years of safe flying' painted on the fuselage in November 1997.

Advertised for sale in Flight Magazine in December 1997.

Noted robbed of all useful parts including the Dart engines and Dowty Propellers in December 1999.

Broken up for scrap circa January 2000. The actual date not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Operational record
Photo of Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

May 1956 to June 1958

Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

July 1954
Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) placed an order for five Type 748 Viscounts

They were powered by Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines with a 47 seat high-density cabin.

They were also fitted with de Havilland propellers, which was the first application to a production Viscount.

Production Order No. F02/748. Sales Order No. F02/67B. Stock Order No. F47/27B.

Production Aircraft No. 115 - the 115th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 74th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 77th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

9 July 1955
Rear fuselage section assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

10 August 1955
Front fuselage section assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

27 November 1955
Fuselage section assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

16 January 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

5 May 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

17 May 1956
Delivered to Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) named as 'R M A 'Matopos',

Matopos is near Bulawayo with a large National Park known as Matobo.

28 May 1956
'Getting the bugs out' is standard procedure whenever anything as complex as a brand new aircraft is delivered. The trouble with a new Vickers Viscount propjet was that the bugs would not go away. They were not, in fact, aircraft-type bugs at all, but a swarm of bees estimated at 75,000 which came out of nowhere soon after the plane had landed at Kentucky Airport, Salisbury, Rhodesia to take up happy residence inside one of its wings.

CAA mechanics scattered, and to remove them, the airline called in a local beekeeper, Jack Garrett. Blow smoke or gas into the wing, he advised. 'No' said the airline engineers: 'formic acid from the dead bees might damage the metal or the rubber in the fuel tanks'.

A man from Durban thought that garlic might help. A Londoner suggested tying a horse under the wing. 'Bees', he wrote, 'don't like the smell of horses, but wrap him carefully so he won't get stung'. A local housewife urged the airline to give the bees a good whiff of bruised lemon tree leaves.

The airlines chief pilot decided on more drastic action. He and his co-pilot flew skyward to 17,000 feet where they bumped and banked the plane around but when they got down again, the bees were still happily humming inside the wing.

By the end of the week the airline officials decided that there was nothing to do but wheel their brand-new plane into a hangar and take the wing apart.

11 June 1956
Departed from Lusaka, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland for three local publicity flights flown by CAA Captain Beck.

It was then flown to Livingstone, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland for one more local publicity flight flown by CAA Captain Beck.

circa early 1957
Weather radar installed by Marshall's at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England.

22 June 1957
Total time 2,352:49 hours.

30 September 1957
Total time 3,008:18 hours.

4 June 1958
Leased to Kuwait Airways.


Photo of Kuwait Airways Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

June 1958 to August 1958

Kuwait Airways

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

4 June 1958
Leased from Central African Airways Corporation (CAA).

August 1958
Returned to Central African Airways Corporation (CAA).


Photo of Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

August 1958 to January 1964

Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

August 1958
Returned from Kuwait Airways lease to replace crashed Viscount VP-YNE (C/N 102).

5 January 1959
Operated CE843 service from Salisbury International Airport, Rhodesia to Kumalo Airport, Bulawayo, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland with the Mayor and Mayoress of Bulawayo on board for the official opening of the new airport.

This new airport replaced the old Kumalo Airport. VP-YND (C/N 101) had operated the first service on the previous day.

It was flown by Captain Orbell and his crew.

11 November 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

22 May 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

23 May 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

27 May 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

28 May 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

30 May 1963
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1 June 1963
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

12 September 1963
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

14 September 1963
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1 December 1963
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1 December 1963
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1 January 1964
Leased to Aden Airways.

Actual lease date not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Aden Airways Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1964 to May 1964

Aden Airways

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

1 January 1964
Leased from Central African Airways Corporation (CAA), probably to cover the heavy maintenance being carried out on an Aden Airways Viscount in Salisbury, Rhodesia.

1 May 1964
Returned to Central African Airways Corporation (CAA).


Photo of Air Malawi Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

March 1964 to January 1968

Air Malawi

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

1964 - January 1968
Owned by Central African Airways (CAA) and often operated by them on behalf of Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia and Zambia Airways when required.

At this time the Central African Airways (CAA) Viscounts were fitted with removable nameplates that were easily installed to both sides of the rear fuselage.

An ingenious quick release system held these nameplates in place as they were regularly changed over to suit the next airline departure schedule.


Photo of Air Rhodesia Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

March 1964 to January 1968

Air Rhodesia

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered
Operated as Central African Airways (CAA), Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia and Zambia Airways.
Operated as
Central African Airways,
Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia
and Zambia Airways

1964 - January 1968
Owned by Central African Airways (CAA) and often operated by them on behalf of Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia and Zambia Airways when required.

At this time the Central African Airways (CAA) Viscounts were fitted with removable nameplates that were easily installed to both sides of the rear fuselage.

An ingenious quick release system held these nameplates in place as they were regularly changed over to suit the next airline departure schedule.


Photo of Zambia Airways Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

March 1964 to January 1968

Zambia Airways

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

1964 - January 1968
Owned by Central African Airways (CAA) and often operated by them on behalf of Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia and Zambia Airways when required.

At this time the Central African Airways (CAA) Viscounts were fitted with removable nameplates that were easily installed to both sides of the rear fuselage.

An ingenious quick release system held these nameplates in place as they were regularly changed over to suit the next airline departure schedule.


Photo of Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

May 1964 to January 1967

Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

1 May 1964
Returned from Aden Airways lease. Noted back in service with non-standard lettering applied to the upper fuselage and a smaller registration. The national flag on the tail had not been re-instated after the demise of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 31 December 1963.

circa June 1964
Seen at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England in company with Central African Airways (CAA) Douglas DC-6B I-DIMT which was on lease from Alitalia between 1963 and 1965. This was probably a charter flight supporting the DC6B as the Viscount had previously always operated into Heathrow before the service was stopped in 1960.

circa January 1965 to January 1968
Operated by Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) or on behalf of Air Malawi or Air Rhodesia or Zambia Airways as required. The CAA titles had now been removed.

At this time the CAA Viscounts were fitted with removeable nameplates that were easily installed to both sides of the rear fuselage. An ingenious quick release system held these nameplates in place as they were regularly changed over to suit the next departure schedule.

1 June 1966
Central African Airways (CAA) celebrated their 20th anniversary and a special set of four stamps was issued featuring the de Havilland Dragon Rapide, Douglas DC3, Vickers Viscount and the BAC One-Eleven.

1 January 1967
Leased to Air Malawi in full livery.


Photo of Air Malawi Viscount 7Q-YKO

Country of Registration Malawi

January 1967 to January 1968

Air Malawi

7Q-YKO - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Malawi registered

1 January 1967
Leased from Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) in full Air Malawi livery.

At some point the aircraft was wet leased to DETA in Mozambique for three months but remained in full Air Malawi livery.

1 January 1968
Returned to Air Rhodesia.


Photo of Air Rhodesia Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1968 to June 1979

Air Rhodesia

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered
Painted in the Air Rhodesia 'Blue Flash' livery.
Air Rhodesia
'Blue Flash' livery

1 January 1968
Returned from Air Malawi lease. It had been leased from Central African Airways Corporation (CAA).

24 May 1968
Total time 25,016:05 hours.

26 November 1969
Total time 27,811:00 hours.

1974
Painted in a later livery (copying the Boeing 720 aircraft acquired from Calair) and now named as 'Shangani', which is a river in Rhodesia.

Painted in the Air Rhodesia 'Grey Nose' livery.
Air Rhodesia
'Grey Nose' livery

March 1979
Painted in a grey anti-missile livery after a surface-to-air (SAM) missile attack on Viscount VP-YND (C/N 101), and fitted with deflectors on the engine jet pipes to try and prevent a SAM missile from locking on using its heat sensors.

June 1979
Transferred to Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia due to a country name change.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Zimbabwe Rhodesia

June 1979 to February 1980

Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Zimbabwe Rhodesia registered

June 1979
Transferred from Air Rhodesia due to a country name change.

December 1979
Noted in a revised livery with cheatlines that join together at the nose and named 'Shangani'.

February 1980
Transferred to Air Zimbabwe due to a country name change.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount VP-YNB

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

February 1980 to October 1983

Air Zimbabwe

VP-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

February 1980
Transferred from Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia due to a country name change.

Re-painted in Air Zimbabwe livery but no longer named.

27 February 1980
Total time 44,127:52 hours.

13 April 1980
Total time 44,233:52 hours.

October 1983
Re-registered Z-YNB.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount Z-YNB

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

October 1983 to January 2000

Air Zimbabwe

Z-YNB - c/n 99 - a V.748D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

October 1983
Re-registered from VP-YNB.

Noted at Harare in an experimental livery that was not adopted.

December 1984
Noted at Harare International Airport, Zimbabwe in an experimental livery that was not adopted and the aircraft was never operated as such.

December 1985
Withdrawn from service and used for ground training at Harare International Airport, Zimbabwe.

November 1997
Noted with '50 years of safe flying' painted on the fuselage.

Noted robbed of all useful parts including the Dart engines and Dowty Propellers.

December 1997
Advertised for sale in Flight Magazine.

December 1999
Noted robbed of all useful parts including the Dart engines and Dowty Propellers.

circa January 2000
Broken up for scrap. The actual date not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at
Information@VickersViscount.net.


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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.