24 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.

Viscount history

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 100

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 100
Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)


Rhodesia flag Rhodesia

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

It first flew on Thursday, 24 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
Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia, Zambia Airways and Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia

Photo of Viscount c/n 100
Air Zimbabwe


Zimbabwe flag Zimbabwe

Its final owner/operator was
Air Zimbabwe as VP-YNC.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Air Zimbabwe and stored at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe in October 1983.

May have been re-registered Z-YNC on paper but this was never applied to the aircraft.

Broken up for scrap in March 1985.

A few recognisable parts were still noted lying around in November 1985.


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

Country of Registration Rhodesia

June 1956 to January 1968

Central African Airways Corporation (CAA)

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - 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. F03/748. Sales Order No. F03/67B. Stock Order No. F48/27B.

Production Aircraft No. 120 - the 120th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 82nd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 81st Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

18 January 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Noted in a later Central African Airways (CAA) livery.
Central African Airways (CAA)
later livery

8 March 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

8 June 1956
Delivered to Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England named as 'R M A Mlanje'.

17 June 1957
Seen at Kumalo Airport, Bulawayo, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland carrying out a rehearsal for the planned visit by the Queen Mother in July.

Kumalo Airport (locally spelt Khumalo) which was built during WW II was not normally suitable for a Viscount but with a light load on board this was made possible for this occasion. The actual Royal Tour flight was carried out by VP-YNE (C/N 102).

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

13 May 1960
Total time 8,789:54 hours.

12 January 1961
Total time 10,343:41 hours.

22 January 1961
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England from Rome, Italy to clear customs.

It then departed to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for maintenance with Marshall's.

1 August 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

2 August 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

9 August 1962
Total time 12,980:30 hours.

3 September 1962
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

13 May 1963
Total time 14,444:01 hours.

4 July 1963
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

6 July 1963
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

8 August 1963
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

10 August 1963
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England.

1964 - January 1968
Operated as Central African Airways Corporation (CAA), Air Malawi, Air Rhodesia and Zambia Airways.

At this time the 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 departure schedule.

20 July 1964
Total time 16,788:18 hours.

1 June 1966
Central African Airways Corporation (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 1968
Transferred to Air Rhodesia due to a corporate name change.


Photo of Air Malawi Viscount VP-YNC

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1964 to January 1968

Air Malawi

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - 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-YNC

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1964 to January 1968

Air Rhodesia

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - 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 Zambia Airways Viscount VP-YNC

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1964 to January 1968

Zambia Airways

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - 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-YNC

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1968 to June 1979

Air Rhodesia

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - a V.748D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered
Noted in later Air Rhodesia livery.
Air Rhodesia
'Blue Flash' livery

1 January 1968
Transferred from Central African Airways Corporation (CAA) due to a corporate name change.

8 February 1968
Noted at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa repainted in full Air Rhodesia livery.

9 May 1974
Noted at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa repainted in a later Air Rhodesia livery (copying the Boeing 720 aircraft acquired from Calair) and now named as 'Mazoe', which is a river in Rhodesia.

1 November 1974
Total time 35,608:46 hours.

6 February 1975
Total time 36,066:50 hours.

30 September 1975
Total time 36,974:53 hours.

30 January 1976
Total time 37,445:41 hours.

15 December 1978
Total time 41,257:13 hours.

Painted in grey anti-missile livery after the SAM-7 attack on Viscount VP-YND (C/N 101).
Air Rhodesia
'Grey anti-missile' livery

24 April 1979
Entered the maintenance hangar for a major check.

During this hangar visit it was painted in a grey anti-missile livery after a heat-seeking SAM-7 (Soviet 9K32 Cтрела (Arrow) Strela-2) surface-to air-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-YNC

Country of Registration Zimbabwe Rhodesia

June 1979 to February 1980

Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - a V.748D series Viscount
Zimbabwe Rhodesia registered

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

5 June 1979
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) renewed after a major check and repaint in a grey livery.

21 September 1979
Total time 42,201:01 hours.

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


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount VP-YNC

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

February 1980 to October 1983

Air Zimbabwe

VP-YNC - c/n 100 - a V.748D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

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

Repainted in the 'Calair' livery but no longer named.

28 May 1980
Total time 43,065:32 hours.

22 December 1980
Total time 43,941:37 hours.

7 July 1982
Total time 45,416:37 hours.

22 November 1982
Total time 45,834:22 hours.

October 1983
Withdrawn from service and stored at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe.

October 1983
It may have been re-registered Z-YNC on paper but this was never applied to the aircraft.
Was it actually registered as such with the Zimbabwean authorities?
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Withdrawn from service and stored at Harare International Airport, Zimbabwe.

March 1985
Broken up for scrap.

Total time 46,457 hours and 37,001 total landings.

November 1985
A few recognisable parts were still noted lying around.


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.