26 July 2024
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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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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 189

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 189
Union of Burma Airways


Burma flag Burma

This V.761D series Viscount was built for
Union of Burma Airways as XY-ADG

It first flew on Tuesday, 27 August 1957 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Burma Airways Corporation, Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd, Swazi Air, Air Botswana, Royal Swazi National Airways and United Air


Photo of Viscount c/n 189
MMM Aero Services (3MAS)


Zaire flag Zaire

Its final owner/operator was
MMM Aero Services (3MAS) as 9Q-CVL.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at N'dolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire in March 1991. Broken up for scrap after spares recovery in May 1991.


Operational record
Photo of Union of Burma Airways Viscount XY-ADG

Country of Registration Burma

September 1957 to December 1972

Union of Burma Airways

XY-ADG - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Burma registered

circa 1955
This was the 2nd Type 761 ordered by Union of Burma Airways.

Production Aircraft No. 214 - the 214th production Viscount built,
was the 166th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 169th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F02/761. Sales Order No. F02/79B. Stock Order No. F07/32B.

1 March 1957
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

30 April 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

27 August 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

David Carter illustration of Union of Burma Airways Viscount XY-ADG

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


2 September 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training and ILS approaches.

3 September 1957
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training and ILS approaches.

26 September 1957
Delivered to Union of Burma Airways fitted with extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks.

circa May 1959
Noted back at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England for modification work with Vickers.

During this visit the extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks were not fitted which seems very strange as they would have been useful during the journey from Burma.

December 1972
Transferred to Burma Airways Corporation due to a company name change.


Photo of Burma Airways Corporation Viscount XY-ADG

Country of Registration Burma

December 1972 to June 1976

Burma Airways Corporation

XY-ADG - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Burma registered

December 1972
Transferred from Union of Burma Airways due to a company name change.

24 June 1976
Sold to Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd.


Photo of Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT) Viscount ZS-JVY

Country of Registration South Africa

June 1976 to July 1976

Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT)

ZS-JVY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
South Africa registered

24 June 1976
Purchased from Burma Airways Corporation.

It was then noted at Salisbury International Airport, Kentucky, Rhodesia in the ex Burma Airways livery at an Air Rhodesia maintenance facility undergoing maintenance and a repaint before being leased to Swazi Air.

July 1976
Leased to Swazi Air.


Photo of Swazi Air Viscount ZS-JVY

Country of Registration South Africa

July 1976 to March 1979

Swazi Air

ZS-JVY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
South Africa registered

July 1976
Leased from Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd in the basic 'AT' green and white livery.

1 August 1977
Total time 21,648:57 hours.

24 October 1978
Total time 22,331:16 hours.

1 March 1979
Sub-leased to Air Botswana.


Photo of Air Botswana Viscount ZS-JVY

Country of Registration South Africa

March 1979 to May 1979

Air Botswana

ZS-JVY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
South Africa registered

1 March 1979
Leased from Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd, sub-leased from Swazi Air.

29 May 1979
Re-registered A2-ABY.


Photo of Air Botswana Viscount A2-ABY

Country of Registration Botswana

May 1979 to January 1981

Air Botswana

A2-ABY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Botswana registered

29 May 1979
Re-registered from ZS-JVY.

27 July 1980
During a flight from Mongu Airport, Western Province, Zambia to Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe there was a problem with the No.3 starboard inner Rolls-Royce Dart engine during the cruise. Initially there was a low torque warning and the throttle for this engine retarded which can either mean genuine low engine power or a failure within the reduction gearbox. First Officer Roger Beresford decided to slam the throttle open but this resulted in the engine auto-feathering due to zero torque at a high throttle position.

Captain Casey Willford restarted the engine but there was still no torque pressure on the gauge so he feathered the engine and returned on three engines to Mongu.

After landing and unloading of 56 passengers and luggage the engine cowls for the No.3 engine were opened and Casey was amazed that there was a hole in the Reduction Gearbox Casing the size of his fist. He felt that they were lucky that the Gearbox remained attached to the engine as a runaway propeller could have caused a lot of damage to the airframe.

The initial loss of torque pressure with an immediate feathering of the propeller may well have prevented some of the damage seen to the Reduction Gearbox. Annulus Gearwheel failures and Layshaft forward bearing skid failures were something that Rolls-Royce was trying to prevent by modifications and developing new methods of manufacture over the years.

The passengers and crew were accomodated overnight in the local school.

Engine replaced and the aircraft returned to service.

circa January 1981
Returned to Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd.


Photo of Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT) Viscount A2-ABY

Country of Registration Botswana

January 1981 to February 1981

Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT)

A2-ABY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Botswana registered

circa January 1981
Returned from Swazi Air lease / Air Botswana sub-lease.

circa February 1981
Leased to Royal Swazi National Airways.


Photo of Royal Swazi National Airways Viscount 3D-ACV

Country of Registration Swaziland

January 1981 to January 1983

Royal Swazi National Airways

3D-ACV - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Swaziland registered

circa February 1981
Leased from Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd. In full Royal Swazi National Airways livery to replace their Fokker F-28 Fellowships.

circa January 1983
Returned to Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd.


Photo of Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT) Viscount ZS-JVY

Country of Registration Swaziland

January 1983 to February 1983

Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd (AT)

ZS-JVY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Swaziland registered

circa January 1983
Returned from Royal Swazi National Airways lease.

Noted temporarily operational in a basic white livery.

circa February 1983
Sold to United Air.


Photo of United Air Viscount ZS-JVY

Country of Registration South Africa

February 1983 to July 1986

United Air

ZS-JVY - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
South Africa registered

circa February 1983
Purchased from Aviation Hire & Travel Pty Ltd.

July 1986
Sold to MMM Aero Services (3MAS).


Photo of MMM Aero Services (3MAS) Viscount 9Q-CVL

Country of Registration Zaire

July 1986 to May 1991

MMM Aero Services (3MAS)

9Q-CVL - c/n 189 - a V.761D series Viscount
Zaire registered

July 1986
Purchased from United Air.

January 1987
Seen at Ndolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire in an all white livery.

March 1991
Withdrawn from service and stored at Ndolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire.

May 1991
Broken up for scrap after spares recovery.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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