20 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

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
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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Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

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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 400

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 400
Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)


Brasil flag Brasil

This V.827 series Viscount was built for
Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) as PP-SRF

It first flew on Saturday, 6 December 1958 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA)

Photo of Viscount c/n 400
Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya


Uruguay flag Uruguay

Its final owner/operator was
Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya as CX-BJA.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA) in March 1982 and stored at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Donated to Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya 24 September 1984. It remained stored minus engines within the PLUNA maintenance area. Repainted in the latest PLUNA Boeing 737 fleet livery and put on display next to the terminal building in May 1990. By this time it had its engines and propellers refitted. Moved to a different area 15 November 2004. Moved to a grassy area in March 2005.

PLUNA ceased operating in July 2012. Moved to a storage ramp area in 2015.

Moved to a secure ramp area controlled by the Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (Uruguayan Air Force) 29 July 2017 and parked next to the Museo Aeronáutico hangar. Sadly, the interior had been vandalised and robbed during the years of storage in the grassy area near the perimeter fence. Volunteers from the Asociación Amigos del Museo Aeronáutico together with the help of Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (Uruguayan Air Force) personnel then started a slow process of restoring the interior of the aircraft including an extensive rebuild of the cockpit. At some point in the future the aircraft will be repainted in an authentic PLUNA livery.


Operational record
Photo of Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) Viscount PP-SRF

Country of Registration Brasil

December 1958 to November 1975

Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP)

PP-SRF - c/n 400 - a V.827 series Viscount
Brasil registered

6 December 1958
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

22 December 1958
Handed over to Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP) as a Type 827 fitted with integral front 'airsteps' and extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks.

It was then noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out crew training and ILS approaches.

Noted in service with the extended range 'slipper' fuel tanks removed.

14 April 1960
Total time 1,099 hours and 721 total landings.

16 February 1973
After landing at Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brasil the nose undercarriage leg collapsed resulting in curled inboard propellers and shockload damage to the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

The leg locking mechanism was found to be broken as a result of metal fatigue and possibly finally failed as a result of a heavier than normal landing on the nose leg.

There were no reported injuries to the passengers and crew on board.

Repaired and returned to service.

November 1975
Sold to Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA).


Photo of Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA) Viscount CX-BJA

Country of Registration Uruguay

November 1975 to September 1984

Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA)

CX-BJA - c/n 400 - a V.827 series Viscount
Uruguay registered

November 1975
Purchased from Viação Aérea São Paulo SA (VASP).

7 July 1976
During a crew training flight at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay, the aircraft touched down heavily on the nose undercarriage which broke the downlock mechanism. The pilot took off again and returned for an emergency landing. During the second landing the pilot held the nose up for as long as possible before it eventually settled on the runway.

There was minimal damage to the aircraft but the inner propellers were curled resulting in shockloading damage to the inner Dart engines.

Repaired and returned to service.

Noted at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Carrasco, Montevideo, Uruguay

4 December 1977
After landing at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay the port main undercarriage wheels locked and the aircraft veered to the left and came to a halt. During the subsequent taxying off of the runway the port propellers struck the ground resulting in shockload damage to the port Rolls-Royce Dart engines. For some reason the port main brakes were locked on before the aircraft landed.

Repaired and returned to service.

March 1982
The aircraft was withdrawn from service after the delivery of three new Boeing 737-2A3, CX-BON (22737), CX-BOO (22738) & CX-BOP (22739).

PLUNA had already operated one 737-2A3 CX-BHM (20299) since December 1969, but this was sold in May 1974.

A proposed sale to the Go Group Inc of Tucson, Arizona, USA as N490RC was not completed.

A proposed sale to Airgo Inc of Dallas, Texas, USA was not completed.

After the failure to sell the aircraft the propellers and R-R Dart engines were removed.

24 September 1984
Aircraft donated to Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya.

More details about PLUNA here: -www.pluna.uy/flota-historica/


Photo of Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya Viscount CX-BJA

Country of Registration Uruguay

September 1984 to

Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya

CX-BJA - c/n 400 - a V.827 series Viscount
Uruguay registered

24 September 1984
Acquired from Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA).

The aircraft remained stored at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay without titles or R-R Dart engines.

There were plans to dismantle the aircraft and transfer it 35 KM to a museum in the centre of Montevideo, Uruguay, but this was found to be impractical.

Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA) continued to take care of the aircraft within their maintenance area.

It was used by visiting school children and also for ground instruction purposes.

June 1986
Noted stored along with CX-BIZ (C/N 316) outside a Carrasco Airport maintenance hangar. Both were still without engines.

Painted in the latest PLUNA livery and put on display next to the terminal building.
Painted in the latest fleet livery

May 1990
Repainted in the latest Boeing 737 fleet livery by PLUNA and put on display next to the terminal building at Carrasco Airport, Montevideo, Uruguay.

By this time the R-R Dart engines and propellers had been re-installed.

Noted still in existence but now moved to a new location.

15 November 2004
Due to the expansion of the airport the owners ordered that the aircraft should be moved to a different area, away from the PLUNA maintenance base.

March 2005
The aircraft was moved to a grassy area near the airport perimeter where it started to sink into the soft ground. It was still externally complete with engines and propellers.

During this storage period the aircraft was regularly vandalised and many of the interior fittings were stolen, particularly within the cockpit and cabin areas.

5 July 2012
Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (PLUNA) ceased operating on instructions from the Uruguayan Government due to employee strike action and mounting financial difficulties.

Museo Aeronáutico - Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya took legal action to claim the aircraft back from the Government owned PLUNA assets. This was successful.

20 May 2015
Aircraft transferred to a storage ramp area alongside PLUNA Boeing 737-200 CX-BON.

29 July 2017
Aircraft transferred to a more secure area controlled by the Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (Uruguayan Air Force) Base 1 and parked outside the Museo Aeronáutico hangar.

A slow process of restoring the exterior of the aircraft.

Volunteers from the Asociación Amigos del Museo Aeronáutico together with the help of Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (Uruguayan Air Force) personnel then started a slow process of restoring the interior of the aircraft.

2 & 3 October 2021
The aircraft interior was finally open to the public for the 'Heritage Day' (Día del Patrimonio) celebrations and contains many items on display relating to the history of PLUNA.

There are future plans to repaint the aircraft in an authentic PLUNA livery.


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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