16 April 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 423

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 423
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines


Ireland flag Ireland

This V.808 series Viscount was built for
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines as EI-AKL

It first flew on Wednesday, 11 March 1959 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Air Commerz, Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) and Scibe Airlift Zaire


Photo of Viscount c/n 423
MMM Aero Services (3MAS)


Zaire flag Zaire

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

Its fate:-
Converted to V.808C cargo configuration that included the fitment of a double sized forward port door in June 1967 for Aer Lingus. Reported as withdrawn from service by MMM Aero Services and stored at Ndolo Airport, Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire in 1984. However, according to local villagers, in 1984 this Viscount force landed in a remote floodplain area of the Cuando river, which is also known as the Chobe river in South Eastern Angola having run out of fuel. This would explain the transfer of registration 9Q-CAN to C/N 14. The remains were still in existence on Google Earth 25 August 2018.


Operational record
Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AKL

Country of Registration Ireland

March 1959 to March 1970

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

EI-AKL - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Ireland registered

2 March 1956
Aer Lingus placed an order for six Type 808 aircraft.

11 March 1959
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

13 March 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out a single ILS approach and overshoot.

14 March 1959
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

20 March 1959
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Aer Lingus named as 'St Colmcille'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines, 70 seat configration and a fuel capacity of 1,940 imperial gallons.

21 November 1959
Noted at Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man uplifting fuel due to fuel strike issues on a service to and from the UK.

1 December 1959
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

26 August 1968
Departed from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland to Rome, Italy, carrying the Irish Olympic team on board.

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Line' livery.
Aer Lingus
'Green Cheat Line' livery

circa 1964
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green Cheat Line' livery.

24 December 1964
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a London Airport (Heathrow) weather diversion.

13 June 1967
Converted to Type 808C cargo configuration by Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL) at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

This included the fitment of double forward cabin doors on the port side to increase the loading access area.

It was still able to operate as a passenger aircraft if required.

11 January 1969
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England due to a Heathrow Airport weather diversion.

circa June 1969
Noted stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland along with several others.

31 March 1970
Sold to Air Commerz.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Air Commerz Viscount D-ADAM

Country of Registration Germany

March 1970 to September 1972

Air Commerz

D-ADAM - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Germany registered

31 March 1970
Purchased from Aer Lingus.

July 1970
Noted at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland now repainted in Air Commerz livery.

October 1970
Still noted at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

1 September 1972
Repossessed by Aer Lingus.


Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount D-ADAM

Country of Registration Germany

September 1972 to January 1973

Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines

D-ADAM - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Germany registered

1 September 1972
Repossessed from Air Commerz and stored at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland.

3 January 1973
Sold to the Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO).

The aircraft was overhauled by Field Aircraft Services Ltd at their East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England facility prior to delivery in full livery.

FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus



Photo of Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) Viscount 504

Country of Registration Oman

January 1973 to September 1976

Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO)

504 - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Oman registered

3 January 1973
Purchased from Aer Lingus.

March 1973
Noted at the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) facility at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England undergoing maintenance work before delivery to Oman.

Delivered to the Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO) with arabic serial ٥٠٤ (504).

Arabic serial ٥٠٤ (504) was going to be used on C/N 343 but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair 28 January 1972.

21 April 1976
Noted at Akrotiri Airport, Cyprus.

21 September 1976
Sold to Scibe Airlift Zaire.


Photo of Scibe Airlift Zaire Viscount 9Q-CBS

Country of Registration Zaire

September 1976 to January 1983

Scibe Airlift Zaire

9Q-CBS - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Zaire registered

21 September 1976
Purchased from the Air Force of the Sultanate of Oman (AFSO).

1 October 1976
Ferried from Hurn Airport, Dorset, England to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England still in full AFSO livery.

October 1976
Noted inside the Field Aircraft Services Ltd hangar having a partial repaint and Scibe logo and registration applied.

16 November 1976
Departed from East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England on delivery to Zaire, together with 9Q-CBT (C/N 421).

1 January 1983
Sold to MMM Aero Services (3MAS).


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

Country of Registration Zaire

January 1983 to November 1984

MMM Aero Services (3MAS)

9Q-CAN * - c/n 423 - a V.808 series Viscount
Zaire registered

1 January 1983
Purchased from Scibe Airlift Zaire.

1984
According to local villagers a Viscount force landed in a remote floodplain area of the Cuando river, which is also known as the Chobe river in South Eastern Angola.

Apparently it ran out of fuel and may well have been on a clandestine flight.

The occupants were rescued by the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) troops.

It is not known if there were any fatalities amongst the crew and passengers. It was also reportedly carrying arms, possibly for use by UNITA.

November 1984
Registration 9Q-CAN was transferred to C/N 14.

This was presumably because of the accident shown above.

29 April 2007
The remains were photographed by Google Earth and the poor quality image can be found using co-ordinates: - S16.09200° E21.83610°

21 January 2016
The remains of the Viscount were re-discovered by John Mendelsohn during a National Geographic aerial drone survey of that area using the river as a base.

Ground photographs show that the aircraft has a large forward freight door opening which relates back to its Aer Lingus days.

The area that the Viscount is situated is still heavily mined from previous conflicts and only locals that know the area can venture near to it to remove useful sheet aluminium and fittings.

25 August 2018
The remains are still visible on Google Earth.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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