12 October 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 451

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 451
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)


China flag China

This V.843 series Viscount was built for
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as 402

It first flew on Thursday, 14 March 1963 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 525 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd


Photo of Viscount c/n 451
Bouraq Indonesia Airlines


Indonesia flag Indonesia

Its final owner/operator was
Bouraq Indonesia Airlines as PK-IVZ.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia in August 1993. Broken up for scrap circa June 2003.


Operational record
Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-ASDP

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1961 to July 1963

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ASDP - c/n 451 - a V.843 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

1 December 1961
After protracted negotiations, an order was placed by The Ministry of Foreign Trade through the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (Machimpex), on behalf of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The contract was for the supply of six Type 843 aircraft and spares at a total value of £4,500,000.

This was the first of six aircraft.

4 December 1961
US Government representatives (on behalf of President John F Kennedy and Secretary of State Dean Rusk) voiced their objections to this sale through the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (CoCom) at a meeting in Paris, France but were out-voted 7 to 4 by the participating countries.

As a result, the US Government would not allow any equipment manufactured in the USA or from companies from affiliated countries to be fitted to these aircraft.

This resulted in long delays in completing these aircraft compared to those without the equipment and spares restrictions.

8 November 1962
Due to the political nature of this order the aircraft was initially registered to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

14 March 1963
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

26 June 1963
A final test flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England was carried out prior to the issue of a UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA).

The aircraft was then transferred to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England prior to delivery.

The test flights totalled up to 31 hours and 40 minutes.

2 July 1963
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to CAAC with a British flight crew.

The aircraft was painted white with a polished metal lower half of the fuselage.

It was fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

It was noted at Palam Airport, Delhi and Dum Dum Airport, Calcutta, India on refuelling stops during the delivery to China.

6 July 1963
Arrived at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.

It was placed in a hangar belonging to the Royal Air Force. It clearly stayed here until the 14th July for some reason.

On the delivery sector from Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong to Canton (now Guangzhou), China it used the callsign '84301'.

14 July 1963
Arrived at Canton Airport, China.

16 July 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount 402

Country of Registration China

July 1963 to July 1974

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

402 - c/n 451 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

16 July 1963
Transferred from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd after delivery and registered as 402.

circa July 1974
Re-registered as B-402.


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount B-402

Country of Registration China

July 1974 to April 1983

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

B-402 - c/n 451 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

circa July 1974
Re-registered from 402.

David Carter illustration of Civil Aviation Administration of China Viscount B-402

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


1 November 1974
Total time 7,111:14 hours.

14 April 1983
Sold to Bouraq Indonesia Airlines.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount RP-C792

Country of Registration Philippines

April 1983 to August 1983

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

RP-C792 - c/n 451 - a V.843 series Viscount
Philippines registered

14 April 1983
Purchased from Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The sale was brokered through Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd (HAECO).

29 May 1983
Delivered to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Cengkareng, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia using a Philippine registration.

25 August 1983
Re-registered PK-IVZ.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount PK-IVZ

Country of Registration Indonesia

August 1983 to June 2003

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

PK-IVZ - c/n 451 - a V.843 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

25 August 1983
Re-registered from RP-C792.

22 March 1987
After landing at Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia the nose undercarriage leg collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway.

Repaired and returned to service.

7 June 1988
Whilst taxying at Menado International Airport, North Sulawesi, Indonesia it struck a CASA 212-200 belonging to Merpati Nusantara Airlines.

Repaired and returned to service.

Painted in the Bouraq 'White' livery circa 1990.
Painted in the Bouraq
'White' livery circa 1990

circa 1990
Painted in the Bouraq 'White' livery

6 November 1992
Total time 28,559 hours and 19,570 total landings.

circa August 1993
Withdrawn from service and stored at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Cengkareng, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

March 2000
Noted in very poor condition decaying rapidly from the high humidity and heavy rainfalls.

circa June 2003
Broken up for scrap.
The actual date is 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.