27 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 452

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 452
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)


China flag China

This V.843 series Viscount was built for
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as 404

It first flew on Wednesday, 20 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 and Bouraq Indonesia Airlines


Photo of Viscount c/n 452
Indonesian Army


Indonesia flag Indonesia

Its final owner/operator was
Indonesian Army as PK-IVW.

Its fate:-
While landing at Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia 4 July 1988 during a rain storm and with a tailwind, the aircraft attempted a fast turn off of runway 07. It aquaplaned off of the runway collapsing the nose and starboard main undercarriage causing it to be declared as beyond economic repair.

The airframe was noted in a military controlled area in April 1999 about 11 KM northeast from Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia re-assembled on poles without engines or nacelles.

Noted repainted in a multi-colour camouflage livery in October 2007 with CEPAT SENYAP TEPAT titles.

Still noted on Google Earth 27 February 2018.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1961 to August 1963

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ASDR - c/n 452 - 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 second 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.

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

The test flying accumulated a total of 16 hours.

19 July 1963
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

At some point the aircraft was transferred to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England prior to delivery.

25 July 1963
Acceptance flight from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England which lasted for 40 minutes.

27 July 1963
A second acceptance flight from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England which lasted for 50 minutes.

30 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'.

On the delivery sector from Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong to Canton (now Guangzhou), China it used the callsign '84302'.

4 August 1963
Arrived at Canton Airport, China.

The delivery took 35 hours 10 minutes with 6 landings.

23 August 1963
Transferred from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd after delivery and registered as 404.

24 August 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount 404

Country of Registration China

August 1963 to July 1974

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

404 - c/n 452 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

23 August 1963
Transferred from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd after delivery and registered as 404.

24 August 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

30 August 1964
Total time 772:53 hours.

15 September 1964
Total time 836:25 hours.

circa July 1974
Re-registered as B-404.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount B-404

Country of Registration China

July 1974 to May 1983

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

B-404 - c/n 452 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

circa July 1974
Re-registered from 404.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

29 May 1983
Sold to Bouraq Indonesia Airlines.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount RP-C794

Country of Registration Philippines

May 1983 to September 1983

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

RP-C794 - c/n 452 - a V.843 series Viscount
Philippines registered

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

The sale was brokered through Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd (HAECO) who repainted the aircraft in Bouraq livery and carried out other maintenance work prior to its delivery to Indonesia.

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

September 1983
Re-registered PK-IVW.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount PK-IVW

Country of Registration Indonesia

September 1983 to January 1989

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

PK-IVW - c/n 452 - a V.843 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

September 1983
Re-registered from RP-C794.

4 July 1988
Whilst landing at Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia during a rain storm and with a tailwind the aircraft attempted a fast turn off from runway 07 but aquaplaned off the runway collapsing the nose and starboard main undercarriage and shockloading the starboard Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

All 5 crew and 71 passengers escaped without injury.

After an assessment the aircraft was found to be damaged beyond economic repair.

April 1999
The airframe was noted in a military controlled area about 11 KM northeast from Sepinggan Airport, Kalimantan, Balikpapan, Indonesia. It is mounted on poles and there are no engine nacelles. The Bouraq livery is very faded and the humidity has started to decay the paintwork.

Reports of this aircraft being transported to Bangdung for scrapping and then for some reason moving back to Balikpapan seem very unlikely as this would entail two long journeys across the Java Sea. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Indonesian Army Viscount PK-IVW

Country of Registration Indonesia

April 1999 to

Indonesian Army

PK-IVW - c/n 452 - a V.843 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

April 1999
Noted in a military controlled area about 11 KM northeast from Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia mounted on poles with the engines and nacelles removed.

Reports of this aircraft being transported to Bangdung for scrapping and then for some reason moving back to Borneo seem very unlikely as this would entail two long journeys across the Java Sea.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Repainted in a multi-colour camouflage livery.

14 October 2007
Noted repainted in a multi-colour camouflage livery, still within a military controlled area.

Titles on the fuselage are CEPAT SENYAP TEPAT which translates to Fast Silent Accurate and is the motto of an army commando unit known as the Batalyan Raiders 600. Their unit badge is painted on the forward fuselage.

27 February 2018
Noted still in existence on Google Earth at location 1 degree 12’ 34.20” S and 116 degrees 58’ 30.40” E.


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.