27 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 454

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 454
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)


China flag China

This V.843 series Viscount was built for
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as 408

It first flew on Tuesday, 1 October 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 454
Bouraq Indonesia Airlines


Indonesia flag Indonesia

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

Its fate:-
Soon after takeoff from Sjamsudin Noor Airport, Banjarmansin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia a fire was noted in the No.2 engine nacelle and the crew shut down both port engines and feathered the propellers and set off the fire extinguisher bottles for the No.2 nacelle. They then declared an emergency and immediately returned for an overweight landing. The 6 crew and 64 passengers escaped serious injury during the emergency evacuation but the aircraft was destroyed and written off by the insurance assessors.


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1961 to December 1963

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ASDT - c/n 454 - 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 fourth 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.

1 October 1963
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

November 1963
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

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

December 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 '84304'.


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount 408

Country of Registration China

December 1963 to July 1974

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

408 - c/n 454 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

26 December 1963
Transferred from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd after delivery and registered as 408.

27 December 1963
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

25 December 1970
Total time 4,904:33 hours.

circa July 1974
Re-registered as B-408.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount B-408

Country of Registration China

July 1974 to May 1983

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

B-408 - c/n 454 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

circa July 1974
Re-registered from 408.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

3 May 1983
Sold to Bouraq Indonesia Airlines.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount RP-C793

Country of Registration Philippines

May 1983 to October 1983

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

RP-C793 - c/n 454 - a V.843 series Viscount
Philippines registered

3 May 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.

October 1983
Re-registered PK-IVX.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount PK-IVX

Country of Registration Indonesia

October 1983 to August 1992

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

PK-IVX - c/n 454 - a V.843 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

October 1983
Re-registered from RP-C793.

9 December 1983
Whilst taxiing at Manila International Airport, Philippines the starboard undercarriage dropped into a drainage hole resulting in damage to the starboard wing and three propellers causing shockload damage to the Rolls-Royce Dart RDa7 Mark 525F engines.

Painted in the Bouraq 'White' livery circa 1988.
Painted in the Bouraq
'White' livery circa 1988

circa 1988
Painted in the Bouraq 'White' livery

28 August 1992
Five minutes after takeoff from Sjamsudin Noor Airport, Banjarmansin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia a fire was noted in the No.2 engine nacelle and the crew shut down both port engines and feathered the propellers and set off the fire extinguisher bottles for the No.2 nacelle.

They then declared an emergency and immediately returned for an overweight landing.

The 6 crew and 64 passengers escaped serious injury during the emergency evacuation but the aircraft was destroyed by fire and written off by the insurance assessors.

Only the No.1 and No.2 Rolls-Royce Dart engines were salvaged from the remains for further service after an inspection and repairs.


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.