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 455

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 455
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)


China flag China

This V.843 series Viscount was built for
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as 410

It first flew on Tuesday, 12 November 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 455
Bouraq Indonesia Airlines


Indonesia flag Indonesia

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

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia 7 February 1996. Broken up for scrap circa January 2004. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1961 to February 1964

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ASDU - c/n 455 - 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 fifth 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.

12 November 1963
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

The test flying accumulated 18 hours and 5 minutes.

15 January 1964
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

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

February 1964
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) Airport, China it used the callsign '84305'


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount 410

Country of Registration China

February 1964 to July 1974

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

410 - c/n 455 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

19 February 1964
Transferred from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd after delivery and registered as 410.

19 February 1964
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

22 March 1964
Air tested at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong which lasted for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

30 March 1964
Air tested at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong which lasted for 1 hour.

1 April 1964
Ferried from Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong to Canton Airport, China.

15 April 1964
Total time 52:55 hours.

27 August 1965
Total time 750:05 hours.

28 September 1966
Total time 1,222:05 hours.

26 September 1967
Total time 1,435:35 hours.

21 September 1968
Total time 1,641:10 hours.

30 October 1969
Total time 1,894:55 hours.

circa July 1974
Re-registered as B-410.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Viscount B-410

Country of Registration China

July 1974 to May 1983

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

B-410 - c/n 455 - a V.843 series Viscount
China registered

circa July 1974
Re-registered from 410.
The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

15 October 1978
Total time 3,800:00 hours.

9 May 1983
Sold to Bouraq Indonesia Airlines.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount RP-C795

Country of Registration Philippines

May 1983 to August 1983

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

RP-C795 - c/n 455 - a V.843 series Viscount
Philippines registered

9 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, Indonesia using a Philippine registration.

27 August 1983
Re-registered PK-IVY.


Photo of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount PK-IVY

Country of Registration Indonesia

August 1983 to January 2004

Bouraq Indonesia Airlines

PK-IVY - c/n 455 - a V.843 series Viscount
Indonesia registered

27 August 1983
Re-registered from RP-C795.

16 November 1984
Damaged when the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Repaired and returned to service.

David Carter illustration of Bouraq Indonesia Airlines Viscount PK-IVY

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


9 November 1992
Noted at Husein Sastranegara Airport, Bangdung, West Java, Indonesia undergoing major maintenance work to replace a cracked wing spar.

7 Februrary 1996
Withdrawn from service and stored at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Cengkareng, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.

June 2002
Noted in very poor condition suffering from the high humidity and heavy rain falls.

circa January 2004
Remains 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.