VH-RML Vickers Viscount 818

VH-RML. Vickers Viscount 818. c/n 319.

Was also registered as: CU-T623; B-2019; PK-MVK.

This aircraft was ordered new by Cubana de Aviacion SA (Cubana)

Built at the Vickers-Armstrong (Aircraft) Limited, Weybridge, Surrey, England

First flown as CU-T623 - June 25, 1959

It was accepted by Cubana at Weybridge - August 20, 1959

Departed Weybridge on the ferry flight to Cuba as CU-N623 - August 20, 1959

Sold to Ansett-ANA via a broker - February 1962

The hand over of this aircraft was delayed until March due to the late arrival of the replacement Soviet airliner

The hand over was originally scheduled to take place at Havana, Cuba which was later rejected

The second choice was Miami, Florida but again this was rejected due to political reasons

The third choice for the official hand over was Nassau, Bahamas

The Ansett flight crew had already arrived in Nassau in February, having already spent time in Miami

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-RML - March 08, 1962

Registered to Ansett-ANA, Melbourne

It was originally configured with 52 seats but was later changed to 63 seats

Departed Nassau on the ferry flight to Australia - March 11, 1962

During the refuelling stop at Keflavik a fault was discoverd in one of the wing's bag fuel cells allowing fuel to escape

Tempory repairs were made on site and the aircraft proceeded to London

The defective fuel bag was removed and sent to the manufacturer for repairs - March 13, 1962

The arrival into London (Heathrow) was memorable as the microphone button jammed in the 'transmit' mode

This fault jammed all radio transmissions from London Tower until the fault was discovered and fixed

Departed London (Heathrow) on the ferry flight to Australia - March 16, 1962

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the ferry flight - March 22, 1962

Ferry route: Nassau - Moncton (New Brunswick) - Goose Bay - Sondrestromfjord - Keflavik - Heathrow - Rome -

Athens - Damascus - Bahrain - Karachi - Ahmadabad - Calcutta - Bangkok - Saigon - Zamboanga -

Biak - Darwin - Alice Springs - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains K. Ashmead, K. McKinlay, E. Smith; Navigator W. C. Kennedy; LAME R. Hudson

Flight tested Melbourne (Essendon) following extensive maintenance and repaint - May 24, 1962

Operated its first revenue service - May 27, 1962

The aircraft sustained moderate damage when it landed at Brisbane with the nose wheel retracted - April 18, 1966

Repaired on site and returned to service

Transferred to Ansett Airlines of Australia - November 01, 1968

This aircraft was not repainted in the Ansett 'delta' livery

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd - November 25, 1969

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) as AN45 - December 05, 1969

Placed in open storage at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport having flown 22,719 hours

Sold to Far Eastern Air Transport (F.E.A.T.) - May 18, 1970

This sale was brokered through Consolidated Aviation Holdings Pty Limited

Departed Melbourne (Essendon) on the ferry flight to Taiwan (Taipei) - May 19, 1970

Ferry route: Melbourne - Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin - Denpasar - Kota - Kinabalu - Manila - Taipei

Flight crew: Captain D. Mao (FEAT); Navigator W. C. Kennedy

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 22, 1970

Entered onto the Taiwanese Aircraft Register as B-2019 - May 22, 1970

Leased to PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines - April 03, 1975

Entered onto the Indonesian Aircraft Register as PK-MVK - ?

The aircraft was named 'Nias'

Returned to F.E.A.T. on termination of the lease - February 1983

Sold to Asia Aviation Services - February 1983

Ferried Taipei - Kaohsiung for storage - February 1983

Transported in a semi-derelict condition to an amusement park at Touliu, Taiwan - February 1987

Dismantled and removed from the amusement park and broken up for scrap - 2003

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the 'V-832' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1965.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-112.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the 'V-832' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-437.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the 'V-832' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1965.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-416.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the 'V-832' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1966.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-132.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 0129-235.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-169.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-257.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-195.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-492.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-326.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, February 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-236.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Brisbane Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-065.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Brisbane Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-093.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-493.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-494.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-495.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Kingsford Smith Airport, June 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0129-496.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the final livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, September 1969.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-377.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, March 01, 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-379.)

VH-RML. Ansett-ANA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, April 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-378.)

VH-RML. Far Eastern Air Transport - in the basic livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, May 1970.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0129-376.)

B-2019. Far Eastern Air Transport - in the standard livery at Taipei Airport, October 1972.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-242.)

PK-MVK. MVA Merpati Nusantara Airlines - 'Nias' in the standard livery at Jakarta Airport, July 1978.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-123.)

PK-MVK. Merpati Nusantara Airlines - 'Nias' in the revised livery at Jakarta Airport, October 1980.