The downing of Air Rhodesia Viscounts by ZIPRA in Zimbabwe's armed struggle: Debating the strategic logic
Journal: Southern Journal for Contemporary History
Year: 2025

On Sunday, 3 September 1978, VP-WAS Air Rhodesia Flight RH 825 Viscount “Hunyani” was shot down around 5:10 pm by a surface-to-air missile (Strela), killing 38 passengers on board, while 10 of the 18 survivors were shot dead by Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) guerrillas. On 12 February 1979, VP-YND Flight RH 827 Viscount “Umniati” was similarly downed by the same forces, killing all 59 passengers and crew on board. This article contributes to controversies surrounding the shooting d