25 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors

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.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

Flight Magazine Reports

Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


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Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 46

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 46
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)


Australia flag Australia

This V.720 series Viscount was built for
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) as VH-TVC

It first flew on Wednesday, 17 November 1954 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.

Photo of Viscount c/n 46
ANSETT-ANA


Australia flag Australia

Its final owner/operator was
ANSETT-ANA as VH-TVC.

Its fate:-
Crashed into Botany Bay nine minutes after taking off from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on a service to Canberra. The aircraft broke up in clear air turbulence in an area where there were thunderstorms. The accident occurred at 19:25 local time 30 November 1961. All 4 crew and 11 passengers sadly lost their lives.


Operational record
Photo of Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) Viscount VH-TVC

Country of Registration Australia

December 1954 to March 1960

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVC - c/n 46 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

June 1952
This was the third Type 720 of six ordered by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).

The total value of the order was £1,934,000 including spare parts.

Production Aircraft No. 42 - the 42nd production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 9th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 17th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F03/720. Sales Order No. F03/88A. Stock Order No. F15/21B.

2 April 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

20 May 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

22 June 1954
Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission trading as Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).

17 November 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

8 December 1954
Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'John Oxley'.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.

circa 1957
Converted to Type 720C standard with a revised cockpit layout that included replacing the slatted direct vision windows, paddle type propeller blades and propeller synchronisation equipment.

7 March 1960
Dry leased (i.e. without crew) to ANSETT-ANA.

TAA received two Douglas DC-6B (VH-INH and VH-INU) on lease from ANSETT-ANA to cover the leasing of three Viscounts. The other two were VH-TVE (C/N 48) and VH-TVF (C/N 49).

This arrangement was imposed upon TAA by the Australian Government through its Department of Civil Aviation and certainly favoured ANSETT-ANA in having the use of more modern aircraft and was known as the 'Two Airlines Agreement'.


Photo of ANSETT-ANA Viscount VH-TVC

Country of Registration Australia

March 1960 to November 1961

ANSETT-ANA

VH-TVC - c/n 46 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

7 March 1960
Dry leased (i.e. without crew) from Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA). The daily charge was 160 pounds 18 shillings.

TAA received two Douglas DC-6B (VH-INH and VH-INU) on lease from ANSETT-ANA to cover the leasing of three Viscounts. The other two were VH-TVE (C/N 48) and VH-TVF (C/N 49).

This arrangement was imposed upon TAA by the Australian Government through its Department of Civil Aviation and certainly favoured ANSETT-ANA in having the use of more modern aircraft and was known as the 'Two Airlines Agreement'.

30 November 1961
Crashed into Botany Bay nine minutes after taking off from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on a service to Canberra. The aircraft broke up in clear air turbulence in an area where there were thunderstorms. The accident occurred at 19:25 local time. All 4 crew and 11 passengers sadly lost their lives.

Total time 16,942 hours and 12,010 total landings.

The cause of the accident was the failure of the starboard outer wing in an upward bending movement caused by the tensile overloading of the lower spar boom at station 323, probably induced by a combination of manoeuvre and gust loading when the speed of the aircraft was in excess of 260kts. The circumstances and available evidence suggests that the structural failure was preceded by a loss of control with a consequential increase in speed.

The most probable explanation for the loss of control is that the aircraft entered an area of unexpected clear air turbulence of such severity that it resulted in a loss of control and resultant structural failure.

This aircraft was not fitted with weather radar equipment which may have assisted the pilots in avoiding the worst of the weather although clear air turbulence is obviously something that cannot be foreseen or detected.


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.