20 April 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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.


Share your photos and stories

Live Magazine


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.

Contact us

information@VickersViscount.net



Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE

Membership details


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


This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 48

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 48
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)


Australia flag Australia

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

It first flew on Thursday, 23 December 1954 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Ansett-ANA

Photo of Viscount c/n 48
Sims Metal Ltd


Australia flag Australia

Its final owner/operator was
Sims Metal Ltd as VH-TVE.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) and stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in April 1967 and robbed of all useful parts.

Remains sold to Sims Metal Ltd and broken up in sections 18 December 1969 and moved to their yard at Brooklyn, Western Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


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

Country of Registration Australia

January 1955 to March 1960

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVE - c/n 48 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

June 1952
This was the fifth 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. 45 - the 45th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 11th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 20th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F05/720. Sales Order No. F05/88A. Stock Order No. F17/21B.

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

12 June 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).

23 December 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

12 January 1955
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'Charles Sturt'.

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

Charles Sturt was born in Bengal, British India 1n 1795 and sailed to Australia in 1827 with a consignment of convicts. In 1828 he started to explore the area of the Macquarie River in western New South Wales. The courses of the Macquarie, Bogan and Castlereagh rivers had been followed and the Darling River had therefore been discovered. Several other expeditions took place at later dates. He died in 1869.

Charles Sturt
Charles Sturt

21 January 1955
Arrived at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

2 February 1955
Entered TAA service.

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.

30 April 1957
Landed at Townsville, Queensland, Australia with the nose undercarriage leg still retracted resulting in shockload damage to the propellers and Rolls-Royce Dart engines and lower fuselage skin in the nose area.

The actuating jack had become detached from the undercarriage leg due to metal fatigue in an attachment component.

There were no reported injuries to the 43 passengers and 4 crew on board.

Repaired and returned to service.

August 1958
Awarded a plaque by Vickers-Armstrongs to commemorate the fact that this was the first TAA aircraft to reach 10,000 hours. It was also the first TAA aircraft to reach 20,000 hours. This plaque still exists in the TAA museum in Melbourne, Australia.

6 March 1960
Dry leased (i.e. without crews) 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-TVC (C/N 46) 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-TVE

Country of Registration Australia

March 1960 to October 1966

ANSETT-ANA

VH-TVE - c/n 48 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

6 March 1960
Dry leased (i.e. without crews) 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-TVC (C/N 46) 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'.

Initially operated with a 48 first class seat configuration.

23 February 1961
Noted with a 19 tourist seat / 32 first class seat configuration.

19 October 1961
Operated the first ANSETT-ANA Adelaide-Darwin-Adelaide service. The crew consisted of Captain Charles Lister, Captain Ray Stanton and Captain R Grimes with Shirley Lees as one of the cabin crew.

circa 1962
Weather radar was installed as a result of the accident to VH-TVC (C/N 46) and a subsequent Australian Airworthiness Directive.

12 October 1966
Returned to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).


Photo of Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) Viscount VH-TVE

Country of Registration Australia

October 1966 to December 1969

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVE - c/n 48 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

12 October 1966
Returned from ANSETT-ANA lease.

Repainted in full TAA livery and now named as 'John Ross'.

John Ross was born in Scotland in 1817 and emigrated to Australia in 1837. He first gained employment as a shepherd. In 1838 he joined Charles Bonney in the first cattle drive from the Goulburn River to Adelaide. In South Australia he successfully managed several large sheep properties and conducted exploration of the area. In 1869 he explored the Stevenson River to Eringa and Mount Humphries. In 1870 he lead an exploration of the route for the Australian Overland Telegraph Line and ventured across the MacDonnell Ranges, the Simpson Desert, the Phillipson and Giles Creeks and the Fergusson Ranges before they finally arrived at the Todd River. He died in February 1903.

John Ross
John Ross

23 October 1966
Returned to service with TAA from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria to Launceston, Tasmania as flight number TN441.

2 April 1967
Withdrawn from service and stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

20 January 1968
Returned to service.

1 April 1968
Withdrawn from service and stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Total time 29,383 hours and 21,680 total landings.

A sale to Keegan Aviation Ltd in the UK was not completed.

It was subsequently robbed of all useful parts, particularly the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

December 1969
Remains sold to Sims Metal Ltd.

30 January 1970
Registration cancelled.


Photo of Sims Metal Ltd Viscount VH-TVE

Country of Registration Australia

December 1969 to December 1969

Sims Metal Ltd

VH-TVE - c/n 48 - a V.720 series Viscount
Australia registered

December 1969
Remains purchased from Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) for metal processing.

18 December 1969
Remains broken up into sections and moved to their yard at Brooklyn, Western Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


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.