25 April 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 51

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 51
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

This V.724 series Viscount was built for
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as CF-TGN

It first flew on Thursday, 31 March 1955 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Canadian Schenley Ltd, Schenley Distillers Corporation, Kearney & Trecker Corporation, Boston Leasing Corporation, Eldee Inc, Fideliity Management Corp, Richard Jacobs, Purdue University, LRW Aircraft Sales Inc, Jeff Brinkenhoff, Go Transportation Inc and Wofford Aircraft Sales


Photo of Viscount c/n 51
James Stanley Leasing Company Inc


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
James Stanley Leasing Company Inc as N180RC.

Its fate:-
Converted to an executive V.744D by Timmins Aviation in 1963.

Noted stored at Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, USA in March 1989.

It was then gradually robbed of all other useful parts.

Finally broken up for scrap in July 1993.


Operational record
Photo of Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) Viscount CF-TGN

Country of Registration Canada

April 1955 to November 1963

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-TGN - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
Canada registered

November 1952
An order was placed by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) for fifteen Type 724 aircraft at a total cost of Can$11,500,000. This was the sixth one built.

Production Aircraft No. 52 - the 52nd production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 20th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 24th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F06/724. Sales Order No. F06/51B. Stock Order No. F20/21B.

24 August 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn, Bournemouth, Dorset, England.
Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn,
Bournemouth, Hampshire, England

11 October 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

31 March 1955
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

21 March 1955
TCA issued technical instruction V-05.04-1/1 to apply the word 'Viscount' to the tail section in 8.5 inch high red letters edged in white at the first opportunity.

7 April 1955
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.

8 April 1955
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '606'.

After refuelling at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland it then flew on to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (743 nautical miles) where it stoped overnight.

9 April 1955
Departed from Keflavik Airport, Iceland to Bluie West One (BW1) Airfield, Narsarsuaq, Southern Greenland (804 nautical miles), Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (672 nautical miles) where it stopped overnight.

BW1 was built during WWII to assist the transfer of military aircraft from North America to Europe and was opened in January 1942.

31 March 1955
Departed from Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada to Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).

2 June 1955
TCA issued technical instruction V-31.02-2/5 to apply the word 'Viscount' to the inside of the passenger loading door in 4 inch high red letters edged in white at the first opportunity.

The cabin seating was installed in Canada, as the seats used by TCA were of American manufacture.

The cabin was fitted out with 40 seats which was a reduction from the original 48 seat specification and provided more leg room.

This was heavily marketed and resulted in a high load factor compared to the 18 seat Douglas DC-3 that it replaced on some routes.

July 1956
Cabin interior changed to a two class 44 seat arrangement.

10 July 1957
TCA issued instructions that all Viscounts would be repainted in a 'White Top' livery when a suitable maintenance period became available.

28 August 1958
Scheduled to enter the Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada TCA maintenance facility for the replacement of the life expired wing lower inner spar boom at approximately 6300 landings for this component. This usually took 28 days to complete.

31 August 1960
Total time 13,874 hours and 10,774 total landings.

6 September 1962
Withdrawn from service (where?). Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

11 September 1962
Ferried to Timmins Aviation Limited at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada for conversion to V.744 standard with an executive interior. The conversion was arranged by William C Wold Associates.

24 June 1963
Noted outside the Timmins Aviation Limited facility at Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada now repainted in a smart executive livery.

Total time 18,180 hours and 14,913 total landings.

20 November 1963
Sold to Canadian Schenley Ltd.


Photo of Canadian Schenley Ltd Viscount CF-TGN

Country of Registration Canada

November 1963 to July 1964

Canadian Schenley Ltd

CF-TGN - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
Canada registered

20 November 1963
Purchased from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA). Canadian Schenley Ltd were primarily based in Quebec.

It was then converted to Type 744D standard by Timmins Aviation at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to comply with FAA regulations.

July 1964
Transferred to the Schenley Distillers Corporation.


Photo of Schenley Distillers Corporation Viscount N744W

Country of Registration United States

July 1964 to June 1965

Schenley Distillers Corporation

N744W - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

July 1964
Transferred from Canadian Schenley Ltd to the parent company based in the USA.

Re-registered to Schenley Distillers Corporation.

June 1965
Sold to the Kearney & Trecker Corporation.


Photo of Kearney & Trecker Corporation Viscount N1898M

Country of Registration United States

June 1965 to May 1969

Kearney & Trecker Corporation

N1898M - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

June 1965
Purchased from Schenley Distillers Corporation.

June 1965
Re-registered to Kearney & Trecker Corporation. This registration had previously been used on their executive Convair 240

May 1969
Sold to the Boston Leasing Corporation.


Photo of Boston Leasing Corporation Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

May 1969 to May 1969

Boston Leasing Corporation

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

May 1969
Purchased from the Kearney & Trecker Corporation.

May 1969
Re-registered to the Boston Leasing Corporation. The Kearney & Trecker Corporation wanted to retain registration N1898M so N1898S was selected as an easy alternative to paint onto the aircraft.

May 1969
Sold to Eldee Inc.


Photo of Eldee Inc Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

May 1969 to June 1969

Eldee Inc

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

May 1969
Purchased from the Boston Leasing Corporation.

circa June 1969
Sold to Fidelity Management Corporation. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Fideliity Management Corporation Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

June 1969 to October 1976

Fideliity Management Corporation

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

circa June 1969
Purchased from Eldee Inc. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

October 1976
Sold back to Eldee Inc.


Photo of Eldee Inc Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

October 1976 to January 1977

Eldee Inc

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

October 1976
Purchased from Fidelity Management Corporation.

January 1977
Sold to Richard Jacobs.


Photo of Richard Jacobs Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

January 1977 to September 1977

Richard Jacobs

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

January 1977
Purchased from Eldee Inc.

1 September 1977
Sold to Purdue University of West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.


Photo of Purdue University Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

September 1977 to December 1977

Purdue University

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

1 September 1977
Purchased from Richard Jacobs. Purdue University was located at West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

December 1977
Sold to LRW Aircraft Sales Inc.


Photo of LRW Aircraft Sales Inc Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

December 1977 to February 1978

LRW Aircraft Sales Inc

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

December 1977
Purchased from Purdue University.

16 February 1978
Sold to Jeff Brinkenhoff.


Photo of Jeff Brinkenhoff Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

February 1978 to October 1979

Jeff Brinkenhoff

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

16 February 1978
Purchased from LRW Aircraft Sales Inc.

14 October 1979
Sold to Go Transportation Inc. The purchase was dealt with by Ronald J Clark who was a partner in the Go Group of Companies.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N1898S

Country of Registration United States

October 1979 to October 1980

Go Transportation Inc

N1898S - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

14 October 1979
Purchased from Jeff Brinkenhoff. The purchase was dealt with by Ronald J Clark who was a partner in the Go Group of Companies.

October 1980
Re-registered N180RC.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N180RC

Country of Registration United States

October 1980 to October 1984

Go Transportation Inc

N180RC - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

October 1980
Re-registered from N1898S.

May 1981
Noted in a new bronze and beige executive livery.

September 1984
Converted to a 19 seat luxury configuration with video players and telephones.

October 1984
Sold to Wofford Aircraft Sales.


Photo of Wofford Aircraft Sales Viscount N180RC

Country of Registration United States

October 1984 to January 1988

Wofford Aircraft Sales

N180RC - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

October 1984
Purchased from Go Transportation Inc.

No operational history is known during this period. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

January 1988
Sold to James Stanley Leasing Company Inc.


Photo of James Stanley Leasing Company Inc Viscount N180RC

Country of Registration United States

January 1988 to July 1993

James Stanley Leasing Company Inc

N180RC - c/n 51 - a V.724 series Viscount
United States registered

January 1988
Purchased from Wofford Aircraft Sales.

5 March 1989
Noted stored at Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, USA minus several Rolls-Royce Dart engines, but otherwise complete.

It was then gradually robbed of all other useful parts.

July 1993
Remains finally broken up for scrap.


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.