27 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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information@VickersViscount.net



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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 54

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 54
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Friday, 27 May 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
William C Wold & Associates and Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures)

Photo of Viscount c/n 54
Institute Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange (IAAG)


France flag France

Its final owner/operator was
Institute Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange (IAAG) as F-BMCF.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) and donated to a technical school at Merville-Calonne Airfield, near Lille, France in July 1975.

Externally restored by the technical students in 2006.

Noted still in poor external condition and now moved to a corner of the airfield 22 September 2022.14 June 2023 and still looking very shabby and now moved into the long grass. Still looking very shabby 14 June 2023 and now moved into the long grass.


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

Country of Registration Canada

June 1955 to March 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-TGQ - c/n 54 - 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 ninth one built.

Production Aircraft No. 58 - the 58th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 25th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 29th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F09/724. Sales Order No. F09/51B. Stock Order No. F03/22B.

With c/n 53 CF-TGP (608) is CF-TGQ c/n 54 (609) and CF-TGR c/n 55 (610).

20 October 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

1 December 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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.

27 May 1955
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

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.

5 June 1955
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.

The word 'Viscount' had not been added to the tail at this stage.

It then departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '609'.

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

6 June 1955
Departed from Keflavik Airport, Iceland to Bluie West One (BW1) Airfield, Southern Greenland (804 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (1482 nautical miles). They must have had a very strong tailwind to miss out Goose Bay!

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

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.

24 October 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 13,469 hours and 10,498 total landings.

10 January 1963
Flown to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada and withdrawn from service and stored.

2 March 1964
Sold to William C Wold & Associates.


Photo of William C Wold & Associates Viscount CF-TGQ

Country of Registration Canada

March 1964 to March 1964

William C Wold & Associates

CF-TGQ - c/n 54 - a V.724 series Viscount
Canada registered

2 March 1964
Purchased from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA).

William C Wold & Associates of New York claimed to be the world's largest broker of multi-engine aircraft.

6 March 1964
Sold to Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures).


Photo of Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) Viscount F-BMCF

Country of Registration France

March 1964 to July 1975

Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures)

F-BMCF - c/n 54 - a V.724 series Viscount
France registered

6 March 1964
Purchased from William C Wold & Associates.

Delivered via Keflavik Airport, Iceland and Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland to Orly Airport, Paris, France.

It was in a basic TCA livery less titles but carrying the French registration.

June 1964
French Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

1 July 1975
Withdrawn from service and donated to Institute Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange (IAAG).

Total time 33,759 hours and 29,489 total landings.


Photo of Institute Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange (IAAG) Viscount F-BMCF

Country of Registration France

July 1975 to

Institute Aéronautique Amaury de la Grange (IAAG)

F-BMCF - c/n 54 - a V.724 series Viscount
France registered

1 July 1975
Donated by Air Inter (Lignes Aériennes Intérieures) and moved to Calonne Airfield, near Merville, France for technical training use.

Restored by the IAAG technical studentss.

5 August 1975
French registration cancelled.

1 June 1989
Noted with the rudder removed.

6 September 1993
Noted with the rudder still removed.

June 2006
Noted being restored by the IAAG technical students as advised by Xavier Honore.

30 June 2007
Noted looking very smart after completion of the restoration work including a repaint.

31 July 2008
Noted looking a bit dilapidated with flat tyres.

22 September 2022
Noted still in poor external condition and now moved to a corner of the airfield.

It is parked with Boeing 727 F-BOJA and Sud SE-210 Caravelle F-GCVK.

The fate of all three aircraft must now be in doubt.


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.