20 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 56

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 56
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Saturday, 2 July 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
Air Canada


Photo of Viscount c/n 56
Chisick Metals Ltd


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
Chisick Metals Ltd as CF-TGS.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Air Canada and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada in April 1971.

Remains purchased by Chisick Metals Ltd for metal salvage in June 1973.

Broken up for scrap circa July 1973. The actual date is unknown. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration Canada

July 1955 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-TGS - c/n 56 - 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 eleventh one built.

Production Aircraft No. 64 - the 64th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 33rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 34th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F11/724. Sales Order No. F11/51B. Stock Order No. F05/22B.

12 December 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

21 February 1955
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.

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.

2 July 1955
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

8 July 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.

10 July 1955
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '611'.

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

11 July 1955
Departed from Keflavik Airport, Iceland to Bluie West One (BW1) Airfield, Southern Greenland (804 nautical miles), Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (672 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).

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.

16 January 1959
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 6500 landings for this component. This usually took 28 days to complete.

31 August 1960
Total time 13,195 hours and 10,280 total landings.

1 June 1964
Transferred to Air Canada due to a corporate name change.


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-TGS

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to June 1973

Air Canada

CF-TGS - c/n 56 - a V.724 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 June 1964
Transferred from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) due to a corporate name change retaining fleet number '611'.

It took several years to repaint the fleet in Air Canada livery.

21 May 1969
Noted at Heathrow Airport, London, England. It had returned to the UK for modification work and wing spar replacement by Field Aircraft Services Ltd.

The Air Canada maintenance facility at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada was very busy so this aircraft and CF-THS (C/N 279) came to the UK.

Air Canada Viscount at Heathrow.
Air Canada Viscount
at Heathrow for maintenance

19 June 1969
Noted at Heathrow Airport, London, England being prepared for its journey home.

17 April 1971
Flown to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada and withdrawn from service and stored.

Total time 34,356 hours and 32,745 total landings.

It was then robbed of all useful parts.

June 1973
Remains sold to Chisick Metals Ltd of Logan Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.


Photo of Chisick Metals Ltd Viscount CF-TGS

Country of Registration Canada

June 1973 to September 1973

Chisick Metals Ltd

CF-TGS - c/n 56 - a V.724 series Viscount
Canada registered

June 1973
Remains purchased from Air Canada for metal salvage.

circa July 1973
Broken up for scrap at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

circa August 1973
Fuselage noted stacked up in a metal smelting yard at Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada awaiting processing along with several others including CF-TGU (C/N 58), CF-TGV (C/N 59), CF-TGW (C/N 60) and CF-TIA (C/N 309). More details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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.