27 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.

Viscount history


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

Viscount c/n 70

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 70
Canadian Department of Transport


Canada flag Canada

This V.737 series Viscount was built for
Canadian Department of Transport as CF-GXK

It first flew on Tuesday, 15 March 1955 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) and Crown Assets Disposal Corporation


Photo of Viscount c/n 70
Uplands Airport Authority


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
Uplands Airport Authority as CF-GXK.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by the Canadian Department of Transport and stored at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada due to a cracked wing spar cap in July 1982.

Robbed of all useful parts with the remains being donated to the Airport Manager at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Canada for use by the fire department for training purposes in 1984.

Airlifted by a Canadian Armed Forces Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter to a nearby landfill site October 1984.

It was placed on its belly on a downslope to simulate a crash position for training purposes by the airport fire department.

Subsequently broken up for scrap.


Operational record
Photo of Canadian Department of Transport Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

March 1955 to May 1955

Canadian Department of Transport

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

April 1954
The Canadian Department of Transport placed an order for one Type 737.

Production Aircraft No. 50 - the 50th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 19th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 28th Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F01/737. Sales Order No. F01/60B. Stock Order No. F22/22B.

17 July 1954
Fuselage assembly commenced Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

September 1955
Fuselage transported by road from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England to Weybridge, Surrey, England.

5 October 1954
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

15 March 1955
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines. The serial numbers were 3060 (No.1), 3061 (No.2), 3062 (No.3) and 3063 (No.4).

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

23 March 1955
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.

It had already been decided that this aircraft was to be leased to TCA hence their involvement in the final inspection.

It was fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

28 March 1955
Departed from Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England on delivery to the Canadian Department of Transport at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

It was flown by Vickers test pilot Gabriel (Gabe) Robb 'Jock' Bryce.

circa May 1955
Leased to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA).


Photo of Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

May 1955 to October 1955

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

circa May 1955
Leased from the Canadian Department of Transport as an additional operational aircraft which allowed a TCA aircraft to be used for crew training purposes.

25 May 1955
Technical instruction V-05.01-3/1 was issued to apply Trans-Canada Air Lines titles to a basic DoT livery with a TCA logo on the tail.

The interior was also converted to incorporate TCA seating and cabin / toilet fittings as applicable.

This implies that the aircraft didn't enter service until June 1955! Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

12 October 1955
Returned to the Canadian Department of Transport.


Photo of Canadian Department of Transport Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

October 1955 to January 1983

Canadian Department of Transport

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

12 October 1955
Returned from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) lease and repainted in full DoT livery.

David Carter illustration of Canadian Department of Transport V.737 Viscount c/n 70 CF-GXK

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


Canadian Department of Transport 'Flag Tail' livery.
Canadian Department of Transport 'Flag Tail' livery

circa 1972
Painted in the Canadian Department of Transport 'Flag Tail' livery.

Canadian Department of Transport 'red' livery.
Canadian Department of Transport 'Red' livery

circa 1975
Painted in the Canadian Department of Transport 'red' livery.

Withdrawn from service and stored at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada due to a cracked wing spar cap.
Stored at Uplands Airport,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

July 1982
Withdrawn from service and stored at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada due to a crack found in a wing spar cap.

The aircraft was offered to the Western Canada Aviation Museum (WCAM) as a replacement for CF-TIE (C/N 385) as that aircraft had been vandalised and fire damaged.

The museum declined the offer as they felt that an ex Air Canada aircraft would be more representative of the history of Winnipeg as it was the main TCA / Air Canada maintenance base for the Viscount.

The other reason was that due to the crack found in the wing spar cap the aircraft would not be permitted to be flown to Winnipeg.

11 December 1982
Certificate of Airworthiness expired.

1 January 1983
Aircraft title transferred to Crown Assets Disposal Corporation (Government Agency).


Photo of Crown Assets Disposal Corporation Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

January 1983 to June 1983

Crown Assets Disposal Corporation

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 January 1983
Aircraft title transferred from Canadian Department of Transport for disposal.

1 June 1983
Sold for recovery of spares to an unknown overseas company but remained at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.


Photo of Unknown (Foreign) Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

June 1983 to February 1984

Unknown (Foreign)

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 June 1983
Purchased from Crown Assets Disposal Corporation.

Robbed of all useful parts.

13 January 1984
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

February 1984
Remains donated to the Airport Manager at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Canada.


Photo of Uplands Airport Authority Viscount CF-GXK

Country of Registration Canada

February 1984 to

Uplands Airport Authority

CF-GXK - c/n 70 - a V.737 series Viscount
Canada registered

1984
Remains donated to the Airport Manager at Uplands Airport, Ottawa, Canada for use by the airport fire department.

Airlifted by a Canadian Armed Forces Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter to a nearby landfill site.
Airlifted by a Canadian Armed Forces Boeing Vertol Chinook

October 1984
Airlifted by a Canadian Armed Forces Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter to a nearby landfill site. No doubt this was a good training exercise for the CAF crew.

It was placed on its belly on a downslope to simulate a crash position for training purposes by the airport fire department.

Date unknown
Remains broken up for scrap. Date unknown, details and photos 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.