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 147

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 147
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)


Australia flag Australia

This V.756D series Viscount was built for
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) as VH-TVI

It first flew on Saturday, 26 May 1956 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS)


Photo of Viscount c/n 147
Sims Metal Ltd


Australia flag Australia

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

Its fate:-
Became only the second Australian Viscount to reach 30,000 flying hours 14 March 1968. Grounded by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) after the crash of V.720 Viscount VH-RMQ (C/N 45) and stored at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 31 December 1968. Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS). April 1969. 'AAS Australian Aircraft Sales' titles were then applied in the TAA style. Registration cancelled 13 May 1970. Remains sold to Sims Metal Ltd for metal salvage and broken up into sections for removal to their yard at Brooklyn, Western Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


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

Country of Registration Australia

June 1956 to April 1969

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVI - c/n 147 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

22 June 1954
Registration to Australian National Airlines Commission trading as Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) reserved on the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TVI.

April 1955
This was the second Type 756 Viscount ordered by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).

Production Aircraft No. 121 - the 121st production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 76th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 82nd Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F02/756. Sales Order No. F02/74B. Stock Order No. F41/22B.

5 December 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

25 January 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

26 May 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

9 June 1956
Handed over to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'Matthew Flinders' with 'The Nations Jetline' titles at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.

Englishman Matthew Flinders was a Royal Navy Captain who was a navigator and cartographer and was the leader of the first circumnavigation of Australia on board H.M.S. Investigator, which was completed in 1803. This voyage, which took nearly two years identified Australia as a continent. He made three voyages to the southern ocean between 1791 and 1810. He was born in Lincolnshire 16 March 1774 and died in London 19 July 1814.

British European Airways (BEA) also named Viscount G-ANHF (C/N 66) after him.

Matthew Flinders.
Matthew Flinders

12 June 1956
Departed from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on delivery to Australia flown by Captains Hepburn and Austen, Navigator Thrift, Radio Operator Roberts and Engineer Warren.

30 June 1956
Operated its first TAA scheduled service.

29 November 1956
During a scheduled service from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia it broke a civil aircraft speed record by completing the sector in two hours, fourteen and a half minutes under the command of Captain Stone.

11 October 1957
During a scheduled service from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia a record time of 49 minutes was set under the command of Captain Keig.

circa 1959
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'Orange Tail' livery.

February 1959
Fourteen inch low pressure tyres and maxaret brakes installed.

circa 1961
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'White Tail' livery.

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

26 July 1967
After starting the No.3 and No.4 Rolls-Royce Dart engines at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ready for departure a taxying Boeing 727 caused damage when the jet blast moved the flight controls to their extremities, even with the gust locks still engaged.

14 March 1968
Became only the second Australian Viscount to reach 30,000 flying hours.

30 December 1968
Last revenue flight to Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

31 December 1968
Grounded after the crash of Type 720C Viscount VH-RMQ (C/N 45) and stored at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Total time 31,620 hours and 22,402 total landings.

April 1969
Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS).


Photo of Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS) Viscount VH-TVI

Country of Registration Australia

April 1969 to May 1970

Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS)

VH-TVI - c/n 147 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

April 1969
Purchased from Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) but the aircraft remained stored at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in the TAA maintenance area as AAS had an office near their facility.

'AAS Australian Aircraft Sales' titles were then applied in the TAA style.

A possible sale to Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) was not completed.

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

1 May 1970
Remains sold to Sims Metal Ltd for metal salvage.


Photo of Sims Metal Ltd Viscount VH-TVI

Country of Registration Australia

May 1970 to June 1970

Sims Metal Ltd

VH-TVI - c/n 147 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

1 May 1970
Remains purchased from Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS) for metal salvage.

13 May 1970
Registration cancelled.

June 1970
Broken up into sections for removal to their yard at Brooklyn, Western Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.