26 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 197

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 197
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)


Australia flag Australia

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

It first flew on Friday, 22 February 1957 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Toowoomba Aviation Museum and Jim Aspromourgus

Photo of Viscount c/n 197
Possum Park


Australia flag Australia

Its final owner/operator was
Possum Park as VH-TVL.

Its fate:-
Operated its last Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) scheduled service from Launceston Airport, Tasmania to Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 10 August 1969. This was the last scheduled flight of an Australian V.700 series Viscount.

Ferried to Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and withdrawn from service by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) and put into open store 19 August 1969. Registration and certificate of Airworthiness cancelled 24 May 1971.

Donated to the Toowoomba Aviation Museum, Queensland, Australia October 1971. Sold to Jim Aspromourgus in April 1989 and moved to a timber yard belonging to Wildmans Trusses and Frames. This yard is adjacent to Toowoomba Airport, Queensland, Australia.

Fuselage transferred to Possum Park, Leichhardt Highway, 20 KM north of Miles off of the A5, Queensland, Australia on the 25 March 2013. Fuselage fitted with dummy wings, engine nacelles and propellers by October 2014. An ex WWII Lysaght hangar covering the aircraft was noted in progress in November 2015. Construction was completed in September 2016.


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

Country of Registration Australia

March 1957 to October 1971

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVL - c/n 197 - 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-TVL.

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

Production Aircraft No. 179 - the 179th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 137th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 134th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F05/756. Sales Order No. F05/74B. Stock Order No. F22/32B.

18 October 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

3 December 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

22 February 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

1 March 1957
Delivered to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'James Cook' fitted and with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.

circa 1959
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'orange tail' livery.

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

circa 1961
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) revised 'orange 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.

circa 1964
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'White Tail' livery and now renamed as 'George Evans'.

4 April 1967
Suffered a tail strike at Mangalore Airport, Victoria, Australia during a go-around from a flapless landing when the First Officer, who was under training over-corrected when the aircraft bounced.

31 December 1968
Grounded after the crash of V.720 Viscount c/n 45 VH-RMQ.

26 February 1969
Returned to service after the crash investigation of Viscount VH-RMQ (C/N 45) identified the cause as a maintenance issue rather than a V.700 series design flaw.

10 August 1969
Operated its last scheduled service from Launceston Airport, Tasmania to Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia with flight number TN 500. This was the last scheduled flight of an Australian V.700 series Viscount.

19 August 1969
Ferried from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and withdrawn from service and put into open store.

Total time 30,275 hours and 21,474 total landings.

24 May 1971
Registration and certificate of Airworthiness cancelled as the aircraft was permanently withdrawn from use.

October 1971
Donated to the Toowoomba Aviation Museum, Queensland, Australia.


Photo of Toowoomba Aviation Museum Viscount VH-TVL

Country of Registration Australia

October 1971 to April 1989

Toowoomba Aviation Museum

VH-TVL - c/n 197 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

October 1971
Donated by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) and stored at Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia as a complete fuselage minus wings and titles.

April 1989
Sold to Jim Aspromourgus.


Photo of Jim Aspromourgus Viscount VH-TVL

Country of Registration Australia

April 1989 to December 2012

Jim Aspromourgus

VH-TVL - c/n 197 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

April 1989
Purchased from the Toowoomba Aviation Museum and moved to a timber yard belonging to Wildmans Trusses and Frames.

This yard is adjacent to Toowoomba Airport, Queensland, Australia.

August 2004
Fuselage noted still in existence with the tail now removed and looking very shabby.

circa December 2012
Fuselage acquired by Possum Park, 20 KM north of Miles, Queensland, Australia off of the A5 highway.


Photo of Possum Park Viscount VH-TVL

Country of Registration Australia

December 2012 to January 1900

Possum Park

VH-TVL - c/n 197 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

circa December 2012
Fuselage acquired by David Hines from Jim Aspromourgus.

25 March 2013
Fuselage was transferred on a low loader from Jim Aspromourgus' yard adjacent to Toowoomba Airport, Queensland, Australia to Possum Park, Leichhardt Highway, 20 km north of Miles, Queensland, Australia off of the A5 highway. This ex WWII bomb and ammunition underground store is now a caravan park in a forest, well off the road, and it is presumably hoped that the Viscount will become a useful attraction.

Film of the move from Toowoomba to Possum Park



May 2013
Fuselage noted positioned on a newly constructed concrete area.

May 2014
Fuselage noted with dummy wings and engine nacelles being constructed.

October 2014
Fuselage noted with dummy wings, engine nacelles and propellers now completed and painted.

November 2015
Construction of a circular steel framed ex WWII Lysaght hangar in progress which will eventually cover the aircraft except for a portion of the starboard outer wing section.

There is no port outer wing section or No.1 engine nacelle.

The frame of the hangar was in poor condition and needed a lot of restoring with a new cladding to finish it off.

September 2016
Construction of the ex WWII Lysaght hangar was finally completed, which allowed the Viscount to become elligble for insurance cover.

April 2018
Dummy instrument panels installed by George Hatchman who had constructed them.


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.