23 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 223

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 223
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

This V.757 series Viscount was built for
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as CF-THF

It first flew on Sunday, 10 March 1957 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, Beaver Enterprises Ltd and Ray Gilson

Photo of Viscount c/n 223
Barney Lamm


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
Barney Lamm as CF-THF.

Its fate:-
Moved to Teulon, Manitoba, Canada circa September 1975 for display outside a restaurant together with CF-THB (C/N 219). Noted on Highway Route 7 north of Teulon, Manitoba, Canada 4 July 1982 on its way to Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada. Noted marked up with fictitious registration 'B-LAMM' and 'Ontario Central' titles in July 1983. Broken up for scrap circa June 1992. The registration was finally cancelled by Transport Canada 27 January 2022 with a report that the aircraft was exported to the USA!!!!


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

Country of Registration Canada

March 1957 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-THF - c/n 223 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

April 1955
An order was placed by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) for a second batch of three Type 757 aircraft as a follow on from the previous Type 724 and Type 757 orders.

This was the ninth one built.

The total order for Type 757 aircraft reached thirty six in May 1957.

Production Aircraft No. 182 - the 182nd production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 141st Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 137th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F09/757. Sales Order No. F09/76B. Stock Order No. F04/32B.

11 November 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

10 March 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

11 March 1957
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.

14 March 1957
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '624'.

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

15 March 1957
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 44 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.

10 July 1957
TCA issued instructions that all Viscounts would be repainted in a 'White Top' livery when a suitable maintenance period became available.

March 1959
Noted back at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England undergoing modification work with Vickers.

31 August 1960
Total time 9,107 hours and 7,476 total landings.

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


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-THF

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to April 1974

Air Canada

CF-THF - c/n 223 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 June 1964
Transferred from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) due to a corporate name change retaining fleet number '624'.

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

28 February 1974
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

Total time 34,993 hours and 37,114 total landings.

30 April 1974
Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.


Photo of Beaver Enterprises Ltd Viscount CF-THF

Country of Registration Canada

April 1974 to September 1975

Beaver Enterprises Ltd

CF-THF - c/n 223 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

30 April 1974
Purchased from Air Canada but the aircraft remained stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

A total of 24 aircraft were included in this sale.

United Aviation Services Ltd had some role in the processing of these Viscounts. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

It was then robbed of all useful parts.

circa September 1975
Remains sold to Ray Gilson of Teulon, Manitoba, Canada.

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Photo of Ray Gilson Viscount CF-THF

Country of Registration Canada

September 1975 to May 1982

Ray Gilson

CF-THF - c/n 223 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

circa September 1975
Purchased from Beaver Enterprises Ltd.

Ray purchased this aircraft and also CF-THB (C/N 219) for CAN$800.00 each.

The No.3 Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engine was the only one left on this aircraft which Ray removed and then sold on.

At some point both aircraft had the outer wings and tailplanes removed and were trucked by road to Teulon, Manitoba, Canada where they were put on display outside Ray's restaurant to attract customers.

27 May 1982
Sold to Barney Lamm of Gimli, Manitoba, Canada.


Photo of Barney Lamm Viscount CF-THF

Country of Registration Canada

May 1982 to June 1992

Barney Lamm

CF-THF - c/n 223 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

27 May 1982
Purchased from Ray Gilson.

4 July 1982
Fuselage and wings noted being trucked north along Highway Route 7 from Teulon, Manitoba, Canada. It was being moved to Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

5 November 1982
Registered to Ontario Cantral Airlines Ltd.

At some point it was moved to Sigvalik, Manitoba and reassembled with the nose facing a man-made inlet serving a boating community. It was intended to be used as summer accomodation. For some reason it moved back to Gimli not long after, which suggests that the locals were unhappy with it in their area. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

25 July 1983
Noted reassembled except for the outer wings back at Gimli Airport, Manitoba, Canada marked up with fictitious registration 'B-LAMM' and 'Ontario Central' titles.

B-LAMM represented the owners name and Ontario Central Airlines was owned by Barney.

Broken up for scrap circa June 1992.
Broken up for scrap circa 1992

circa June 1992
Broken up for scrap. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

27 January 2022
Registration finally cancelled by Transport Canada. Their website reports that the aircraft was exported to the USA!!!!


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.