02 December 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 224

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 224
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Wednesday, 20 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, Harrison Air and British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

Photo of Viscount c/n 224
British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM)


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM) as CF-THG.

Its fate:-
Sold to British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for use as a ground trainer June 1980. Noted parked outside at Vancouver International Airport, BC, Canada after retirement from ground instruction work in September 1995. Transferred to the British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM) on a barge from Vancouver to Victoria International Airport, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada in April 2005. Exterior of the aircraft was re-painted in Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) 'White Top' livery by October 2007. Put into the newly built hangar 18 September 2008. Put outside to make room for the rebuild of Avro Lancaster FM104 in September 2018. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public until further notice in March 2020. The museum has subsequently reopened. The Viscount has now returned to the hangar alongside the Lancaster.


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

Country of Registration Canada

March 1957 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-THG - c/n 224 - 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 tenth one built.

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

Production Aircraft No. 185 - the 185th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 143rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 141st Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F10/757. Sales Order No. F10/76B. Stock Order No. F05/32B.

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

7 January 1957
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines. Serial numbers: 3255 / 3256 on the port side and 3257 / 3258 - on the starboard side.

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

28 March 1957
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '625'.

The Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd invoice for this aircraft amounted to £310,000 / US$820,800.

The delivery route for this aircraft is not known.

29 March 1957
Arrived at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

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.

31 August 1960
Total time 9,177 hours and 7,748 total landings.

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


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-THG

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to April 1974

Air Canada

CF-THG - c/n 224 - 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 '625'.

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

2 June 1972
During a ground towing manoeuvre at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada the aircraft became stuck in the mud.

2 September 1973
The nose radome of CF-THL (C/N 272) was damaged when struck by the starboard wingtip of this aircraft which was being towed.

26 March 1974
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

Total time 35,405 hours and 37,562 total landings.

30 April 1974
Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.


Photo of Beaver Enterprises Ltd Viscount CF-THG

Country of Registration Canada

April 1974 to January 1977

Beaver Enterprises Ltd

CF-THG - c/n 224 - 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

The Rolls-Royce RDa3 Mark 506 engines installed were: -

No.1 TCA S/N 61A 174K 1567 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.2 TCA S/N 61A 5K 255 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.3 TCA S/N 61A 156KA 964 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.4 TCA S/N 61A 243KA 1130 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

circa June 1974
Noted with the propellers removed.

21 January 1977
Sold to Harrison Air.


Photo of Harrison Air Viscount CF-THG

Country of Registration Canada

January 1977 to June 1980

Harrison Air

CF-THG - c/n 224 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

21 January 1977
Purchased from Beaver Enterprises Ltd together with CF-TIC (C/N 383).

Ferried to Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, Canada in Air Canada livery but minus titles and immediately stored as a spares source to support Viscount CF-TIC (C/N 383). It was never painted in Harrison Airways livery and very little seems to have been removed externally including the Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.

10 June 1980
Sold to British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).


Photo of British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Viscount CF-THG

Country of Registration Canada

June 1980 to April 2005

British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

CF-THG - c/n 224 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

10 June 1980
Purchased from Harrison Air for CAN$8,000.

Used as a ground instruction trainer by BCIT - British Columbia Institute of Technology at Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, Canada in ex Air Canada livery. BCIT initially conducted engine runs with all four engines. This practice was ended on the recommendation of Rolls-Royce due to concerns of corrosion in the compressor sections.

27 May 1982
Certificate of Registration cancelled.

October 1987
Noted being used as a ground instruction trainer in the aircraft maintenance program by the BCIT - British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Noted retired from ground instruction work, having been replaced by a Boeing 737.
Retired from ground
instruction work

September 1995
Noted retired from ground instruction work, having been replaced by a Boeing 737.

The Vancouver Airport Fire Service used CF-THG as a training aid for foam application and evacuation training until 2004.
Used by the Vancouver Airport
Fire Service for training

February 2000
Noted being foamed down by the Vancouver Airport Fire Service. It was used as a non-destructive training aid for foam application and evacuation training until 2004.

April 2005
Sold to the British Columbia Aviation Museum, Victoria International Airport, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada for CAN$1.00




Photo of British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM) Viscount CF-THG

Country of Registration Canada

April 2005 to

British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM)

CF-THG - c/n 224 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

April 2005
Purchased from British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for CAN$1.00.

British Columbia Institute of Technology on a barge.
Transferred on a barge from
Vancouver to Victoria

April 2005
Transferred from British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) on a barge from Vancouver International Airport to Victoria International Airport, North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. Loaded on the barge at the Vancouver Airport Sea Plane Base and unloaded at the Victoria Airport Sea Plane Base in Patricia Bay.

It wasd then towed by road to the airport property.

The museum sits in one corner of the aiport and is leased for a rent of CAN$1.00 per annum.

2007
Dave Peters a retired A340 Captain, and a group of retired pilots and other members of the British Columbia Aviation Museum started the restoration with the intention to return the aircraft to the Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) 'White Top' livery.

Initially the team were worried that it would be difficult to reach a high quality finish as the aircraft has had too much abuse over the years in open storage and fire training.

The 'smile' was put back onto the aircraft.
The TCA 'smile'

October 2007
Exterior of the aircraft was re-painted in Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) 'White Top' livery.

10 July 2008
The 'smile' was put back onto the aircraft.

Put into the new hangar.
Now in the new hangar

18 September 2008
Put into the newly completed dedicated hangar. It was often towed outside during the subsequent summer months and for special events.

May 2011
The registration CF-THG is still listed on the Canadian Civil Register in the temporary category.

March 2012
Cabin interior and seating restoration completed. Each individual seat was sponsored for CAN$300.00 with a reserved name plate added to the seat as a thankyou.

December 2014
Galley area restoration completed.

29 September 2018
Avro Lancaster B.X FM104 arrives by road in sections and is put into the new hangar to begin the long process to make it airworthy.

This meant that the pristine Viscount now has to remain outside and ensure whatever the winter weather brings.

March 2020
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public until further notice.

The museum has subsequently reopened.

May 2022
The Viscount was noted back inside the hangar alongside the Lancaster resoration project.


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.