27 July 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

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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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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 270

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 270
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Sunday, 19 May 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, the National Museum of Science and the Canada Aviation Museum

Photo of Viscount c/n 270
Canada Aviation and Space Museum


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
Canada Aviation and Space Museum as CF-THI.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service 28 February 1969. Donated by Air Canada in TCA livery to the National Aeronautical Collection which was part of the National Museum of Science and Technology for preservation at Rockcliffe Airfield, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 18 November 1969. In January 2000 the facility was renamed the Canada Aviation Museum. In May 2011 the facility was renamed the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public in March 2020 but has now reopened.


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

Country of Registration Canada

May 1957 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-THI - c/n 270 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

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

This was the twelfth one built.

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

Production Order No. F12/757. Sales Order No. F12/76B. Stock Order No………

19 May 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

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

27 May 1957
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '627'.

After refuelling at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland it then flew on to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (743 nautical miles), Bluie West One (BW1) Airfield, Narsarsuaq, Southern Greenland (804 nautical miles) where it stopped overnight.

BW1 was built during WWII to assist the transfer of military aircraft from North America to Europe and was opened in January 1942.

28 May 1957
Departed from Bluie West One (BW1) Airfield, Narsarsuaq, Southern Greenland to Bluie West 8 (BW8) Airfield, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland, Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (872 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).

BW8 was built during WWII to assist the transfer of military aircraft from North America to Europe and was opened in October 1941.

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 8,808 hours and 7,461 total landings.

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


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-THI

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to November 1969

Air Canada

CF-THI - c/n 270 - 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 '627'.

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

28 February 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

Total time 27,210 hours and 27,155 total landings.

During its service life this Viscount underwent a total of eight major overhauls, 76 engine changes, 128 propeller changes, and was used an average of 6.2 hours a day for almost 12 years.

3 November 1969
Departed from Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada at 10:17 (local) to Malton Airport, Toronto, Ontario, Canada arriving at 15:02 (local).

Departed from Malton Airport, Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 15:31 to Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, arriving at 16:38 (local).

Both sectors flown by Captain R H Richardson and First Officer (unknown).

It then went into the Air Canada facility for preservation work where it was converted back to its original 40 seat, two class configuration (from 48 seat configuration) and painted in the original Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) livery with fleet number '627'.

18 November 1969
Departed from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada at 14:08 on delivery to Rockcliffe Airfield, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, arriving at 14:40 (local) for preservation with the National Aeronautical Collection which was part of the National Museum of Science and Technology.

Flown by Captain R A (Bob) Coneen and First Officer D B (Doug) Seagrim.


Photo of National Museum of Science and Technology Viscount CF-THI

Country of Registration Canada

November 1969 to January 2000

National Museum of Science and Technology

CF-THI - c/n 270 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered
The official presentation of the Viscount was made to Dr D M Baird, Director of the National Museum centre, by Herb Seagrin, First Vice President of Air Canada.
Presented to Dr D M Baird
by Herb Seagrin

18 November 1969
Delivered to Rockcliffe Airfield, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to become part of the National Aeronautical Collection, which is part of the National Museum of Science and Technology.

Flown by Captain R A (Bob) Coneen and First Officer D B (Doug) Seagrim.

19 November 1969
Officially handed over by Air Canada. The official presentation of the Viscount was made to Dr D M Baird, Director of the National Museum centre, by Herb Seagrin, First Vice President of Air Canada.

Total time 27,215:15 hours and 27,158 total landings.

April 1970
Registration cancelled.

1 January 2000
Museum renamed the Canada Aviation Museum.


Photo of Canada Aviation Museum Viscount CF-THI

Country of Registration Canada

January 2000 to May 2010

Canada Aviation Museum

CF-THI - c/n 270 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 January 2000
Museum renamed the Canada Aviation Museum from the National Museum of Science and Technology.

Noted stored outside in poor external condition, badly in need of a repaint.
Still stored outside
in 2003

April 2003
Noted still stored outside in poor external condition, badly in need of a repaint.

2006
The aircraft was moved into the Canada Aviation Museum's new storage wing. The museum currently has no plans to initiate a restoration project on the Viscount due to space issues and current restoration and conservation projects.

The aircraft was moved into the Canada Aviation Museum's new storage wing.
Moved into the Museum's
new storage wing

However since moving the aircraft into the hangar, it has been cleaned and decontaminated of bird debris, the tyres have been replaced with new ones, and the entire aircraft dehumidified as there were humidity and mould problems caused by exposure and breached seals around the windows and doors.

The conservation team have also generated a complete condition report on the aircraft that includes a series of digital images that are now on file. The Aviation museum is working towards the approval for a restoration area that is badly needed to complete the exterior polishing of large fuselage areas and for the painting and application of markings. The current hangar was designed and built as a storage facility and not equipped with appropriate extractor systems that can handle chemicals and paint fumes.

1 May 2010
The museum was renamed the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.


Photo of Canada Aviation and Space Museum Viscount CF-THI

Country of Registration Canada

May 2010 to January 1900

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

CF-THI - c/n 270 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 May 2010
The museum was renamed the Canada Aviation and Space Museum from the Canada Aviation Museum.

March 2020
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the museum closed to the general public but has now reopened.

Go to https://ingeniumcanada.org/aviation to view their website.


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.