27 July 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 272

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 272
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Friday, 29 November 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 and Beaver Enterprises Ltd


Photo of Viscount c/n 272
Zaire Aero Service


Zaire flag Zaire

Its final owner/operator was
Zaire Aero Service as CF-THL.

Its fate:-
Stored at Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada in December 1973. Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd 30 April 1974. Purchased by Zaire Aero Service as a source of parts. Remains broken up for scrap circa January 1979.


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

Country of Registration Canada

December 1957 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-THL - c/n 272 - 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 fourteenth one built.

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

Production Order No. F14/757. Sales Order No. F14/76B. Stock Order No………

29 November 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines. The serial numbers were 3271, 3272, 3274 and 3285.

16 December 1957
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery at 14:20 local time.

This was the first TCA Viscount delivered in the 'White Top' livery. All subsequent TCA Viscounts had this livery.

This was also the first TCA Viscount to have the fuel jettison system fitted as denoted by the tube protruding from the wing trailing edges outboard of the flaps.

All subsequent aircraft had this system fitted prior to delivery. Earlier aircraft were not retro-fitted.

Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '630'.

It was flown by Vickers pilot Colin C Allen with an unknown TCA co-pilot.

It arrived at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland where it was refuelled and stopped overnight.

17 December 1957
Departed from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland to Keflavik, Iceland (743 nautical miles), Bluie West-8 (BW8) Airfield, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland (890 nautical miles) where it was refuelled before continuing on to Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (590 nautical miles) for another refuel before continuing on to 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.

18 December 1957
Departed from Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada to Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, 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.

31 August 1960
Total time 7,077 hours and 6,162 total landings.

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


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-THL

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to April 1974

Air Canada

CF-THL - c/n 272 - 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 '630'.

17 February 1965
Noted still operating in Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) livery. It took several years to repaint the fleet in Air Canada livery.

The ground equipment such as Steps, Ground Power Unit, Tug, Baggage Trollies etc were all in Air Canada livery.

October 1966
First noted in Air Canada livery.

29 October 1969
Nose undercarriage collapsed on landing at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada. Extensive damage to forward fuselage and shockloaded Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

2 September 1973
Nose radome damaged when struck by the starboard wingtip of CF-THG (C/N 224) which was being towed.

December 1973
Last service for Air Canada from Halifax Airport, Nova Scotia, Canada to Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

circa December 1973
Ferried to Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada and stored. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

28 April 1974
Noted operating the last Viscount service from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Dorval Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec via Moncton, New Brunswick.

The aircraft was then retired from Air Canada service. Which means the aircraft had returned to service at some point after it was retired at Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Total time 33,110 hours and 36,172 total landings.

30 April 1974
Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.


Photo of Beaver Enterprises Ltd Viscount CF-THL

Country of Registration Canada

April 1974 to November 1978

Beaver Enterprises Ltd

CF-THL - c/n 272 - 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 215KA 156 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.2 TCA S/N 61A 240KA 1051 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.3 TCA S/N 61A 199KA 746 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

No.4 TCA S/N 61A 114K 832 hours remaining out of a TBO (overhaul life) of 9,000 hours

A proposed sale to Air Cardinal did not materialise.

November 1978
Sold to Zaire Aero Services.


Photo of Zaire Aero Service Viscount CF-THL

Country of Registration Canada

November 1978 to January 1979

Zaire Aero Service

CF-THL - c/n 272 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

November 1978
Purchased from Beaver Enterprises Ltd but the aircraft remained stored at Cartierville Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

It was robbed of all useful parts to support their other Viscounts

circa January 1979
Remains broken up for scrap.

The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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.


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