19 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 273

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 273
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

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

It first flew on Sunday, 8 December 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 the National Research Council of Canada (NRC)

Photo of Viscount c/n 273
Beaver Enterprises Ltd


Canada flag Canada

Its final owner/operator was
Beaver Enterprises Ltd as CF-THM.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada 20 May 1971. Noted with the forward fuselage section missing in March 1974. Broken up for scrap circa August 1984. The actual date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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

Country of Registration Canada

December 1957 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-THM - c/n 273 - 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 fifteenth one built.

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

Production Order No. F15/757. Sales Order No. F15/76B. Stock Order No……...

8 December 1957
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

18 December 1957
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery at 20:15 local time.

It was painted in the later 'white top' livery.

It then departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '631'.

It was flown by Captain Mcnamara with an unknown co-pilot.

After refuelling at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland it then flew on to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (743 nautical miles) where it was refuelled before continuing on to Bluie West 8 (BW8) Airfield, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland (804 nautical miles) where it stopped overnight.

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

23 December 1957
Departed from Bluie West 8 (BW-8) Airfield, Kangerlussuaq, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland to Goose Bay Airport, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (872 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).

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 7,063 hours and 6,230 total landings.

12 June 1961
Damaged during an aborted landing and subsequent emergency landing at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

During a training flight on approach to runway 24L at 14:50 Eastern Standard Time (EST) the No.3 starboard inner engine was feathered and power was reduced to flight idle on the No.4 starboard outer engine to simulate an engine failure. As the aircraft flared for landing the training captain, James H Thomson suddenly realised that the undercarriage had not been lowered but before any action could be taken the No.2 port inner propeller struck the runway. He took over command and increased the throttles to full power and attempted to climb with the No.3 engine still in the feathered condition. There was a heavy vibration coming from the damaged No.2 engine and propeller which was shut down and feathered.

An emergency was declared and the control tower advised the crew that they could use any suitable runway. As the aircraft was climbing very slowly on two engines the crew elected to turn and land on runway 06L.

During the turn, which was carried out using the rudder only and approach an attempt was made to unfeather the No.2 and No.3 engines in case they were needed for an overshoot but without success. The undercarriage was lowered but appeared not to be locked by the lack of green lights in the cockpit. As the aircraft landed the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft slid along the runway damaging the flaps, propeller and shockloading all four Dart engines.

The subsequent inquiry criticised the crew, especially the training captain for not carrying out the standard pre-landing checks.

Repaired including replacement Dart engines and returned to service.

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


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-THM

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to November 1973

Air Canada

CF-THM - c/n 273 - 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 '631'.

30 January 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.

20 May 1971
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

Total time 29,455 hours and 30,196 total landings.

June 1973
Noted with all four Dart engines removed.

1 November 1973
Sold to the National Research Council of Canada (NRC).


Photo of National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Viscount CF-THM

Country of Registration Canada

November 1973 to June 1975

National Research Council of Canada (NRC)

CF-THM - c/n 273 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 November 1973
Purchased from Air Canada but the aircraft remained stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

23 March 1974
Noted with the forward fuselage section cut off and the rear fuselage supported on a wooden trestle.

Where did the forward fuselage section go and what was it used for?

Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

12 June 1975
Headless remains sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.


Photo of Beaver Enterprises Ltd Viscount CF-THM

Country of Registration Canada

June 1975 to August 1984

Beaver Enterprises Ltd

CF-THM - c/n 273 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

12 June 1975
Remains purchased from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) but the aircraft remained stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

circa August 1984
Broken up for scrap after removal of all remaining useful parts. 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.


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.