18 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

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records and photos

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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 374

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 374
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)


Australia flag Australia

This V.756D series Viscount was built for
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) as VH-TVN

It first flew on Wednesday, 2 July 1958 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Botswana National Airways (BNA), Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire (Pty), Air Rhodesia, Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Air Zimbabwe

Photo of Viscount c/n 374
Harare Airport Fire Service


Zimbabwe flag Zimbabwe

Its final owner/operator was
Harare Airport Fire Service as Z-YNI.

Its fate:-
Donated to the Harare International Airport Fire Service, Kentucky, Zimbabwe by Air Zimbabwe circa 1984. Repainted with the original dark blue Air Rhodesia cheat line and used by the Airport Fire Service for non-destructive training.

Substantially damaged during a move to another part of the airport in November 2002. Extensively damaged by fire when squatters took it over as a dwelling in 2003 and the remains were abandoned.

A Google Earth view taken at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe 27 October 2011 shows the remains of the aircraft still in existence.


Operational record
Photo of Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) Viscount VH-TVN

Country of Registration Australia

July 1958 to March 1969

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)

VH-TVN - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered

22 June 1954
Registration to Australian National Airlines Commission trading as Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) reserved on the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TVN.

May 1956
This was the seventh Type 756 Viscount ordered by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).

2 July 1958
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'Orange Tail' livery.
TAA - Trans Australia Airlines
'Orange Tail' livery

8 July 1958
Departed on delivery to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'William Dampier' fitted with Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines

The aircraft was flown by Captains C H Gray and R L Roberts, Navigator M Ostwald and Radio Operator D Dunn.

16 July 1958
Arrived at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

23 July 1958
Entered TAA service fitted with larger low pressure tyres to cope with the gravel runways at airfields like Mount Isa and Longreach.

circa 1958
Painted in the TAA 'Orange Tail' livery.

Noted in the later TAA 'White Tail' livery.
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)
'White Tail' livery

circa 1962
Weather radar was installed as a result of the accident to VH-TVC (C/N 46) and a subsequent Australian Airworthiness Directive.

circa 1964
Painted in the TAA 'White Tail' livery.

31 January 1968
Suffered fuselage damage at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia after being struck by a cargo barrow.

8 October 1968
Last service from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales to Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia as Flight TN534.

9 October 1968
Ferried to Port Hedland Airport, Western Australia and put into storage.

Total time 24,915 hours and 38,102 total landings.

31 December 1968
All Australian V.700 series fleet were grounded after the crash of V.720 VH-RMQ (C/N 45) 30 December 1968. This was later lifted for the V.756 series after the investigation found that the crash was caused by a maintenance error.

21 March 1969
Sold to Botswana National Airways (BNA) via Air Holdings (Pty) Ltd.


Photo of Botswana National Airways (BNA) Viscount A2-ZEL

Country of Registration Botswana

March 1969 to January 1972

Botswana National Airways (BNA)

A2-ZEL - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Botswana registered

21 March 1969
Purchased from Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) via Air Holdings (Pty) Ltd but not initially delivered due to a court action (no details).

27 March 1969
Departed on delivery via Mount Isa, Darwin, Denpasar (Bali) Indonesia, Singapore, Aden, Nairobi, Kenya and Lusaka, Zambia.

3 April 1969
Arrived at Francistown Airport, Botswana and Australian registration immediately cancelled.

3 April 1969
Registered to Botswana National Airways (BNA).

Entered service on internal BNA routes and to Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

25 July 1969
Impounded at Jan Smuts Airport, Johannesburg on the orders of Trek Air due to non-payment of £40,000. Douglas DC-3 A2-ZEB was also impounded.

Noted with 'BAC' titles on the tail replacing 'BNA' but not flown as such.
Botswana Airways Corporation

June 1970
Noted with 'BAC' (Botswana Airways Corporation) titles on the tail replacing 'BNA' but not operated as such.

1970
Withdrawn from service and stored at Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa after BNA went into liquidation due to an aborted nationalisation attempt by the government.

January 1972
Sold to Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire (Pty).


Photo of Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire (Pty) Viscount VP-YNI

Country of Registration Rhodesia

January 1972 to February 1972

Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire (Pty)

VP-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

January 1972
Purchased from Botswana National Airways (BNA).

13 February 1972
Sold to Air Rhodesia.


Photo of Air Rhodesia Viscount VP-YNI

Country of Registration Rhodesia

February 1972 to June 1979

Air Rhodesia

VP-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Rhodesia registered

13 February 1972
Purchased from Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire (Pty).

Air Rhodesia 'Grey Nose' livery.
Air Rhodesia
'Grey Nose' livery

13 February 1972
Departed Jan Smuts International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa on delivery to Salisbury International Airport, Kentucky, Rhodesia.

1974
Repainted in a later livery (copying the Boeing 720 aircraft acquired from Calair) and now named as 'Sabi' which is a river in Rhodesia.

31 January 1975
Total time 28,821 hours and 20,341 total landings.

19 February 1975
Total time 28,870:18 hours.

11 August 1975
Total time 29,433:42 hours.

June 1979
Transferred to Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia due to a name change.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia Viscount VP-YNI

Country of Registration Zimbabwe Rhodesia

June 1979 to February 1980

Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia

VP-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Zimbabwe Rhodesia registered

June 1979
Transferred from Air Rhodesia due to a name change.

September 1979
Noted with 'Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia' titles at Jan Smuts Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Painted in a low visibility grey livery after the loss of two sister aircraft to terrorist action.

8 January 1980
Total time 35,120:22 hours.

February 1980
Transferred to Air Zimbabwe due to name change.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount VP-YNI

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

February 1980 to October 1983

Air Zimbabwe

VP-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

February 1980
Transferred from Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia due to name change.

5 May 1980
Total time 35,422:13 hours.

19 February 1982
Total time 37,304:10 hours.

29 April 1982
Total time 37,549:17 hours.

October 1983
Re-registered Z-YNI.


Photo of Air Zimbabwe Viscount Z-YNI

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

October 1983 to November 1984

Air Zimbabwe

Z-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

October 1983
Re-registered from VP-YNI.

July 1984
Damaged beyond economic repair at Harare International Airport, Kentucky, Zimbabwe after the nose leg collapsed during routine maintenance. A member of the engineering staff inadvertantly withdrew the undercarriage safety lock after towing resulting in the sudden collapse of the nose leg and structural damage to the airframe.

9 November 1984
Formerly withdrawn from use.

Total time 40,676 hours and 32,435 total landings.

1984
Donated to the Harare International Airport Fire Service, Kentucky, Zimbabwe.


Photo of Harare Airport Fire Service Viscount Z-YNI

Country of Registration Zimbabwe

November 1984 to

Harare Airport Fire Service

Z-YNI - c/n 374 - a V.756D series Viscount
Zimbabwe registered

1984
Donated by Air Zimbabwe.

2 September 1991
Noted repainted with the original dark blue Air Rhodesia cheat line and being used by the Airport Fire Service for non-destructive training.

circa mid 1990s
Substantially damaged during a move to another part of the airport. As the aircraft was being towed it suddenly fell back on its tail and then landed heavily on its nosewheel.

2003
Extensively damaged by fire when squatters took it over as a dwelling.

Remains abandoned.

27 October 2011
A Google Earth view shows the remains of the aircraft still in existence.


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.