Vickers-Armstrongs

15 January 2025

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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.

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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Live Magazine

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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The Illustrated history of
New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947 - 1978

by Richard Waugh, Peter Layne and Graeme McConnell

The Illustrated history of New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947 - 1978 by Richard Waugh, Peter Layne and Graeme McConnell is a 320 page history, supported by over 500 photographs and illustrations, and tells the story of NAC which was created by the post-war Labour Government.

All private airlines were nationalised and NAC became New Zealand's first state-owned enterprise. During its 31 years of operation NAC was New Zealand's major domestic airline until it was merged with Air New Zealand in 1978. In its early years it also flew international routes in the South Pacific.

New Zealand National Airways Corporation Viscount c/n 283 ZK-BRF

ZK-BRF at Beirut, Lebanon while on delivery in March 1959

NAC's fleet underwent exciting change and development from de Havilland bi-planes to Boeing 737s. Prominent from 1958 until 1975 were the Vickers Viscount V.807s which were primarily used on its main trunk route.

The original order for three Viscounts at a cost of NZ£1,500,000 was signed at Vickers House, London in December 1955 with the first example, c/n 281 ZK-BRD being delivered in January 1958. In the meantime, Wellington's airport required development from a grass strip catering for de Havilland Herons to take the Viscounts.

New Zealand National Airways Corporation Viscount c/n 428 ZK-BWO

17 February 1963 Viscount ZK-BWO slid down an embankment at Rongotai, Wellington, New Zealand

Illustrated by many rare photographs, this book is the first photographic and social history of NAC. From its inception in the late 1940s the airline earned an enviable reputation for efficiency and reliability. NAC served 30 cities and towns from Kaitaia in the North to Invercargill in the South and carried more than 30 million passengers as it ushered New Zealanders into the age of mass air travel.

This book is a must for Viscount buffs as it illustrates the story of NAC's five Viscounts which carried 6.02 million passengers on 134,450 scheduled and charter flights. In 168,620 revenue flying hours these aircraft used 51.4 million gallons of fuel and flew 55.9 million kilometres.

ZK-BRF in New Zealand National Airways Corporation final Viscount livery

Orders for the book can be placed with Craig Printing Co Ltd, 122 Yarrow Street, P O Box 99 Invercargill, 9840, New Zealand. Cost is NZ$79.90 plus postage. Contact Rachel for postage cost for orders from outside New Zealand.

e-mail sales@craigprint.co.nz

For more information about other titles available from the authors visit the New Zealand Airline Research website.

New Zealand Airline Research

History and photos of Viscount c/n 283 ZK-BRF

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