Restoration of VH-TVR is an ongoing effort

Update by Mark Pilkington

VH-TVR at The Australian National Aviation Museum in August 2006.

Viscount VH-TVR c/n 318 is a major exhibit in The Australian National Aviation Museum's collection, being the last complete surviving Viscount in Australia and the only preserved example of the post war turbo-prop airliners used by Australian interstate airlines Ansett-ANA Airlines and TAA - Trans Australia Airlines.

This VH-TVR was built for Cubana and first flew on Wednesday 19 November 1958 at Weybridge, England. Proposed sale to SAA - South African Airways in February 1962 was not taken up. Instead TAA - Trans Australia Airlines bought the aircraft in March 1962 and operated it until April 1970 named 'John Murray'. In 1970 TAA donated the aircraft to The Australian National Aviation Museum (formerly the Moorabbin Air Museum).

The first TAA Viscount to be registered VH-TVR c/n 435 September 1959.

Viscount c/n 318 is the second Viscount to carry the registration VH-TVR for TAA - Trans Australia Airlines. The first was c/n 435 'John Murphy' that carried TAA livery from August 1959 until May 1960. The sale of this aircraft to TAA was not taken up and it was sold to Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation in the USA. Interestingly c/n 435 did arrive in Australia in August 1964 when it was purchased by the Royal Australian Air Force for use as VIP transport.

The Australian National Aviation Museum's Bristol 170 Freighter.

The Australian National Aviation Museum's collection has a strong focus on Australian manufactured aircraft, together with a large military collection of airframes dating from WWII that includes an important collection of Naval aircraft. The current focus of the museum is to increase its Air Transport collection and to secure covered storage to display its airframes. In its Air Transport section the Museum has had for many years an original pre-war 'American Airlines' Douglas DC-3 and the Viscount, and have recently acquired a rare Douglas DC-2, a Bristol Freighter and a de Havilland Heron.

VH-TVR at The Australian National Aviation Museum in February 2003.

Restoration of VH-TVR is an ongoing effort as it is exposed to the elements. Recently the fuselage has been repainted and the bare skins polished in late TAA - Trans Australia Airlines Viscount livery. The aircraft is complete with its 4 Rolls-Royce Dart engines in place, however the tailplane and fin are curently removed for refurbishment. In the late 1990's a container load of parts was acquired from the UK that included replacement propellers, and instrumentation and other fittings for the cockpit.

To see the exterior of VH-TVR take one of the two The Australian National Aviation Museum's 360 degree Virtual Tours. Tour 1 - Tour 2.

For more information about this project please e-mail, or visit the The Australian National Aviation Museum's web site and also watch the news pages here at the Vickers Viscount Network for further developments.