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.

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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 97

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 97
Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd


Australia flag Australia

This V.747 series Viscount was built for
Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd as VH-BAT

It first flew on Thursday, 15 September 1955 at Weybridge, Surrey, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
ANSETT-ANA and MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA)

Photo of Viscount c/n 97
Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd


Australia flag Australia

Its final owner/operator was
Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd as VH-RMO.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by ANSETT-ANA and stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in December 1968.

Painted in a blue and white version of the Ansett-ANA livery in April 1968 for a possible sale to Pan Indonesian. Registration cancelled 26 March 1970 as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use. Scrapping commenced in July 1972 with the hulk finally being taken away for reprocessing 25 October 1976.


Operational record
Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-ANXV

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1954 to October 1955

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ANXV - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

18 June 1954
Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd placed an order for two Type 747.

21 December 1954
Registered to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

December 1955
This was the 1st V.747 ordered by Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd.

Production Aircraft No. 73 - the 73rd production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 37th Viscount fuselage assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England,
and the 32nd Viscount assembled at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Production Order No. F01/747. Sales Order No. F01/66B. Stock Order No. F46/22B.

15 March 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

11 May 1955
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Weybridge, Surrey, England.

15 September 1955
First flight from Brooklands Airfield, Weybridge, Surrey, England.

It landed at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England for fitting out and test flying.

27 September 1955
Certificate of Airworthiness issued for a 40 seat cabin configuration.

28 September 1955
Departed on delivery to Australia in Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd livery with UK registration and Captain Young in command.

4 October 1955
Arrived at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

19 October 1955
Registration to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

21 October 1955
Re-registered VH-BAT for Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd.


Photo of Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd Viscount VH-BAT

Country of Registration Australia

October 1955 to September 1958

Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd

VH-BAT - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

21 October 1955
Re-registered from G-ANXV for Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd and named as 'R.M.A. Warral'.

David Carter illustration of Butler Air Transport V.747 Viscount c/n 97 VH-BAT

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


4 November 1955
Entered service from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales to Coolangatta Airport, Queensland, Australia on a restricted basis due to flight manual issues with the Australian Airworthiness Authorities.

16 November 1955
Entered unrestricted regular scheduled service from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales to Dubbo Airport, New South Wales, Australia.

Operational problems were experienced with a number of New South Wales country airstrips pavements cracking. The Viscount was replaced by Airspeed Ambassadors on a number of country routes.

12 December 1955
Operated the inaugural service from Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales to Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Cabin seating increased from 40 to 47 seats.

10 March 1958
Total time 6,616 hours and 5,789 total landings.

September 1958
Ownership transferred to Ansett Transport Industries due to a corporate merger for operation by ANSETT-ANA.


Photo of ANSETT-ANA Viscount VH-BAT

Country of Registration Australia

September 1958 to May 1963

ANSETT-ANA

VH-BAT - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

September 1958
Transferred from Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd due to a corporate merger.

Cabin seating increased from 47 to 48 seats.

October 1958
Offered for sale with VH-BUT (C/N 145) as the first second-hand Viscounts but were not sold.

Returned to service with ANSETT-ANA. ANA stands for Australian National Airways.

Painted in the Ansett-ANA 'Two Striped Fin' livery.
ANSETT-ANA
'Two Striped Fin' livery

3 January 1960
During a scheduled service from Adelaide to Sydney the aircraft encountered a downdraught of extraordinary magnitude at 19,000 feet over Mildura, in northwest Victoria, such that the aircraft entered an uncommanded and uncontrolled near vertical descent to 7,000 feet when control of the aircraft was finally regained.

During the rapid descent the Captain stated that the altimeter needle went round so fast that it was just a blur and the artificial horizon bar was jammed against the stop.

Although the aircraft was believed to have been inverted for a proportion of the descent, it is not known if any damage to the airframe structure ocurred, or if any of the cabin crew or passenger's were injured during this dramatic incident.

The aircraft made a safe landing with Captain K Brown and First Officer R. McDonald commended for their actions in saving the aircraft and all those on board.

An official investigation report on this incident has not yet been found.

circa 1960
Painted in the ANSETT-ANA 'Two Striped Fin' livery.

May 1963
Re-registered VH-RMO.


Photo of ANSETT-ANA Viscount VH-RMO

Country of Registration Australia

May 1963 to April 1968

ANSETT-ANA

VH-RMO - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

May 1963
Re-registered from VH-BAT.

11 December 1967
Damaged on landing at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Department of Civil Aviation - Air Safety Incident Report by K Eddy: -

At approximately 05:30 hours ANSETT-ANA Captain L Mellor contacted the airport authorities and requested a visual check of the East-West runway for signs of propeller strike markings as there were approximately two inches of metal missing from the tips of the No.4 propeller.

This was discovered by the ground crew as soon as the aircraft arrived at the stand and they notified Captain Heinrich Theodor Hasselo, as he left the aircraft.

A check of runway 26 was carried out and nine blade slashes were found commencing at the 4,600 foot mark from the runway threshold.

A check of the wind conditions prevailing at the time of landing indicated that at approximately 03:00 hours the wind went from calm to 360 degrees and 30 knots.

The aircraft had landed at 03:08 hours and an airport safety officer had observed the aircraft landing and he stated that it appeared to touchdown on the nosewheel first.

12 December 1967
Witness Report by Ansett-ANA Captain Heinrich Theodor Hasselo (British) to Investigator A R Woodward: -

Aircraft weight for landing was 48,458 lbs, giving a T.T.S. of 105 knots, but due to gusty conditions on the approach a T.T.S. of 115 knots was flown as the airspeed indicator fluctuated about 6 knots due to turbulence.

A wind check was asked for on final approach and given as 340 degrees, 15 to 20 knots, with a temperature of 27 degrees C.

Due to the high temperature the (R-R Dart engine) water methanol system was switched on (in case of a go-around) for landing.

(Engine) torque (pressure) throughout the approach was 150 to 160 (PSI).

At approximately 400 feet (AGL) a wind sheer (shear) occurred and (the engine) torque (pressure) was advanced to 240 (PSI) to arrest the sink.

Touchdown was made on the starboard wheel and the aircraft kept straight with rudder and approximately three quarter aileron.

As I reduced the aileron to bring the left wing down the nose started to go down but as I eased the stick back the nose wheel touched down and immediately after, the left main wheel.

Nothing unusual was felt and the aircraft was taxied to the tarmac where ground engineers noticed the damaged (No.4) propeller, before I left the aircraft.

There were no reported injuries to the 20 passengers and 4 crew on board..

First Officer Phillip James Horrocks (British) gave his own account of the landing as the radio operator for the duration of this flight and his comments were similar to those of Captain Hasselo, except that he stated that he felt that both pilots had had little recent flying experience and may have anticipated worse wind conditions than were found and may have over-compensated the control inputs.

Both pilots were temporarily taken off the Ansett-ANA flying roster pending the completion of the investigation.

The No.4 propeller was removed and the blades were deemed as scrap. The No.4 Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engine was removed and sent to the workshop for a shockload examination and repairs as necessary. This type of incident often resulted in cracked Reduction Gearbox casings, distorted shafts and brinelled bearing races.

Returned to service.

18 April 1968
Leased to MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA).


Photo of MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) Viscount VH-RMO

Country of Registration Australia

April 1968 to September 1968

MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA)

VH-RMO - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

18 April 1968
Leased from ANSETT-ANA and ferried from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria to Perth Airport, Western Australia.

David Carter illustration of MacRobertson-Miller Airlines V.747 Viscount c/n 97 VH-RMO

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


25 April 1968
Entered service with MMA, repainted in full livery named as 'Oakover' with MMA 'Jetstream Service' titles.

8 September 1968
Returned to ANSETT-ANA at Esendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria repainted in their livery.

It was returned as it was due for scheduled maintenance. VH-RMQ (C/N 45) was supplied as a replacement.


Photo of ANSETT-ANA Viscount VH-RMO

Country of Registration Australia

September 1968 to December 1969

ANSETT-ANA

VH-RMO - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

8 September 1968
Returned from MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) lease in full ANSETT-ANA livery.

31 December 1968
Withdrawn from service and stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Total time 29,064 hours and 24,441 total landings.

April 1969
Overhauled and repainted in a blue and white version of the ANSETT-ANA livery for an anticipated sale to Pan Indonesian.

The sale was not completed and it remained stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

18 December 1969
Transferred and registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd.


Photo of Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd Viscount VH-RMO

Country of Registration Australia

December 1969 to October 1976

Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd

VH-RMO - c/n 97 - a V.747 series Viscount
Australia registered

18 December 1969
Transferred from ANSETT-ANA and registered but the aircraft remained stored at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

26 March 1970
Registration cancelled as aircraft permanently withdrawn from use.

Scrapping commenced in July 1976.
Scrapped at Essendon Airport,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

July 1976
Scrapping commenced after the recovery of any useful spares.

25 October 1976
Hulk remains finally taken away for reprocessing.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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