Vickers-Armstrongs

19 April 2024

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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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Jim Bruce

Canadian aviation paintings

Jim Bruce was born and raised in Calgary, has lived in Winnipeg, and presently works from his studio in Baie d'Urfe, (Montreal), Quebec, Canada.

Examples of his aviation and wildlife art are in private and corporate collections in many countries. Five of his works are in the permanent collection of the Canada Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Canada.

As an aviation artist he has been awarded First Prize in the Canada Aviation Museum Artflight competition three times; in 1993, 1996 and 1997. He has designed two coins for the Royal Canadian Mint's Aviation Heritage Series. As an illustrator and graphic designer his work has appeared in many national and international publications including Reader's Digest. He was awarded a special commendation from Parks Canada for a series of paintings of Quebec historical sites.

Jim is a founding member of the Canadian Aviation Artists Association and a member of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, and Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre.

The Aviation Art and Wildlife Art of Jim Bruce

At the Blast Fence

'At the Blast Fence' depicts the TCA - Trans-Canada Air Lines Viscount c/n 54 CF-TGQ doing an engine run-up at TCA's Winnipeg overhaul and maintenance facility circa 1957.

Viscount CF-TGT in the line maintenance hangar

TCA - Trans-Canada Air Lines Viscount c/n 57 CF-TGT

Original photo

In 2012 Jim found an old slide of a watercolour painting that he had done from a black and white photo of Viscount c/n 57 CF-TGT fleet number 612 in the Line Maintenance Hangar. In it can be seen a spare Rolls-Royce Merlin engine awaiting the next Douglas DC-4 North Star. The Viscount appears to be having a main wheel changed.

The 1959 slide had faded badly but Jim was able to restore the colour with a software programme. He also removed hundreds of little dirt marks. The whole restoration took about 3 hours.

Jim does not know where the original painting went, perhaps he lost it on his travels between WPM and UL, or he may have given it to a TCA Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Captain he once knew.

Jim Bruce's painting of the TransAir Douglas DC-4 CF-JEA

TransAir Pre-Flight

'TransAir Pre-Flight' depicts the Winnipeg-based TransAir Douglas DC-4 CF-JEA during departure preparations at Winnipeg's Stevenson Field in 1957. TransAir (1955-1977) was an important regional carrier and was involved in flying support for the DEW (Distant Early Warning) line and Mid-Canada line at this time. They also operated Viscount c/n 40 CF-TGI from March 1963 until January 1971.

The terminal was operated by the Canadian Department of Transport and the building shown in the painting was the domestic and international terminal for flights in and out of Winnipeg. Behind the nose wheel the passenger entrance/exit doors are visible. The top floor housed the meteorological department. The flag is the British 'Red Ensign' as the present Canadian flag was not adopted until 1965.

The view is looking north and Jim worked on the top floor (1956-1960) in an adjacent hangar immediately east of the terminal as a draftsman for TCA - Trans Canada Air Lines. In the background can be seen TCA - Trans-Canada Air Lines Viscount CF-TGY fleet number 617.

CF-JEA flew for 14 years with the carrier and did a weekly Montreal-Ottawa-Winnisk-Churchill-Winnipeg run. It ended its days in California where it was scrapped in 1974.

TransAir Douglas DC-4 CF-JEA

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