Vickers Viscount 700/800 series VH-TVR
The British designed Vickers Armstrong Viscount eventuated as a result of the Brabazon Committee's recommendations in respect of post war airline requirements. The prototype of the Viscount 600 series first flew in July 1948. The 700 series followed and in the mid 1950s was the first turbo prop airline aircraft to enter service in Australia that were among the 444 machines produced by Vickers before production ceased in 1962.
The 47 passenger seat aircraft powered by four 1,400shp Rolls Royce Dart 506 turbo-prop engines, the Viscount was used in Australia by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), Ansett ANA, Butler Air Transport (BAT) and MacRobertson Miller Airlines(MMA) into the 1960s. It was popular with the travelling public for its absence of vibration and low noise level flight. It impressed the operators with its economical operating cost, reliability and maintenance requirements. While it heralded the beginning of the gas turbine age in the airline industry and ultimately the jet age, it also heralded the demise of some of the most renowned piston engined machines ever built such as the DC-3, DC-4 and DC-6 and to a lesser extent the TAA Convair CV240s and Ansett ANA Convair CV340 and CV440s.
Following the third of three catastrophic mid air structural failures between 1961 and 1968 the Australian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) grounded all Australian registered Viscount 700 series aircraft.
The later Viscount 800 series unaffected by the structural problems that ended the 700 series, entered Australian airline service in1959/60 operated by Ansett ANA and TAA, and they continued service until the end of the 1960s.
The RAAF had purchased two 800 series Viscounts for their VIP fleet with serials A6-435 and -436.
The Viscounts of both Ansett ANA and TAA were joined by Lockheed L188 Electra aircraft in the late 1950s and ultimately the first of the Boeing 727 aircraft that saw the retirement of the Viscounts and phasing out of mainline operations by the Electras.
The Museum’s Viscount 800 series was built in 1958 and was delivered to the Cuban National Airline Cubana in August 1959. This machine was purchased by TAA from Cubana in 1961 and following its arrival in Melbourne it was modified to the TAA fleet standard sub series of -816, registered VH-TVR and named "John Batman". Its first revenue flight took place on November 27 1962, and its last on April 4 1970 when it was retired, and was donated to our Museum in 1971. Lack of space at Moorabbin at the time saw it diverted to "Wobbies World" a kids theme park in East Burwood where it remained for some years before returning to Moorabbin where substantial restoration work on the interior has brought it to a display standard. Restoration work on the exterior is currently slowly underway.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : Captain and first Officer plus three or four Flight Attendants.
Power plant : 4 x 1,990 shp Rolls Royce Dart RDa7/1 turbo prop engines.
Length : 85'08'' (26.11m) Wingspan : 93'11'' (28.63m) Height : 25'09'' (7.86m)
Weights : empty - 41,276lbs (18,722kg) maximum take-off - 67,500lbs (30,454kg)
maximum landing - 62,050lbs (28,148kg)
Speeds : cruise (max) - 282kt (338mph) (550km/hr) cruise (economy) - 269kt (350mph) (540km/hr)
Range : max payload plus fuel reserves 720 miles (1,150km)
The 47 passenger seat aircraft powered by four 1,400shp Rolls Royce Dart 506 turbo-prop engines, the Viscount was used in Australia by Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), Ansett ANA, Butler Air Transport (BAT) and MacRobertson Miller Airlines(MMA) into the 1960s. It was popular with the travelling public for its absence of vibration and low noise level flight. It impressed the operators with its economical operating cost, reliability and maintenance requirements. While it heralded the beginning of the gas turbine age in the airline industry and ultimately the jet age, it also heralded the demise of some of the most renowned piston engined machines ever built such as the DC-3, DC-4 and DC-6 and to a lesser extent the TAA Convair CV240s and Ansett ANA Convair CV340 and CV440s.
Following the third of three catastrophic mid air structural failures between 1961 and 1968 the Australian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) grounded all Australian registered Viscount 700 series aircraft.
The later Viscount 800 series unaffected by the structural problems that ended the 700 series, entered Australian airline service in1959/60 operated by Ansett ANA and TAA, and they continued service until the end of the 1960s.
The RAAF had purchased two 800 series Viscounts for their VIP fleet with serials A6-435 and -436.
The Viscounts of both Ansett ANA and TAA were joined by Lockheed L188 Electra aircraft in the late 1950s and ultimately the first of the Boeing 727 aircraft that saw the retirement of the Viscounts and phasing out of mainline operations by the Electras.
The Museum’s Viscount 800 series was built in 1958 and was delivered to the Cuban National Airline Cubana in August 1959. This machine was purchased by TAA from Cubana in 1961 and following its arrival in Melbourne it was modified to the TAA fleet standard sub series of -816, registered VH-TVR and named "John Batman". Its first revenue flight took place on November 27 1962, and its last on April 4 1970 when it was retired, and was donated to our Museum in 1971. Lack of space at Moorabbin at the time saw it diverted to "Wobbies World" a kids theme park in East Burwood where it remained for some years before returning to Moorabbin where substantial restoration work on the interior has brought it to a display standard. Restoration work on the exterior is currently slowly underway.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : Captain and first Officer plus three or four Flight Attendants.
Power plant : 4 x 1,990 shp Rolls Royce Dart RDa7/1 turbo prop engines.
Length : 85'08'' (26.11m) Wingspan : 93'11'' (28.63m) Height : 25'09'' (7.86m)
Weights : empty - 41,276lbs (18,722kg) maximum take-off - 67,500lbs (30,454kg)
maximum landing - 62,050lbs (28,148kg)
Speeds : cruise (max) - 282kt (338mph) (550km/hr) cruise (economy) - 269kt (350mph) (540km/hr)
Range : max payload plus fuel reserves 720 miles (1,150km)