General Information

Serial #

270

Part Number

1

Total Parts

6

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

ALUMINUM, PLEXIGLASS WINDOWS, RUBBER TIRES, STEEL & PLASTIC COMPONENTS, FABRIC

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

24.4 m

Width

28.5 m

Height

8.1 m

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Aviation

Category

Aircraft

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Vickers Armstrong

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

Weybridge

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

The Museum specimen was built and delivered to Trans-Canada Air Lines in 1957 and flew until February 28, 1969. It was presented to the Museum in 1969.

Canada

TCA was the first airline in North America to fly turbine powered aircraft. TCA restored the Viscount to its original TCA markings and two class 40 seat configuration for the museum.

Function

Four-engine turbo prop passenger airliner.

Technical

The Viscount, as the first turboprop airliner to go into production, broke the piston engine’s monopoly on air transport. It was also the first turboprop to fly a regular airline service. After requiring changes to make the Viscount more suitable for North American operations, Trans-Canada Air Lines ordered a total of 15. TCA flew Viscounts from 1955 until 1969. When modified Viscounts were also purchased by two US airliners, they became the first British commercial airplane to enter American service. The Viscount brought a new level of comfort to air travel. The pressurized cabin allowed smooth high-altitude flight without passenger discomfort, while the reliable engines produced a minimum of vibration and noise. Even though the production Viscount was an enlarged version of the prototype, it soon proved too small. Practically every postwar airliner built has been followed by an enlarged or stretched version.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

TCA logo painted on both sides of fuselage towards front of aircraft/ Black print on doors to nose wheel reads: "627"/ Red print on both sides of fuselage above wings reads: "TRANS-CANADA AIR LINES"/ Black print on both sides of rudder: "627"/ Below is the TCA winged logo with "VISCOUNT" incorporated above logo/ Below black print reads: "CF-THI"/

Missing

N/A

Finish

polished metal has oxidized throughout the years/ red and white paint

Decoration

Silver aircraft with red and white stripes and markings