Vickers 757 Viscount
- Period: Postwar (1945-1959)
- Uses: Airliner
- First Flight: August 1950 (first production)
- Display Status: In Reserve Hangar.
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 51. 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.
Museum Example
- Registration #: CF-THI
- Manufacturer: Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd., Great Britain
- Manufacture Date: 1957
- Construction #: 270
- Aquisition Date: 1969
- Provenance: Donation from Air Canada
The Museum specimen was built and delivered to Trans-Canada Air Lines in 1957. Restored to TCA colours, it was presented to the Museum in 1969.
Specifications
- Wing Span:
- 28.6 m (93 ft 8 1/2 in)
- Length:
- 24.9 m (81 ft 9 in)
- Height:
- 8.5 m (27 ft 9 in)
- Weight, Empty:
- 17,260 kg (38,060 lb)
- Weight, Gross:
- 28,570 kg (63,000 lb)
- Cruising Speed:
- 521 km/h (324 mph)
- Max Speed:
- 612 km/h (380 mph)
- Rate of Climb:
- 366 m (1,200 ft) /min
- Service Ceiling:
- 8,690 m (28,500 ft)
- Range:
- 3,219 km (2,000 mi)
- Power Plant:
- four Rolls-Royce Dart 506, 1,400 hp, turboprop engines
