Issue 27: June/August 1985

In an effort to take a competitive advantage over TAA, on 24 May 1958 Ansett-ANA introduced a DC-6B with 75 seats as a tourist service flying Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth. In addition, a 58-seat DC-6B flying Melbourne-Perth direct was operated as a first-class service. To combat this move, TAA offered a 57-seat Viscount in tourist configuration, but a refuelling stop was necessary at Forrest as the Viscount was unable to fly AdelaidePerth directly with a full passenger load. As the Viscount was unable to operate Melbourne-Perth directly satisfactorily, TAA did not compete with the other Ansett-ANA initiative.

To meet the challenge of TAA’s supremacy in the passenger market, Ansett embarked on an ambitious re-equipment programme. Amongst the purchases were Electras, Friendships and Viscounts. The Viscount version ordered was the V. 832 powered by the Rolls Royce RDa7 Dart and four such aircraft were delivered during 1959. They were introduced into service on 20 March only two days after the Electras joined the fleet. The Ansett-ANA V. 832 series aircraft were 52 seaters and were the first to be certificated at a 72,500 lb all-up weight.

The range with a maximum payload of 15,000 lb was 1,200 miles. This new turboprop capacity enabled Ansett-ANA to more effectively offer suitable equipment to compete with TAA’s 13 Viscounts.

Other Viscounts were to join the Ansett-ANA fleet. These were the two ex-Butler V. 747s and two others were purchased from other operators. One was an ex-Continental V. 812 and the other an ex-Cubana V. 818. These latter aircraft were acquired in 1960 and 1962. As part of the Government’s rationalisation of the airlines, three TAA V. 720 Viscounts passed to Ansett-ANA in March 1960 and were exchanged for two DC-6Bs which went to TAA. These various aircraft were operated on a charter basis in which TAA paid Ansett-ANA 199 pounds 12 shillings per day for each of the DC-6Bs and Ansett-ANA paid TAA 160 pounds 18 shillings a day for each Viscount. The Viscounts involved were VH-TVC, VH-TVE and VH-TVF. They were joined by another TAA Viscount VH-TVB purchased by Ansett-ANA in 1962 which was re-registered as VH-RMQ.

In addition to the main operators, Viscounts also were used by MacRobertson Miller Airlines. Three aircraft were transferred from the Ansett-ANA fleet to their West Australian subsidiary in 1968. These Viscounts were VH-RMO and VH-RMP (ex Butler VH-BAT and VH-BUT respectively) and VH-RMQ. One of the Viscounts was lost in an accident and the other two returned to Ansett-ANA after a fairly short lease period spanning a few months.

Apart from the airlines, the RAAF purchased two Viscounts for VIP use in 1964. Both Viscounts, A6-435 and A6-436 were V. 816 models originally intended for delivery to TAA as VH-TVR and VH-TVS. These were not delivered to TAA and instead were purchased by the Union Carbide Corporation in 1960 and the Iranian Government in 1961 respectively. The RAAF disposed of them in 1969.

A series of three accidents were to befall the Viscounts during the 1960s, the final one of which was to have a profound bearing on Viscount operations in Australia. On 30 November 1961, VHTVC being operated by Ansett-ANA under cross charter from TAA, departed from Sydney at 7. 17 pm on runway 07 on a flight to Canberra. The Viscount initially climbed to 3,000 ft and commenced a turn to take it back over the airport. It reported at 5,000 ft and this was the last message received. It had been due to reach Canberra at 8. 00 pm and carried sufficient fuel to remain airborne until 11. 15 pm. When it had not landed and radio contact could not be made, it was posted missing soon after 8. 50 pm. The wreckage was located in Botany Bay the following morning.

The subsequent enquiry determined that there was a likelihood that the aircraft encountered extreme turbulence over Rockdale. An examination of the wreckage had shown an in-flight separation of the outer starboard wing, starboard tailplane and starboard elevator. The cause of the accident was the inflight failure of the starboard outer wing in upward bending due to tensile overloading of the lower spar boom at station 323.

On 22 September 1966, VH-RMI left Mt Isa at 12. 05 pm and was due to reach Longreach at 1. 30 pm. At about 1. 00 pm the pilot radioed Longreach and advised that one port engine was on fire and the other port engine had stopped and that he was unable to feather the propellers. Approval was received to divert to Winton but the aircraft subsequently crashed when the port wing failed at 5,000 ft and the Viscount came down 11 miles West of Winton at Nadjayamba Station. At the following enquiry, the cause of the accident was determined as a fire that had commenced in one of the cabin pressurisation air compressor units.

The final Viscount accident in Australia occurred on 31 December 1968 when VH-RMQ crashed 27 miles South of Port Hedland. VH-RMQ had departed from Perth at 10. 30 am and was due at Port Hedland was at 1. 42 pm. The last reported message to Port Hedland was at 1. 34 pm when the crew reported that the aircraft was on the descent and that the weather was fine.

Just after this message was sent the aircraft broke up and crashed 27 miles South of its destination. The Aircraft had been the longest serving Viscount in Australia and had flown nearly 31,800 hours. Following the accident, the remaining four V. 700 series Viscounts in Australia were grounded. After an investigation, the cause of the accident was identified as a fatigue crack in the lower boom of the starboard wing spar. This resulted in the starboard wing separating at approximately 7,000 ft.

As the deliveries of Boeing 727 and Douglas DC-9 aircraft to the Australian airlines continued, the need for the remaining v. 81o series Viscounts decreased and they were withdrawn from use during 1969/71. All but one of the V. 700 series were scrapped at various locations around Australia. The one exception was VH-TVN, withdrawn from use prior to the Port Hedland accident and sold overseas as A2-ZEL to Botswana National Airways. As for the V. 810 Viscounts, with one exception they were all sold overseas to Far Eastern Air Transport.

The Viscount in its heyday was a dominant force in the Australian domestic airline industry. In competition with the superb piston-engined DC-6B, they continuously enjoyed higher

load factors. Whilst not denying the high regard with which the DC-6B is justifiably held, they were no match, in the eyes of the passengers, to the smoother gas turbine-powered Viscount. As proof of its performance, by 1958 the Viscount had captured 27 out of the 28 available Australian speed records. Over 30 years have now elapsed since this elegant, innovative aircraft entered Australian service and started the gas turbine revolution in this region. During their period of service, they played a most important developmental role in post-war aviation in Australia.