Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

CF-THS - The Restoration

Shortly after sending out the last issue of the NetLetter, Terry contacted me with more information on Vickers Viscount CF-THS.

Robert W. Arnold, Canadian Research Historian with the Vickers Viscount Network is a NetLetter subscriber and has kindly contibuted a more detailed history and images of the restoration of CF-THS.

The text of Mr. Arnold's message follows below:

 I had a chance to read the article about CF-THS in Wayne's Wings (NetLetter 1379), however I would like to make a few corrections. I guess the best way to do this would be to send you the aircraft's documented history since its retirement. I gathered information found in the aircraft's maintenance records, which are now part of my TCA Viscount collection, along with information found in the aircraft's Journey Log entries which I located in the museum's archives.

Air Canada Viscount C/N 279, Fleet 637, CF-THS:

CF-THS operated its final service from Dorval to Winnipeg via Sault St. Marie on April 28, 1974. The pilots on board for this flight were Captain J.N. Beauchamp and First Officer G. Cockburn. After the aircraft arrived in Winnipeg, it was placed in storage where it stayed until September 30, 1976, when it was ferried back to Dorval for further storage. Sometime during the first week of November 1978, a sale to Zaire Aero Service was reported but for unknown reasons, the sale fell through and the aircraft was then flown to Cartierville for further storage.

On September 1, 1982, the aircraft was documented as sold to the Western Canada Aviation Museum, later to be known as The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in 2014.

On September 22, 1982, a short term ferry permit was issued and on September 30, 1982, CF-THS began its ferry flight from Dorval to Winnipeg via Thunder Bay. The pilots on board for this particular flight were Captain Yves Favreau and First Officer Desjardins.
The next day on October 1, 1982, CF-THS was ferried from Winnipeg to Gimli where it was placed in long term storage.

On September 17, 1983, after a new ferry permit was issued, the aircraft was in the air once again, this time on its final flight as it made its way back to Winnipeg where it would be placed on permanent display in her new home at the Western Canada Aviation Museum, later to be renamed in 2014 as the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. The crew on board for the short twenty-minute flight to Winnipeg included Captain Jim E. Griffith along with First Officer Gerry D. Norberg and Bob Palmer from the museum as Flight Engineer. During the second week of March 1984, CF-THS was towed over to Air Canada where it was fully repainted in Air Canada livery. The process took about two weeks. The aircraft was later returned to the museum sometime during the first week of April 1984.

In early January 2017, plans were made to refurbish the now aging and tattered cabin area of CF-THS with the help from Air Canada and AirBase Canada. The project took several months to complete, and on September 30, 2017, the interior had been officially completed and refurbished to its original colours and patterns used when the aircraft was retired in 1974. A job very well done and managed by all involved.

As a side note, this is the only remaining former Air Canada Viscount that still proudly wears the red and white Air Canada titles and this aircraft, to this day, is on proud display at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. Scheduled tours are taken daily through Viscount's interior.

Well Terry, before I go on forever, I will put a pin in it here. Hope you can use the provided material. I included 6 photos showing the finished product. Two show the forward bulkheads, two show the rear bulkheads and two show the seats. Feel free to use.

Anyway, cheers for now my friend.

Robert.