VH-TVN Vickers Viscount 756D

This aircraft was built at the Vickers-Armstrong Hurn factory for Trans-Australia Airlines

First flown - July 02, 1958

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TVN - July 08, 1958

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - July 18, 1958

Ferry crew: Captains C. H. Gray, R. L Roberts; Navigator M. Ostwald; Radio Operator D. Dunn

The aircraft was named 'William Dampier'

Operated its first revenue service - July 23, 1958

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Brisbane as TN534 - October 08, 1968

Withdrawn from use and stored at Brisbane Airport

It had flown 24,915 hours to date

Sold to Botswana National Airways - March 21, 1969

Departed Brisbane on the ferry flight to Botswana - March 27, 1969

Arrived Francistown on completion of the ferry flight - April 03, 1969

Ferry route: Brisbane - Mt Isa - Darwin - Denpasar - Singapore - Aden - Nairobi - Lusaka - Francistown

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 03, 1969

Entered onto the Botswana Aircraft Register as A2-ZEL - ?

Sold to Overseas Holidays & Aircraft Hire - January 1972

Entered onto the Zimbabwe Aircraft Register as VP-YNI - ?

Sold to Air Rhodesia - February 13, 1972

The aircraft was named 'Sabie'

Transferred to Air Zimbabwe when the airline was renamed - February 1980

The aircraft was reregistered Z-YNI - October 1983

Withdrawn from service and stored at Harare International Airport - July 1984

Donated to Harare Airport Fire Service as a training aid

Current status not known

VH-TVN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'William Dampier' in the original livery with slipper fuel tanks at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-071.)

VH-TVN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'William Dampier' in the original livery with slipper fuel tanks at Perth Airport, date unknown.

(W. Anderson Copyright Image 0129-450.)

VH-TVN. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'William Dampier' in the original 'dayglow' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-185.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-155.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-274.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, October 20, 1965.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 0129-353.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-206.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, June 20, 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-297.)

VH-TVN. TAA The Nation's Jetline - 'William Dampier' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, June 29, 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-298.)

A2-ZEL. BNA Botswana - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, June 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-333.)

VP-YNI. Air Rhodesia - 'Sabi' in the original livery at Salisbury Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-283.)

VP-YNI. Air Rhodesia - 'Sabi' in the revised livery at Salisbury Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-282.)

VP-YNI. Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia - 'Sabi' in the 'anit-terrorist' livery at Salisbury Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-258.)

VP-YNI. Air Zimbabwe - 'Sabi' in the standard livery at Salisbury Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-451.)

VP-YNI. Air Zimbabwe - 'Sabi' in the standard livery at Salisbury Airport, March 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0129-207.)

Z-YNI. Air Zimbabwe - 'Sabi' in the standard livery at Salisbury Airport, date unknown.