Aye Ess

Yes, they are the bars I referred to. The side window comprised 3 sections..the upper and the lower sections were fixed and the middle one opened presumably for ventilation on the ground.

Not sure but suspect it was the original setup on early aircraft. The later single pane window improved the visibility.

The 2 aircraft were RMO and RMP previously reg BAT and BUT when operated by Butler Air Transport prior to being taken over by ATI.

Emeritus :)

Is what you're referring to this:
VH-TVA Vickers Viscount

Versus this:
VH-TVB Vickers Viscount

Something to do with the aircraft being modified from Viscount 720A's to 720C's?

Thanks A.LeRone,that's the one. It must have been difficult to peer through the slatted bars on a visual circuit.

Actually, it wasn't as bad as it looks from the outside, more a hazard in ground ops. than airborne. The middle pane was a downward hinging DV window. Only the first few dozen 700 aircraft were built with this, the remainder being built with the single pane sliding DV window - as you say conversion to 700C would have taken care of this mod.

The only other outward signs of the later models was the disappearance of the "Donkey's Dick" airscoop on the lower rear fuselage, replaced with a flush model.

The props changed too from rounded tip to square tip when the more powerful Dart Mk.510 replaced the Mk.506 and lower as illustrated in the two photos above.

The instant giveaway on the ground when taxying in was which pair of engines were running, the early 700s had hydraulic pumps on the outboards whilst the later ones and the 800s had them on the inboards, a good point to watch when flying both types to avoid embarrassment.

Looks like an opening clear vision panel. Probably the early type, we had a different less obvious cvp on the 800 series.

And another thing. What's that weird little (window) between the main door and the cockpit windows on the 800 series?
VH-TVR Vickers Viscount

There was a smaller thing on the lated 700 series;
VH-TVK Vickers Viscount

And nothing on the early 700 series:
VH-TVF Vickers Viscount

Was it not a light to illuminate the engines/props?

or indeed the wing to check for icing?

Rgds