
March 1954 to December 1959
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines
EI-AFY - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Ireland registered
February 1951
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd announced that Aer Lingus were negotiating the purchase of four V.700 series aircraft.
9 November 1951
An order was placed by Aer Lingus for four V.707 aircraft which would have a two crew cockpit and a 48 seat cabin.
The order for these four aircraft was worth £800,000.
At that time British European Airways Corporation (BEA) held a 30% stake in the airline.
Production Aircraft No. 29 - the 29th production V.700 series Viscount built,
was the 3rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 5th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F03/707. Sales Order No. F03/86A. Stock Order No. F11/21B.
15 October 1953
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
7 December 1953
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
22 February 1954
Engine ground running commenced.
12 March 1954
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England .
Some sources state that the first flight was on 21 March 1954 but the official Vickers records state the 12th.
24 March 1954
Export Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.
25 March 1954
Officially registered in Eire to Aer Lingus.
26 March 1954
Delivered to Aer Lingus initially named as 'St Breandán' / 'St Brendan'.
On delivery it was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines with serial numbers 1174 and 1186 on the port side and 1176 and 1177 on the starboard side.
1955
The cabin seating capacity was increased from 48 to 53.
18 March 1955
Temporarily withdrawn from service after the crash of BEA V.701 G-ALWE (C/N 4) and replaced by two Douglas DC-3 aircraft on their routes.
22 March 1955
The V.707 fleet returned to service after the completion of flap modification work.
12 June 1955
During a flight from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands a near miss was reported with de Havilland Dove G-AMRN near Spijkerboor, Netherlands.
Aer Lingus 'Green top' livery
circa 1955/1956
Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green top' livery that had a Winchester green cabin roof and an English green cockpit roof. The rudder was all white.
May 1957
Noted at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England for flap modifications. At this time the cockpit roof was painted white.
5 July 1957
During the approach to Dublin on a service from London the flight crew discovered that they had a problem with the flaps.
The initial plan was to divert to Shannon but the requested runway was not available so they diverted to Nutts Corner Airport, Belfast, Northern Ireland instead, where they made a safe landing.
Aer Lingus 'Green/white top Viscount' livery
circa 1957
The word 'Viscount' was added to the cabin roof.
18 December 1957
On the evening service from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland to London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England a record flying time of 59 minutes for this route was achieved with Captain J S P Barrett in command.
February 1958
Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for wing spar replacement work by Mashall's in order to extend the cycle fatigue life.
circa April 1958
Returned to service.
April 1958
Noted renamed as 'Cathal'.
1959
Reportedly renamed as 'St Rohan' but so far there is no photographic evidence of this. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net
circa January 1959
Withdrawn from service at Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland on the North Apron.
Later on it was ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for storage together with Viscounts EI-AFV (C/N 30) and EI-AGI (C/N 34).
They were cared for by Marshall's.

Artwork by Willem M van Velzen
circa November 1959
Ferried from Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England.
1 December 1959
Sold to Sea Products Company along with EI-AFW (C/N 31) as part exchange for VR-BAY (C/N 312).
FURTHER READING: Books about Aer Lingus
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