20 April 2024
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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 32

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 32
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines


Ireland flag Ireland

This V.707 series Viscount was built for
Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines as EI-AFY

It first flew on Friday, 12 March 1954 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Sea Products Company, Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd, Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd, Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd, BOAC Associated Companies Ltd, Bahamas Airways and Bahamas Development Corporation


Photo of Viscount c/n 32
James Carter


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
James Carter as N7973.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by James Carter and stored at Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA in August 1973.

Broken up for scrap in January 1977.


Operational record
Photo of Aer Lingus - Irish International Airlines Viscount EI-AFY

Country of Registration Ireland

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.
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.

Painted in the Aer Lingus 'Green/white top Viscount' livery.
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.

Aer Lingus advert selling four V.707 series Viscounts 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



Photo of Sea Products Company Viscount EI-AFY

Country of Registration Ireland

December 1959 to January 1960

Sea Products Company

EI-AFY - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Ireland registered

1 December 1959
Purchased from Aer Lingus together with Viscount EI-AFW (C/N 31) as part exchange for VR-BAY (C/N 312).

14 December 1959
Ferried from Collinstown Airport, Dublin, Ireland to Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

Total time 8,291 hours.

19 January 1960
Irish registration cancelled as aircraft sold abroad.

22 January 1960
Sold to Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd.


Photo of Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd Viscount VR-BBH

Country of Registration Bermuda

January 1960 to July 1960

Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd

VR-BBH - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bermuda registered

22 January 1960
Purchased from Sea Products Company.

25 January 1960
Departed from Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England on delivery to Bermuda, via Dublin, Ireland and Keflavik, Iceland.

30 January 1960
Arrived in Bermuda.

Painted in the Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd 'red and black tail' livery.
Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd
'Red and black tail' livery

circa June 1960
Painted in the Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd 'red and black tail' livery.

28 July 1960
Transferred to Cunard Eagle Airways.


Photo of Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd Viscount VR-BBH

Country of Registration Bermuda

July 1960 to May 1961

Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd

VR-BBH - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bermuda registered

28 July 1960
Transferred from Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd.

18 April 1961
Arrived at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England from Bermuda.

9 May 1961
Transferred to Cunard Eagle Airways.


Photo of Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd Viscount G-ARKI

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1961 to January 1962

Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd

G-ARKI - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

9 May 1961
Transferred from Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd and re-registered from VR-BBH.

30 May 1961
Transferred to Ringway Airport, Manchester, England for crew training.

7 June 1961
Entered scheduled service from Manchester to Hamburg, West Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark.

19 January 1962
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

19 January 1962
Transferred back to Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd.


Photo of Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd Viscount VR-BBH

Country of Registration Bermuda

January 1962 to July 1963

Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd

VR-BBH - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bermuda registered

19 January 1962
Transferred from Cunard Eagle Airways.

26 January 1962
Departed from London Airport, Middlesex, England on delivery to Bermuda.

19 July 1963
Sold to BOAC Associated Companies Ltd.


Photo of BOAC Associated Companies Ltd Viscount G-ARKI

Country of Registration United Kingdom

July 1963 to January 1964

BOAC Associated Companies Ltd

G-ARKI - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

19 July 1963
Purchased from Cunard Eagle (Bermuda) Ltd.

It received maintence and paint work at the Scottish Aviation Ltd (SAL) facility at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

circa 20 January 1964
Sold to Bahamas Airways.

23 January 1964
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.


Photo of Bahamas Airways Viscount VP-BCE

Country of Registration Bahamas

January 1964 to December 1968

Bahamas Airways

VP-BCE - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bahamas registered

circa 20 January 1964
Purchased from BOAC Associated Companies Ltd.

24 January 1964
UK registration cancelled as aircraft exported.

24 January 1964
Departed from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland on delivery to the Bahamas in a modified BOAC livery with Bahamas Airways titles.

Painted in the Bahamas Airways 'Blue tail' livery first with 'Bahamas Airways' titles then just with 'Bahamas' titles.
Bahamas Airways
'Blue tail' livery
with 'Bahamas Airways' titles

circa 1967
Painted in the Bahamas Airways 'Blue tail' livery first with 'Bahamas Airways' titles then just with 'Bahamas' titles.

Painted in the Bahamas Airways 'Blue tail' livery first with 'Bahamas Airways' titles then just with 'Bahamas' titles.
Bahamas Airways
'Blue tail' livery
with 'Bahamas' titles

December 1968
Withdrawn from service and stored at Nassau Airport, Bahamas.

December 1968
Sold to Bahamas Development Corporation.


Photo of Bahamas Development Corporation Viscount VP-BCE

Country of Registration Bahamas

December 1968 to July 1973

Bahamas Development Corporation

VP-BCE - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bahamas registered

December 1968
Purchased from Bahamas Airways but remained in storage at Nassau Airport, Bahamas.

13 July 1973
Sold to James Carter of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.


Photo of James Carter Viscount VP-BCE

Country of Registration Bahamas

July 1973 to August 1973

James Carter

VP-BCE - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
Bahamas registered

13 July 1973
Purchased from Bahamas Development Corporation.

August 1973
Re-registered N7973.


Photo of James Carter Viscount N7973

Country of Registration United States

August 1973 to January 1977

James Carter

N7973 - c/n 32 - a V.707 series Viscount
United States registered

August 1973
Re-registered from VP-BCE and ferried to Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA for storage.

The US registration was crudely painted on by hand.

January 1977
Broken up for scrap.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at
Information@VickersViscount.net.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.