27 July 2024
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Viscount Survivors

Viscount Survivors


59 of the 444 Viscounts built survive as complete airframes or major components. Some are in very good condition and are looked after by museums while others are just wrecks. They can be found in 24 countries.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

See and hear a Viscount

Newsletters

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Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


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Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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

Viscount c/n 90

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 90
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.744 series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7404

It first flew on Thursday, 14 July 1955 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.

During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

Photo of Viscount c/n 90
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7404.

Its fate:-
Damaged during a heavy landing at Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA 20 February 1956.

The aircraft was dismantled into sections and returned by sea to Vickers-Armstrongs circa March 1956 and rebuilt as a V.757 C/N 301 for Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as CF-THJ.


Operational record
Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7404

Country of Registration United States

July 1955 to July 1955

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7404 - c/n 90 - a V.744 series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
Capital Airlines placed an order for three Type 744 lease aircraft pending the delivery of their own Type 745 aircraft.

August 1954
A lease contract was signed by James Henry 'Slim' Carmichael, President of Capital Airlines.

This aircraft was originally being built as a Type 701 for British European Airways Corporation (BEA) but they agreed that this aircraft and C/N 88 and C/N 89 could be completed for lease to Capital Airlines.

Production Aircraft No. 64 - the 64th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 23rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 30th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F03/744. Sales Order No. F03/64B. Stock Order No. F39/22B.

14 July 1955
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

23 July 1955
Delivered on lease to Capital Airlines pending the delivery of their fleet of Type 745 and Type 745D Viscounts.


Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7404

Country of Registration United States

July 1955 to March 1956

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7404 - c/n 90 - a V.744 series Viscount
United States registered

23 July 1955
Delivered on lease to Capital Airlines from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd with fleet number '323' pending the delivery of their fleet of V.745 and V.745D Viscounts.

Although powered by Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines, this aircraft was fitted with the square tipped propeller more associated with the Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.

This was the first Viscount operator in the USA, preceded by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as the first North American operator with routes into the USA.

26 July 1955
Capital Viscount services commenced between Washington and Chicago; Washington and Norfolk; and Washington via Pittsburgh to Chicago.

20 February 1956
Badly damaged during a heavy landing at Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA on a flight from Willow Run, Detroit, Michigan, USA due to a propeller control defect affecting at least three engines that resulted in a loss of speed and flare control.

The aircraft had taken off from Willow Run Airport, Detroit, Michigan, USA at 07:00 CST for a flight to Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The flight had been uneventful and at 08:10 CST the aircraft made a righthand turn to finals for a landing on runway 31R at Chicago. When over the boundary of the airport the captain reduced power and called for 47 degrees of flaps. As the first officer moved the flap control to 47 degrees, he felt the aircraft decelerate and settle. Glancing at the instrument panel he noticed 3 of the 4 17-degree pitch lights were illuminated. These lights illuminate when the propeller blades are at a 17 degree pitch angle or below; 21 degrees is normally the minimum in-flight blade angle. Knowing this was an abnormal situation the Captain chose to apply power. Advancing power caused the propellers to immediately seek the lowest possible angle. When the throttles were 3/4 fully forward the aircraft sank quickly, touching down on the east taxiway, 414 feet short of the runway threshold. The aircraft skidded onto the runway on its belly, coming to rest 1,626 feet past the point of first touchdown.

PROBABLE CAUSE: A malfunction of the propeller control switches that resulted in an abrupt loss of lift. It appeared that at least two micro switches had failed, permitting the energizing of the 21-degree pitch lock solenoid. This made it possible for the stops to be withdrawn during the approach. As the crew didn't see the 21-degree pitch lock solenoid warning light, the emergency switch preventing the propellers from going into ground fine pitch range while in flight, was not actuated.

There were no serious injuries amongst the 4 crew and 37 passengers.

Total time 1,541 hours and 1,500 total landings.

circa March 1956
Dismantled into sections and returned to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England and rebuilt as C/N 301, CF-THJ a V.757 for Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA).

This was the first Viscount to be dismantled into sections in order for it to be transported across the Great Lakes and subsequently across the North Atlantic.

The fuselage had to be cut in half in order to get it onto a suitable ship.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7404

Country of Registration United States

March 1956 to May 1957

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7404 - c/n 90 - a V.744 series Viscount
United States registered

circa March 1956
Remains dismantled, cut up into sutable sections and returned to Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England and rebuilt as a V.757 (C/N 301) for Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as CF-THJ.


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.