26 April 2024
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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.

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

Viscount c/n 114

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 114
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7416

It first flew on Friday, 16 March 1956 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


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


Photo of Viscount c/n 114
Aeropesca Colombia


Colombia flag Colombia

Its final owner/operator was
Aeropesca Colombia as 6O-SAN.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by Somali Airlines and stored at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia in June 1976.

Sold to Aeropesca Colombia in February 1979 but remained stored at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia. Robbed of all useful spares to support their other Viscounts. Broken up for scrap circa June 1993.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7416 *

Country of Registration United States

March 1956 to December 1960

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7416 * - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
This was the twelfth of thirty Type 745 ordered by Capital Airlines.

The first nine aircraft (C/N 103 to 111) were built as Type 745 aircraft with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.

All subsequent aircraft in the order were built as Type 745D with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.

December 1954
An additional order for 20 Type 745D aircraft was placed by Capital Airlines.

Altogether, the total order was worth $67,000,000 US. This was the highest ever US Dollar export order for the UK at the time.

Production Aircraft No. 102 - the 102nd production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 65th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 66th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F12/745. Sales Order No. F12/68B. Stock Order No. F12/27B.

24 August 1955
A drawing showing the cabin seating arrangement was approved and issued.by Capital Airlines and showed 11 rows of 2 + 2 seats with two toilets at the front, one on each side and a large galley at the rear.

3 October 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

23 November 1955
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

16 March 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Registration N7416 was later used on Viscount c/n 232.

20 March 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘335’ fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines fitted with the square tipped propeller type.

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.

circa 1958
Large registrations on the rear fuselage appeared after the use of small registrations on the tail were banned by the newly formed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Also by this time weather radar had been fitted resulting in a change to the nose cone.

May 1960
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd filed a foreclosure legal suit on the entire Viscount fleet of Capital Airlines as the overdue payments now totalled $34,000,000.

1 December 1960
Repossessed by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd due to the financial debt owed.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7416*

Country of Registration United States

December 1960 to December 1960

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7416* - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 December 1960
Repossessed from Capital Airlines due to the financial debt owed and registered to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

16 December 1960
Sold to Alitalia along with I-LINS (C/N 131).


Photo of Alitalia Viscount I-LIRC

Country of Registration Italy

December 1960 to December 1970

Alitalia

I-LIRC - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
Italy registered

16 December 1960
Purchased from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd along with I-LINS (C/N 131).

March 1970
Noted at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England undergoing maintenance with Field Aircraft Services Ltd.

October 1970
Noted at Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England with Marshall's for a repaint in Somali Airlines livery.

12 December 1970
Sold to Somali Airlines to replace Viscount 6OS-AAJ (C/N 379).


Photo of Somali Airlines Viscount 6OS-AAN

Country of Registration Somalia

December 1970 to December 1970

Somali Airlines

6OS-AAN - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
Somalia registered

12 December 1970
Purchased from Alitalia and registered as 6OS-AAN.

This Viscount was purchased as a replacement for 6OS-AAJ (C/N 379) which was written off 6 May 1970.

15 December 1970
Delivered to Mogadishu Airport, Somalia.

19 December 1970
Re-registered 6O-SAN.

Somali Airlines was the flag carrier of Somalia and was established on 5 March 1964 by the then civilian government and Alitalia. Each owned an equal share in the company that offered flights to both domestic and international destinations. This version of the airline discontinued operations after the start of the civil war in the early 1990s.


Photo of Somali Airlines Viscount 6O-SAN

Country of Registration Somalia

December 1970 to February 1979

Somali Airlines

6O-SAN - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
Somalia registered

19 December 1970
Re-registered from 6OS-AAN.

24 January 1973
During the takeoff run from runway 05 at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia smoke was observed coming from the starboard main wheels.

The takeoff was aborted but during heavy braking the port main undercarriage collapsed resulting in curled port propellers and shockload damage to the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

There were no reported injuries to the passengers and crew on board.

November 1973
Returned to service after repairs.

June 1976
Withdrawn from service and stored at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia.

Total time of 34,982 hours.

February 1979
Sold to Aeropesca Colombia.

Somali Airlines was the flag carrier of Somalia and was established on 5 March 1964 by the then civilian government and Alitalia. Each owned an equal share in the company that offered flights to both domestic and international destinations. This version of the airline discontinued operations after the start of the civil war in the early 1990s.


Photo of Aeropesca Colombia Viscount 6O-SAN

Country of Registration Somalia

February 1979 to June 1973

Aeropesca Colombia

6O-SAN - c/n 114 - a V.745D series Viscount
Somalia registered

1 February 1979
Purchased from Somali Airlines but the aircraft remained stored at Mogadishu Airport, Somalia.

Robbed of all useful spares to support their other Viscounts.

circa June 1993
Derelict remains broken up for scrap. The actual date is not known.
Further details please to information@vickersviscount.net.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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