27 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 115

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 115
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7417

It first flew on Wednesday, 21 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
United Air Lines and Blaw Knox Corporation


Photo of Viscount c/n 115
Kearney & Trecker Corporation


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
Kearney & Trecker Corporation as N7417.

Its fate:-
Remains purchased from the Blaw Knox Corporation in February 1969. The gutted remains were broken up for scrap shortly afterwards.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7417

Country of Registration United States

March 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7417 - c/n 115 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
This was the thirteenth 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. 104 - the 104th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 66th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 67th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F13/745. Sales Order No. F13/68B. Stock Order No. F13/27B.

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.

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

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

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

29 March 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘336’ 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 suit on the entire Viscount fleet of Capital Airlines as the overdue payments now totalled $34,000,000.

4 April 1961
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially gave permission for United Air Lines to acquire Capital Airlines.

1 June 1961
Transferred to United Air Lines due to a corporate merger.


Photo of United Air Lines Viscount N7417

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to April 1968

United Air Lines

N7417 - c/n 115 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number '336'.

After repainting in United Air Lines livery during a suitable maintenance period the title ‘Viscount Mainliner’ was applied to the rear fuselage.

The last Capital Viscount N7443 (C/N 199) was repainted in United Air Lines livery in March 1962.

23 April 1968
Sold to the Blaw Know Corporation.


Photo of Blaw-Knox Corporation Viscount N7417

Country of Registration United States

April 1968 to February 1969

Blaw-Knox Corporation

N7417 - c/n 115 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

23 April 1968
Purchased from United Air Lines.

Total time 29,647 hours and 27,657 total landings.

It was then robbed of all useful parts to support the other two Viscounts.

May 1968
Blaw-Knox was purchased by White Consolidated Industries (WCI).

The Blaw-Knox Construction Equipment Corporation name was used for this new WCI subsidiary.

February 1969
Remains sold to the Kearney & Trecker Corporation.


Photo of Kearney & Trecker Corporation Viscount N7417

Country of Registration United States

February 1969 to February 1969

Kearney & Trecker Corporation

N7417 - c/n 115 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

February 1969
Remains purchased from the Blaw-Knox Construction Equipment Corporation.

February 1969
Gutted remains broken up for scrap.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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Information@VickersViscount.net.


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