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 116

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 116
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7418

It first flew on Tuesday, 27 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
Alitalia, British Midland Airways (BMA) and Nigeria Airways


Photo of Viscount c/n 116
Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School as G-AWGV.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service in November 1969. Ferried to Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England in April 1970 and all useful parts including the Rolls-Royce Dart engines were removed. Remains donated by British Midland Airways (BMA) in May 1970 and used for fire and rescue training at the airport. Subsequently broken up for scrap.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7418

Country of Registration United States

March 1956 to November 1960

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7418 - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
This was the fourteenth 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
Anadditional 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. 107 - the 107th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 68th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 70th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F14/745. Sales Order No. F14/68B. Stock Order No. F14/27B.

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.

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

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

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

30 March 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number '337' fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

The forward half of the cabin contained boxes of spare parts and there were several passengers in the rear of the cabin.

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.

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


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7418

Country of Registration United States

November 1960 to November 1960

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7418 - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

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

30 November 1960
Sold to Alitalia.


Photo of Alitalia Viscount I-LIRE

Country of Registration Italy

November 1960 to April 1968

Alitalia

I-LIRE - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
Italy registered

November 1960
Purchased from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

1 December 1960
Seen at Keflavik, Iceland during its ferry flight from the USA. It was in a basic Capital livery less titles with the Italian registration applied to the tail.

1 December 1960
Noted at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland clearing UK customs during its ferry flight from the USA.

2 December 1960
Arrived at Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England from Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland after its ferry flight from the USA.

Delivered to Alitalia at Ciampino Airport, Rome, Italy after being repainted in full livery. The date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

The integral front 'airsteps' were removed before the aircraft entered service.

10 November 1965
The nose undercarriage leg collapsed during a landing at Alghero Airport, Sardinia, Italy causing serious damage to the forward fuselage and propellers and shockloading of the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

There were no reported injuries to the 5 crew and 30 passengers on board.

Repaired and returned to service.

11 April 1968
Sold to British Midland Airways (BMA).


Photo of British Midland Airways (BMA) Viscount G-AWGV

Country of Registration United Kingdom

April 1968 to May 1969

British Midland Airways (BMA)

G-AWGV - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

11 April 1968
Purchased from Alitalia and registered.

12 April 1968
Delivered from Ciampino Airport, Rome, Italy to East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England.

26 April 1968
UK Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued.

27 May 1968
Entered service with British Midland Airways (BMA) in full livery.

May 1969
Leased to Nigeria Airways.


Photo of Nigeria Airways Viscount G-AWGV

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1969 to June 1969

Nigeria Airways

G-AWGV - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

May 1969
Leased from British Midland Airways (BMA) while Viscount G-AVJB (C/N 375) was returned for scheduled maintenance.

This was a wet lease, i.e. using BMA crews and also utilising a BMA Engineer. It remained in BMA livery.

June 1969
Returned to British Midland Airways (BMA).


Photo of British Midland Airways (BMA) Viscount G-AWGV

Country of Registration United Kingdom

June 1969 to May 1970

British Midland Airways (BMA)

G-AWGV - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

June 1969
Returned from Nigeria Airways wet lease.

November 1969
Withdrawn from service and stored at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, England and offered for sale.

16 April 1970
Ferried to Teesside International Airport, Darlington, County Durham, England.

16 April 1970
Registration cancelled as permanently withdrawn from use.

Total time 33,756 hours and 28,176 total landings.

25 April 1970
Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) expired.

Robbed of all useful parts including the Rolls-Royce Dart engines.

May 1970
Remains donated to the Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School.


Photo of Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School Viscount G-AWGV

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1970 to January 1980

Civil Aviation Authority Fire Training School

G-AWGV - c/n 116 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

May 1970
Remains donated by British Midland Airways (BMA) and used for fire training at the airport after removal of the Dart engines and other useful parts.

Subsequently broken up for scrap. The date is not known. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


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.


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