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 117

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 117
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7419

It first flew on Tuesday, 10 April 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, Cathedral of Tomorrow Inc, Penn Landmark Corporation, Ronald J Clark, Go Transportation Inc, Aerolineas Republica, Go Group Inc, Lowey Air Services and Jadepoint USA


Photo of Viscount c/n 117
Turbo Aire Holdings Inc


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
Turbo Aire Holdings Inc as N460RC.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service at Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, USA circa 1989. Broken up for scrap by Turbo Aire Holdings Inc in August 1993. Forward fuselage section and other recognisable remains noted in a local commercial scrap yard in October 1993. The registration was not cancelled until October 2001.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

April 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
This was the fifteenth 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. 108 - the 108th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 69th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 71st Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F15/745. Sales Order No. F15/68B. Stock Order No. F15/27B.

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.

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

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

10 April 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

20 April 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘338’ 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 N7419

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to July 1968

United Air Lines

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number ‘338’. The title ‘Viscount Mainliner’ was applied to the rear fuselage.

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.

29 July 1968
Sold to Cathedral of Tomorrow Inc.


Photo of Cathedral of Tomorrow Inc Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

July 1968 to July 1975

Cathedral of Tomorrow Inc

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

29 July 1968
Purchased from United Air Lines.

18 July 1975
Sold to Penn Landmark Corporation.


Photo of Penn Landmark Corporation Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

July 1975 to September 1977

Penn Landmark Corporation

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

18 July 1975
Purchased from Cathedral of Tomorrow Inc.

13 September 1977
Sold to Ronald J Clark.


Photo of Ronald J Clark Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

September 1977 to September 1977

Ronald J Clark

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

13 September 1977
Purchased from Penn Landmark Corporation.

13 September 1977
Title transferred to Go Transportation Inc.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

September 1977 to November 1981

Go Transportation Inc

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

13 September 1977
Title transferred from Ronald J Clark.

Major maintenance and prepared for a repaint.
Prepared for a repaint

July - September 1979
Major maintenance and prepared for a repaint.

November 1981
Leased to Aerolineas Republica.


Photo of Aerolineas Republica Viscount XA-MIJ

Country of Registration Mexico

November 1981 to May 1982

Aerolineas Republica

XA-MIJ - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
Mexico registered

November 1981
Leased from Go Transportation Inc.

Aerolineas Republica, a small regional airline that operated between Mexico City and Morelia, Uruapan and Lazaro Cardenas in the State of Michoacan, Mexico used two Vickers Viscount V.745D's leased from Go Group in the USA. XA-MIJ operated between November 1981 and May 1982 and the second one, XA-MOS c/n 334, between March 1982 and June 1984.

May 1982
Returned to Go Transportation Inc.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N7419

Country of Registration United States

May 1982 to December 1983

Go Transportation Inc

N7419 - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

May 1982
Returned from Aerolineas Republica lease.

January 1983
Noted at Fort Worth Airport, Texas, USA with 'Barry' on the nose during a music tour for Barry Manilow.

His tour ran from October 1982 through to February 1983.

December 1983
Re-registered N460RC.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

December 1983 to July 1984

Go Transportation Inc

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

December 1983
Re-registered from N7419.

1 July 1984
Title transferred to Go Group Inc.


Photo of Go Group Inc Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

July 1984 to November 1985

Go Group Inc

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 July 1984
Title transferred from Go Transportation Inc and named as 'Pride of the Port'.

1 November 1985
Leased to Lowey Air Services.


Photo of Lowey Air Services Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

November 1985 to November 1986

Lowey Air Services

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 November 1985
Leased from Go Group Inc.

1 November 1986
Returned to Go Group Inc.


Photo of Go Group Inc Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

November 1986 to October 1987

Go Group Inc

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 November 1986
Returned from Lowey Air Services lease.

October 1987
Title transferred to Go Transportation Inc.


Photo of Go Transportation Inc Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

October 1987 to February 1992

Go Transportation Inc

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 October 1987
Title transferred from Go Group Inc.

circa 1989
Withdrawn from service and stored at Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, USA.

February 1992
Sold to Turbo Aire Holdings Inc.


Photo of Turbo Aire Holdings Inc Viscount N460RC

Country of Registration United States

February 1992 to August 1993

Turbo Aire Holdings Inc

N460RC - c/n 117 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

February 1992
Purchased from Go Transportation Inc but the aircraft remained stored at Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona, USA.

August 1993
Broken up for scrap after the removal of all useful parts.

6 October 1993
Forward fuselage section and other recognisable remains noted in a local commercial scrap yard.

October 2001
Registration cancelled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as aircraft destroyed.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

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