![Country of Registration United States](../images/Flags/United States.gif)
May 1956 to June 1961
Capital Airlines (USA)
N7424 - c/n 122 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered
June 1954
This was the twentieth 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. 117 - the 117th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 78th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 79th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F20/745. Sales Order No. F20/68B. Stock Order No. F20/27B.
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 December 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
4 February 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
15 May 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
19 May 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number '343' fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.
15 July 1956
During the takeoff run at O'Hare Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA the No.1 Rolls-Royce Dart engine suffered a turbine overtemp resulting in its failure and subsequent fire.
The aircraft veered to the right but the pilot controlled the swing, took off and immediately declared an emergency.
The methol bromide fire extinguisher in the No.1 nacelle were activated and fuel was then jettisoned to reduce the aircraft weight for landing.
A safe landing back at O'Hare Airport was made with no reported injuries to the 10 passengers and 4 crew members.
Repaired and returned to service.
Wheels up landing
25 July 1956
Suffered a wheels up landing at Friendship International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. All four propellers were badly curled resulting in shockload damage to the Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.
After departure the crew had forgotten to turn on the generators resulting in flattening of the batteries and a failure of the radio and flight instruments.
As there was no electrical power, the crew were unable to deploy the undercarriage. There is no mention in the report of them trying to lower the undercarriage using the backup mechanical system.
There were no reported injuries to the 4 crew on board, as this was a positioning flight.
Repaired and returned to service.
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.
At the time this was the biggest merger transaction in US civil aviation history.
1 June 1961
Transferred to United Air Lines due to a corporate merger.
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