25 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 127

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 127
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7429

It first flew on Tuesday, 19 June 1956 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 510 engines.


Photo of Viscount c/n 127
United Air Lines


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
United Air Lines as N7429.

Its fate:-
Damaged beyond economic repair after overrunning the runway at Canton Regional Airport, Akron, Ohio, USA 11 December 1967. It was damaged beyond economic repair and subsequently scrapped.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7429

Country of Registration United States

June 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7429 - c/n 127 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

June 1954
This was the twentyfifth 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. 128 - the 128th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 87th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 88th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F25/745. Sales Order No. F25/68B. Stock Order No. F25/27B.

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.

15 February 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

2 April 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

19 June 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

30 June 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘348’ fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.

circa 1958
Large registrations on the rear fuselage appeared after the use of small registrations on the rudder 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.


Photo of United Air Lines Viscount N7429

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to December 1967

United Air Lines

N7429 - c/n 127 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number ‘348’.

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.

11 December 1967
Damaged beyond economic repair after overrunning the runway at Canton Regional Airport, Akron, Ohio, USA.

Flight 668 was arriving from Wayne County Airport, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

The pilot in command was found to have misjudged the approach and landed long rather than initiating a go-around.

The aircraft came to rest at the bottom of a 20 foot embankment, 120 yards beyond the end of the runway with the undercarriage torn off.

Luckily there was no post-crash fire.

There were no reported injuries to the 14 passengers and 3 crew on board.

The aircraft was subsequently recovered and scrapped.


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.