August 1956 to June 1961
Capital Airlines (USA)
N7435 - c/n 133 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered
December 1954
An order for an additional 20 Type 745D aircraft was placed by Capital Airlines.
This was the 31st Viscount ordered 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. 137 - the 137th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 95th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 96th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F31/745. Sales Order No. F31/68B. Stock Order No. F31/27B.
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.
27 March 1956
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
14 May 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
10 August 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
18 August 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘354’ fitted with integral front 'airsteps'.
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.
24 January 1961
During an approach to Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, USA flown by First Officer Jerry Girard under Captain William Barnhart in marginal weather conditions including snow showers the starboard main undercarriage was ripped off after contact with a slight hill on final approach to runway 33.
The aircraft crash landed on the runway resulting in damage to the starboard propellers and shockloading of the starboard Rolls-Royce Dart engines. All the occupants escaped without injury.
Repaired locally and returned to service.
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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