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 138

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 138
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7440

It first flew on Friday, 14 September 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, Viscount International Corporation, Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA), Aeropesca Colombia and Intercontinental Colombia


Photo of Viscount c/n 138
Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park


Colombia flag Colombia

Its final owner/operator was
Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park as HK-1708.

Its fate:-
During a cargo flight from Eldorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia to Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, San Andres Island 31 March 1991 both artificial horizons failed while cruising in turbulence at FL160. Control was regained at 4,000 feet and an emergency landing was carried out at Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, Rionegro, Antioquia near Medellín, Colombia. Inspection after landing showed substantial airframe stress damage. Withdrawn from use. Donated to Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park in Rionegro, 26.7 miles from Medellín, Colombia in September 1991. Noted repainted in another colourful livery in April 2021.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7440

Country of Registration United States

September 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7440 - c/n 138 - 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 36th 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. 143 - the 143rd production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 101st Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 101st Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F36/745. Sales Order No. F36/68B. Stock Order No. F36/27B.

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

5 June 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

14 September 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

24 September 1956
Delivered to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘359’ 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 started to be 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 N7440

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to January 1969

United Air Lines

N7440 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number ‘359’.

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.

18 October 1967
The undercarriage collapsed after hydroplaning and ground looping on the wet runway while landing at Easton Airport, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA at 18:43.

The pilot in command had failed to maintain directional control after selecting a wet runway with 5 kts tailwind and 13.5 kts crosswing components.

Substantial damage was caused to the aircraft.

There were no reported injuries to the 46 passengers and 4 crew on board.

Repaired and returned to service.

11 January 1969
Sold to Viscount International Corporation.


Photo of Viscount International Corporation Viscount N7440

Country of Registration United States

January 1969 to May 1974

Viscount International Corporation

N7440 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

11 January 1969
Purchased from United Air Lines and ferried to Sussex County Airport, Georgetown, Delaware, USA for storage.

Total time 29,221 hours.

24 May 1974
Sold to Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA).


Photo of Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA) Viscount N7440

Country of Registration United States

May 1974 to June 1974

Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA)

N7440 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

24 May 1974
Purchased from Viscount International Corporation.

Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA) did not operate this aircraft.

30 June 1974
Sold to Aeropesca Colombia.


Photo of Aeropesca Colombia Viscount HK-1708

Country of Registration Colombia

June 1974 to June 1983

Aeropesca Colombia

HK-1708 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

30 June 1974
Purchased from Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA) and named as 'Ciudad de Neiva'.

It was repainted in the Aloha Airlines orange livery, copied from HK-1319 (C/N 232) which was obtained from Aloha in this livery.

2 August 1974
Noted at Friendship International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

23 December 1974
US registration cancelled as aircraft exported to Canada for onward sale to South America.

We have no record of it actually going to Canada, before it was delivered to Aeropesca.

4 February 1976
Damaged landing at Eldorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia.

April 1976
Noted back at Sussex County Airport, Georgetown, Delaware, USA, presumably for repairs.

5 October 1976
Noted at Guillermo León Valencia Airport, Popayán, Cauca Department, Colombia back in service, still using the integral front 'airsteps'.

3 June 1983
Transferred to Intercontinental Colombia due to a company name change.


Photo of Intercontinental de Aviación Viscount HK-1708

Country of Registration Colombia

June 1983 to September 1991

Intercontinental de Aviación

HK-1708 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

3 June 1983
Transferred from Aeropesca Colombia due to a corporate name change.

It was repainted in a gold, blue and white livery with Intercontinental titles.

14 February 1988
Reported as suffering from an undercarriage collapse.

Second Intercontinental Viscount livery.

June 1990
Noted with a logo on the tail and now in cargo configuration with most of the windows blanked off.

31 March 1991
Damaged after over-stressing in flight.

During a cargo flight from Eldorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia to Gustavo Rojas Pinilla Airport, San Andres Island both artificial horizons failed while cruising in turbulence at FL160. Control was regained at 4,000 feet and an emergency landing was carried out at Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, Rionegro, Antioquia near Medellín, Colombia. Inspection after landing showed substantial airframe damage including a crack in the lower main spar boom extending across 35% of its chord. It is believed that the initial damage had been caused by a landing gear collapse 14 February 1988 which was then exacerbated by the loss of control during the turbulence on this flight.

There were no injuries to the 2 crew.

April 1991
Declared as beyond economic repair and remained stored.

August 1991
Noted with the Dowty Rotol Propellers and Rolls-Royce Dart engines removed.

1 September 1991
Donated to Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park.


Photo of Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park Viscount HK-1708

Country of Registration Colombia

September 1991 to

Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park

HK-1708 - c/n 138 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

1 September 1991
Donated by Intercontinental Colombia to Comfama Rionegro Recreational Park, a public area 26.7 miles from Medellín, Colombia.

9 September 1991
Moved by road in a dismantled condition.

The cockpit interior is complete with all instruments in place.

The aircraft was initially being used as a 'cinematic simulator'.

July 2008
Noted painted in a silver / grey livery.

Repainted in a new livery.

13 July 2013
Noted repainted silver / pink / green with 'COMFAMA' titles and 'Icaro' on a sign nearby.

Icaro is a South American indigenous colloquialism for magic song.

There are steps up to the forward cabin door.

Repainted in a new colourful livery.

April 2021
Noted repainted in a new colourful livery, still with 'COMFAMA' titles and 'Icaro' on a sign nearby.

There are still steps up to the forward cabin door.

The interior was temporarily closed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions but it is now operating normally


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.