27 July 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 198

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 198
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7442

It first flew on Monday, 24 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, International Aircraft Services Inc, Northeast Airlines Inc, International Aircraft Services Inc, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, Ministry of Aviation and Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS)


Photo of Viscount c/n 198
Shackleton Aviation Ltd


England flag England

Its final owner/operator was
Shackleton Aviation Ltd as XR802.

Its fate:-
Released for disposal by the Ministry of Defence in December 1971. Sold to Shackleton Aviation Ltd 16 May 1972 and ferried to Baginton Airport, Coventry, Warwickshire, England for storage using callsign 'Tester 108'. Broken up for scrap in March 1973 after the removal of all useful parts, especially the Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7442

Country of Registration United States

September 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

December 1954
Order for an additional 20 Type 745D aircraft was placed by Capital Airlines.

This was the 38th 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. 145 - the 145th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 103rd Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 103rd Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F38/745. Sales Order No. F38/68B. Stock Order No. F51/27B.

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.

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

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

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

29 September 1956
Delivered to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘361’ 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.

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 N7442

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to June 1961

United Air Lines

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number '361'.

20 June 1961
Sold to International Aircraft Services Inc.


Photo of International Aircraft Services Inc Viscount N7442

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to June 1961

International Aircraft Services Inc

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

20 June 1961
Purchased from United Air Lines.

21 June 1961
Sold to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7442

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to June 1961

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

21 June 1961
Purchased from International Aircraft Services Inc.

25 June 1961
Leased to Northeast Airlines Inc.


Photo of Northeast Airlines Inc Viscount N7442

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to September 1961

Northeast Airlines Inc

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

25 June 1961
Leased from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.

25 September 1961
Returned to Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount N7442

Country of Registration United States

September 1961 to December 1961

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

N7442 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

25 September 1961
Returned from Northeast Airlines Inc lease.

11 December 1961
Re-registered G-ARUU.


Photo of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd Viscount G-ARUU

Country of Registration United Kingdom

December 1961 to January 1962

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

G-ARUU - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

11 December 1961
Re-registered from N7442 and ferried to Wisley Airfield, Surrey, England via Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland.

5 January 1962
Sold to the Ministry of Aviation.


Photo of Ministry of Aviation Viscount G-ARUU

Country of Registration United Kingdom

January 1962 to May 1962

Ministry of Aviation

G-ARUU - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

5 January 1962
Purchased from Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd. and the civil registration was cancelled the same day.

Ferried to Teversham Airport, Cambridge, England for overhaul by Marshall's.

Total time 15,770 hours.

8 May 1962
Transferred to the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS) at Farnborough Airfield, Hampshire, England.


Photo of Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS) Viscount XR802

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1962 to May 1972

Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS)

XR802 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

8 May 1962
Transferred from the Ministry of Aviation and initially based at Farnborough Airfield, Hampshire, England.

19 September 1965
Noted on static display at the Battle of Britain air show at RAF Finningley, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.

28 September 1967
Arrived at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England using callsign 'Tester 55'.

29 September 1967
Departed from Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England using callsign 'Tester 55'.

28 January 1968
ETPS transferred to Boscombe Down Airfield, Wiltshire, England.

14 June 1968
Noted at Gatwick Airport, Surrey, England carrying out multiple ILS approaches and overshoots.

David Carter illustration of Empire Test Pilots School Viscount XR802

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


27 November 1970
Noted at RAF 5 Maintenance Unit, Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England being repainted.

8 January 1971
Returned to service at Boscombe Down Airfield, Wiltshire, England.

21 December 1971
Released for disposal by the Ministry of Defence.

16 May 1972
Sold to Shackleton Aviation Ltd.


Photo of Shackleton Aviation Ltd Viscount XR802

Country of Registration United Kingdom

May 1972 to March 1973

Shackleton Aviation Ltd

XR802 - c/n 198 - a V.745D series Viscount
United Kingdom registered

David Carter illustration of Empire Test Pilots School Viscount XR802

Viscount illustrations by David Carter


16 May 1972
Purchased from the Ministry of Defence / Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS) and ferried to Baginton Airport, Coventry, Warwickshire, England using call sign ‘Tester 108’.

XR801 (C/N 89) was also purchased and ferried using call sign 'Tester 107'.

Total time 18,701 hours.

March 1973
Broken up for scrap after the removal of all useful parts, especially the Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines.


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.