27 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 204

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 204
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7448

It first flew on Sunday, 28 October 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 and Viscount International Corporation


Photo of Viscount c/n 204
Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA)


Ecuador flag Ecuador

Its final owner/operator was
Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA) as HC-AYZ.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service by SAETA - Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos and stored at Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre, Quito, Ecuador and robbed of all useful spares circa March 1978.

Some of the parts were sold to Aeropesca Colombia to support their Viscount fleet.

Remains broken up for scrap in February 1980.

Some identifiable parts were still noted at Quito in 1985.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7448

Country of Registration United States

November 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7448 - c/n 204 - 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 44th 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. 153 - the 153rd production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 111th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 111th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F44/745. Sales Order No. F44/68B. Stock Order No. F57/27B.

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.

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

23 July 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

28 October 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

3 November 1956
Delivered to Capital Airlines with fleet number '367' 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 N7448

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to January 1968

United Air Lines

N7448 - c/n 204 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number '367'.

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.

30 January 1968
Sold to the Viscount International Corporation.


Photo of Viscount International Corporation Viscount N7448

Country of Registration United States

January 1968 to March 1974

Viscount International Corporation

N7448 - c/n 204 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

30 January 1968
Purchased from United Air Lines and ferried to Sussex County Airport, Georgetown, Delaware, USA for storage in ex United livery less titles.

Total time 29,381 hours and 27,930 total landings.

26 March 1974
Sold to Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA).


Photo of Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA) Viscount HC-AYZ

Country of Registration Ecuador

March 1974 to February 1980

Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aereos (SAETA)

HC-AYZ - c/n 204 - a V.745D series Viscount
Ecuador registered

26 March 1974
Purchased from the Viscount International Corporation. There was a delay in putting this aircraft into service due to problems involving the cancelling of the US registration.

Painted in the SAETA  'Blue Tail' livery.
SAETA
'Blue Tail' livery

June 1976
Noted painted in the SAETA 'Blue Tail' livery.

circa March 1978
Withdrawn from service and stored at Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre, Quito, Ecuador and robbed of all useful spares. Some of the parts were sold to Aeropesca Colombia to support their Viscount fleet.

Total time 30,274 hours and 29,095 total landings.

February 1980
Remains broken up for scrap.

1985
Some identifiable parts were still noted at Quito.


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.