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 208

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 208
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7452

It first flew on Monday, 19 November 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, Aero Flite Inc and Grupo Cydsa


Photo of Viscount c/n 208
Westernair of Albuquerque


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
Westernair of Albuquerque as N7452.

Its fate:-
Acquired from Grupo Cydsa by Westernair of Albuquerque as part of the deal to purchase Viscount c/n 185 XB-WOW in February 1975.

The aircraft had been stored at Aeropuerto del Norte, Monterrey, Mexico and used to supply spares to support XB-WOW, but had remained largely intact in its faded United Air Lines livery minus titles and registration. After removal of the engines and other useful spares the remains were broken up for scrap in July 1975. The spares were trucked up to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7452

Country of Registration United States

November 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7452 - c/n 208 - 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 48th 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. 158 - the 158th production 700 series Viscount built,
was the 116th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 115th Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F48/745. Sales Order No. F48/68B. Stock Order No. F61/27B.

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.

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

26 August 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

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

30 November 1956
Delivered to Capital Airlines with fleet number ‘371’ 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 N7452

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to November 1969

United Air Lines

N7452 - c/n 208 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number '371'.

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.

14 November 1969
Sold to Aero Flite Inc.


Photo of Aero Flite Inc Viscount N7452

Country of Registration United States

November 1969 to April 1975

Aero Flite Inc

N7452 - c/n 208 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

14 November 1969
Purchased from United Air Lines.

May 1970
Ferried to Twin Falls Airport, Idaho, USA and stored. It had been purchased to support the conversion of a second Boeing B-17 bomber fitted with the 1535 SHP Rolls-Royce Dart RDa6 Mark 510 engines, propellers and nacelles replacing the 1200 HP Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone turbo-supercharged radial piston engines, for use as a fire fighting aircraft.

The first Boeing B-17 to be converted was N1340N using engines from Viscount N7451 (C/N 207) but this unfortunately crashed during a drop mission in August 1970 and the project to convert a second aircraft was therefore abandoned.

August 1971
Sold to Westernair of Albuquerque.


Photo of Westernair of Albuquerque Viscount N7452

Country of Registration United States

August 1971 to November 1971

Westernair of Albuquerque

N7452 - c/n 208 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

August 1971
Purchased from Aero Flite Inc. Did the aircraft remain at Twin Falls Airport, Idaho, USA? Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

circa November 1971
Sold to Grupo Cydsa as a spares aircraft to support Viscount XB-WOW (C/N 185). The actual date is not yet known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net


Photo of Grupo Cydsa Viscount N7452

Country of Registration United States

November 1971 to February 1975

Grupo Cydsa

N7452 - c/n 208 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

circa November 1971
Purchased from Westernair of Albuquerque and ferried to Aeropuerto del Norte, Monterrey, Mexico by Captain Villareal. The actual date is not known.
Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

Stored and used to support Viscount XB-WOW (C/N 185) but remained largely intact.

February 1975
Remains acquired by Westernair of Albuquerque as part of the re-purchase of Viscount XB-WOW (C/N 185).


Photo of Westernair of Albuquerque Viscount N7452

Country of Registration United States

February 1975 to May 1975

Westernair of Albuquerque

N7452 - c/n 208 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

February 1975
Acquired from Grupo Cydsa as part of the deal to re-purchase Viscount XB-WOW (C/N 185).

The aircraft had been stored at Aeropuerto del Norte, Monterrey, Mexico and used to supply spares to support XB-WOW (C/N 185), but had remained largely intact in its faded United Air Lines livery minus titles and registration.

July 1975
After removal of the engines and other useful spares supervised by Pete Ettinger the remains were broken up for scrap. The spares were trucked up to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Total time 29,400 hours and 27,616 total landings.


Photo of BEA - British European Airways Viscount G-AOJC

The Vickers Viscount Network is always interested to hear from anyone who has information or photographs to help complete the story of the Viscount. If you can help please contact us at
Information@VickersViscount.net.


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This website has been designed, built and is maintained by Geoff Blampied, Norwich, Norfolk, England.