19 April 2024
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Viscount Survivors

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.

Viscount history

Letter from HRH Prince Philip

See and hear a Viscount

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Aircraft operational
records and photos

Viscount illustrations
by David Carter


Discover the history of the Viscount with film, video, contemporary reports from the pages of Flight Magazine, our newsletters, and aircraft operational records and photos from our database.


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Our 'Live Magazine' is used by members and non-members to share their Viscount photos and stories with fellow enthusiasts located throughout the world in real time.

You are able to send in your photos, stories and comments by Facebook, Twitter or email and we will post them for all to enjoy.

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information@VickersViscount.net



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Featured pages

Our website contains over 20,000 pages of photos and information that can all be accessed from the menu at the top of every page. Here are a few to get you started.


In the Beginning

The Turboprop World-Beater

Sir George Edwards

The Rolls-Royce Dart

c/n 1 G-AHRF V.630
The Prototype Viscount

c/n 2 VX217 V.663
The Tay powered Viscount

c/n 3 G-AMAV V.700
The V.700 series prototype

c/n 4 G-ALWE V.701
The first BEA Viscount

c/n 5 G-ALWF V.701
The oldest surviving Viscount

c/n 8 F-BGNK V.708
The first Air France Viscount

c/n 30 EI-AFV V.707
The first Aer Lingus Viscount

c/n 40 CF-TGI V.724
The first TCA Viscount

c/n 44 VH-TVA V.720
The first TAA Viscount

c/n 67 YI-ACK V.735
The first Iraqi Airways Viscount

c/n 70 CF-GXK V.737
The first Canadian DoT Viscount

c/n 71 VP-TBK V.702
The first BOAC Associated
Companies Viscount

c/n 74 G-ANRR V.732
The first Hunting-Clan Viscount

c/n 77 LN-FOF V.736
The first Fred Olsen Viscount

c/n 79 IU-683 V.723
The first Indian Air Force Viscount

c/n 88 N7402 V.744
The first Capital Airlines Viscount

c/n 97 VH-BAT V.747
The first Butler Air
Transport Viscount


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Established 2005
Vickers Viscount Network
A Virtual Museum dedicated to the Vickers-Armstrongs VC2 Viscount
   

Viscount c/n 212

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 212
Capital Airlines (USA)


United States flag United States

This V.745D series Viscount was built for
Capital Airlines (USA) as N7457

It first flew on Saturday, 15 December 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 Transportes Aereos Centro Americanos (TACA)

Photo of Viscount c/n 212
Aeropesca Colombia


Colombia flag Colombia

Its final owner/operator was
Aeropesca Colombia as HK-2382.

Its fate:-
Crashed into a mountain at Queate, near Bogotá, Colombia 26 March 1982 at an altitude of 7,700 feet during its descent in stormy weather. All six crew and fifteen passengers were killed. The aircraft was operating a service from La Vanguardia Airport, Villavicencio, Colombia to Eldorado Airport, Bogotá, Colombia.


Operational record
Photo of Capital Airlines (USA) Viscount N7457

Country of Registration United States

December 1956 to June 1961

Capital Airlines (USA)

N7457 - c/n 212 - 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 52nd Viscount ordered by Capital Airlines.

Production Order No. F52/745. Sales Order No. F52/68B. Stock Order No. F65/27B.

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.

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.

15 December 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

31 December 1956
Delivered to Capital Airlines with fleet number '375' 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 N7457

Country of Registration United States

June 1961 to February 1969

United Air Lines

N7457 - c/n 212 - a V.745D series Viscount
United States registered

1 June 1961
Transferred from Capital Airlines due to a corporate merger retaining fleet number '375'.

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.

24 February 1969
Sold to Transportes Aereos Centro Americanos (TACA).


Photo of Transportes Aereos Centro Americanos (TACA) Viscount YS-28C

Country of Registration El Salvador

February 1969 to March 1976

Transportes Aereos Centro Americanos (TACA)

YS-28C - c/n 212 - a V.745D series Viscount
El Salvador registered

24 February 1969
Purchased from United Air Lines. The livery had 'TACA International' titles.

January 1975
Noted stored at Ilopango International Airport, San Salvador, El Salvador with the wing spars removed.

March 1976
Sold to Aeropesca Colombia.


Photo of Aeropesca Colombia Viscount HK-1773-X

Country of Registration Colombia

March 1976 to June 1976

Aeropesca Colombia

HK-1773-X - c/n 212 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

March 1976
Purchased from Transportes Aereos Centro Americanos (TACA) and ferried to Eldorado Airport, Bogotá, Colombia for storage using the temporary X suffix. It was then robbed of spares as required to support their other Viscounts

circa June 1976
Re-registered HK-1773 but remained in storage as a spares source. Note that the Colombians often did not use the hyphen.


Photo of Aeropesca Colombia Viscount HK-1773

Country of Registration Colombia

June 1976 to August 1979

Aeropesca Colombia

HK-1773 - c/n 212 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

circa June 1976
Re-registered from HK-1773-X, repainted in full livery and named as 'Ciudad de Popayan'.

Note that the Colombians often did not use the hyphen.

August 1979
Re-registered HK-2382.


Photo of Aeropesca Colombia Viscount HK-2382

Country of Registration Colombia

August 1979 to March 1982

Aeropesca Colombia

HK-2382 - c/n 212 - a V.745D series Viscount
Colombia registered

August 1979
Re-registered from HK-1773.

October 1979
Noted at Eldorado, Bogotá, Colombia still carrying HK-1773 and named as 'Ciudad de Popayan' and fully overhauled and repainted in the 'Aloha' orange flower livery.

This date is later than the re-registration date (see above) possibly for test flying purposes. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

November 1979
Entered service as HK-2382.

26 March 1982
Crashed into a mountain at Queate, near Bogotá, Colombia at an altitude of 7,700 feet during its descent in stormy weather.

The aircraft was operating a service from La Vanguardia Airport, Villavicencio, Colombia to Eldorado Airport, Bogotá, Colombia.

All six crew and fifteen passengers were sadly killed.


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.


Click here for more details about the Vickers Viscount Network

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