Jet Prop Stopgaps: Viscounts in Hawaii

The Vickers Viscount sold well, but although it got sales all around the world the USA was relatively lukewarm to turboprops in general, especially British ones. Even so, the Viscount still appeared in the States and in some unusual locations long after it was out of production. In the USA’s newest state the Viscount was put into service by both competing Hawaiian carriers, well after production had ended, to help bridge the gap to pure jets and help both cope with the growth in passengers statehood at brought.

Viscount 1:400 Scale Models by Aeroclassics

The turboprop Vickers Viscount was a major success for the ailing British aerospace industry – one of few real success stories in the postwar years. It even managed to break into the US market via Capital Airlines. Although Capital struggled to digest its large Viscount order the aircraft itself wasn’t at fault and after Capital was taken over by United Airlines in July 1961 the Viscount saw extended service, with the last not leaving the Mainliner fleet until January 1970. Northeast Airlines also got good use out of the Vickers product between 1958 and 1964. 

Over in the new state of Hawaii the Vickers product found itself briefly centre stage in the ongoing battle between Hawaii’s two airlines – Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines itself. Aloha had gained a new lease of life with the 1958 takeover of the ailing airline by Hung Wo Ching. At the time the airline was still known as TPA Aloha Airlines. He renamed it and sold enough shares to convince First Hawaiian Bank to lend it enough money to take the fight to Hawaiian.

This led to the acquisition of Aloha’s first Fairchild F-27s in 1959. They were the first turboprops in Hawaii, and carrying 44 passengers could compete effectively against Hawiian’s piston prop Convair 340s. This was just in time for the momentous decision that made Hawaii the USA’s 50th state.

Statehood transformed not only Hawaii’s prospects but also that of its airlines. The stimulating economic affect was amplified by new service from the US West Coast to the islands by several US trunk airlines. Although the F-27s had proven popular, flexible and reliable they quickly proved not large enough for the upsurge in Tourism.

Jets were clearly the answer but in the short term Aloha couldn’t afford them or find them! The market for jets was soaring and Aloha found itself at the back of the queue. The answer was the acquisition of a pair of second-hand Vickers Viscount 745Ds registered N7414 and N7415. Both aircraft were ex-Capital and Austrian Airlines and built in 1956. This pair went into service in April 1963.

1964 timetable from the wonderful timetableimages.com

They were joined by a third machine, ex-Northeast Airlines and registered N7516, in October. Aloha had once again stolen a march on Hawaiian, although it seems the Viscounts weren’t popular with Aloha or the public. Aloha pilots complained that the aircraft was underpowered and ‘flew like a truck’. I’ve not heard this kind of comment from other Viscount operators. Passengers complained as they found the seating layout cramped.

Hawaiian Airlines wasn’t willing to be left behind and itself looked around for Viscounts with which to combat Aloha. It was able to start ‘Royal Viscount Service’ itself in July.  It found an ex-Capital 745D and leased it in July 1963 from Philippines Airlines. This became N745HA and was joined in October by N746HA. This was a 1957 build ex-Northeast 745D. The arrival of Hawaiian’s own Viscount allowed the Philippines aircraft to be returned in December 1963. Hawaiian got 66 passengers in its Viscounts. Hawaiian had acquired the Viscount both to counter Aloha and to trial it against its existing Convair 440s. It was clearly percieved not to be worth the trouble as flush with its largest earnings in history achieved in 1964 the six Convair 440s were to be put through conversion to become jet-prop Rolls-Royce Dart powered Convair 640s. With this decided Hawaiian’s sole Viscount was sold to TACA International in September 1964.

1963 timetable from the wonderful timetableimages.com

Despite Aloha’s seeming dislike of the Viscount it remained in service with them a lot longer. In fact, a fourth aircraft, registered N7410, joined the fleet in May 1965 after service with MEA and Kuwait Airways. Aloha’s Viscounts would continue in service until late 1971 although N7410 was actually written off on June 27, 1969 in a collision with a DC-9 whilst taxiing. A second aircraft, N7415, was also written off as late as August 8, 1971 when it caught fire after landing at Honolulu.

The Viscount even got into Flower Power colours with Aloha. Bill Larkins, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Viscounts were clearly something of a stopgap at both Aloha and Hawaiian. The latter would go as far as lease a trio of Japanese NAMC YS-11s in 1966 but clearly it was jet equipment that both airlines craved and would get. Hawaiian ordered Douglas DC-9-10s in 1964 and Aloha bought BAC One-Elevens in March 1965. Both would begin jet service in 1966.

I actually looked at the Aloha One-Elevens way back in December 2015 at this blog: