27 July 2024
This website is regularly archived by the British Library who selectively archive websites with research values that are representative of British social history and cultural heritage.

Museum search


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


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.


Share your photos and stories


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.

Contact us


Join the Vickers Viscount Network
for FREE


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.



This website does not use cookies or capture your details


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

Viscount c/n 144

Operational Record

Photo of Viscount c/n 144
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)


Canada flag Canada

This V.757 series Viscount was built for
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) as CF-TGZ

It first flew on Saturday, 14 April 1956 at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England powered by Rolls-Royce Dart 506 engines.


During its life this aircraft was also owned and/or operated by
Air Canada, Beaver Enterprises Ltd, Grupo Madero S.A., Confederate Air Force and the Commemorative Air Force


Photo of Viscount c/n 144
Brownsville Airport Emergency Services


United States flag United States

Its final owner/operator was
Brownsville Airport Emergency Services as N3832S.

Its fate:-
Withdrawn from service and stored at South Padre International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA. Used by emergency crews for non-destructive training from April 2008. Still noted in existence 16 February 2019. It is no longer used for any purpose. In late 2020 there were rumours of the aircraft being saved and returned to Canada for preservation.


Operational record
Photo of Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) Viscount CF-TGZ

Country of Registration Canada

May 1956 to June 1964

Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA)

CF-TGZ - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

August 1954
An order was placed by Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) for an initial batch of seven Type 757 aircraft as a follow on from the previous Type 724 order.

This order was placed before they had received their first Type 724!

This was the third one built.

The total order for Type 757 aircraft reached thirty six in May 1957.

Production Aircraft No. 109 - the 109th production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 70th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 72nd Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

Production Order No. F03/757. Sales Order No. F03/76B. Stock Order No. F50/22B.

21 March 1955
TCA issued technical instruction V-05.04-1/1 to apply the word 'Viscount' to the tail section in 8.5 inch high red letters edged in white at the first opportunity.

2 June 1955
TCA issued technical instruction V-31.02-2/5 to apply the word 'Viscount' to the inside of the passenger loading door in 4 inch high red letters edged in white at the first opportunity.

28 October 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

20 December 1955
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

14 April 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

It was fitted with Rolls-Royce Dart RDa3 Mark 506 engines.

19 April 1956
Noted at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, England.

11 May 1956
Aircraft passed off by TCA inspectors as completed and ready for delivery.

The word 'Viscount' had not been added to the tail at this stage.

12 May 1956
Departed from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England on delivery to Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) with fleet number '618'.

After arriving at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, Scotland they refuelled and continued on to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (743 nautical miles) where they stopped overnight.

13 May 1956
Departed from Keflavik Airport, Iceland to Bluie West 8 (BW8) Airfield, Sondre Stromfjord, Western Greenland (880 nautical miles), Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (872 nautical miles), Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada (810 nautical miles).

BW8 was built during WWII to assist the transfer of military aircraft from North America to Europe and was opened in October 1941.

The cabin seating was installed in Canada, as the seats used by TCA were of American manufacture.

The cabin was fitted out with 40 seats which was a reduction from the original 48 seat specification and provided more leg room.

This was heavily marketed and resulted in a high load factor compared to the 18 seat Douglas DC-3 that it replaced on some routes.

July 1956
Cabin interior changed to a two class 44 seat arrangement.

10 July 1957
TCA issued instructions that all Viscounts would be repainted in a 'White Top' livery when a suitable maintenance period became available.

31 August 1960
Total time 11,475 hours and 9,203 total landings.

1 June 1964
Transferred to Air Canada due to a corporate name change.


Photo of Air Canada Viscount CF-TGZ

Country of Registration Canada

June 1964 to April 1974

Air Canada

CF-TGZ - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

1 June 1964
Transferred from Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) due to a corporate name change retaining fleet number '618'.

It took several years to repaint the fleet in Air Canada livery.

29 January 1970
Nose undercarriage collapsed as the aircraft was being towed at Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada resulting in damage to the undercarriage doors and lower fuselage skin area.

22 March 1971
Withdrawn from service and stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

Total time 33,584:42 hours and 32,886 total landings

30 April 1974
Sold to Beaver Enterprises Ltd.


Photo of Beaver Enterprises Ltd Viscount CF-TGZ

Country of Registration Canada

April 1974 to November 1982

Beaver Enterprises Ltd

CF-TGZ - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
Canada registered

30 April 1974
Purchased from Air Canada but the aircraft remained stored at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

A total of 24 aircraft were included in this sale.

United Aviation Services Ltd had some role in the processing of these Viscounts. Details please to information@vickersviscount.net

11 December 1978
Ferried to Dorval International Airport, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

February 1979
Noted back in storage at Winnipeg Airport, Manitoba, Canada.

November 1982
Sold to Grupo Madero S.A.


Photo of Grupo Madero S.A. Inc Viscount CF-TGZ

Country of Registration United States

November 1982 to June 1983

Grupo Madero S.A. Inc

CF-TGZ - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
United States registered

November 1982
Purchased from Beaver Enterprises Ltd.

It was then ferried to South Padre Island International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA via Burlington Airport, Vermont and Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia for further storage.

The delivery took 8 hours flying time.

Total time 33,585 hours and 32,886 total landings.

June 1983
Registered to Grupo Madero S.A. Inc.


Photo of Grupo Madero S.A. Inc Viscount N3832S

Country of Registration United States

June 1983 to September 1995

Grupo Madero S.A. Inc

N3832S - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
United States registered

June 1983
Registered to Grupo Madero S.A. Inc.

The US registration was never applied to the aircraft but the faded Canadian registration was still visible from certain angles.

The aircraft remained stored at South Padre Island International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA.

September 1995
Sold to the Confederate Air Force.


Photo of Confederate Air Force Viscount N3832S

Country of Registration United States

September 1995 to January 2002

Confederate Air Force

N3832S - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
United States registered

September 1995
Purchased from Grupo Madero S.A. The US registration was never applied to the aircraft but the faded Canadian registration was still visible from certain angles.

The aircraft remained stored at South Padre Island International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA.

1 January 2002
The 'Confederate Air Force' based at Harlingen Airport, Texas, USA changed their name to the 'Commemorative Air Force' and are now primarily based at Midland Airport, Texas, USA.


Photo of Commemorative Air Force Viscount N3832S

Country of Registration United States

January 2002 to April 2008

Commemorative Air Force

N3832S - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
United States registered

1 January 2002
The 'Confederate Air Force' based at Harlingen, Texas, USA changed its name to the 'Commemorative Air Force' and are primarily based at Midland Airport, Texas, USA.

The US registration was never applied to the aircraft but the faded Canadian registration was still visible from certain angles.

The aircraft remained stored at South Padre Island International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA

April 2008
Transferred for non-destructive use by the airport emergency services for training purposes.


Photo of Brownsville Airport Emergency Services Viscount N3832S

Country of Registration United States

April 2008 to

Brownsville Airport Emergency Services

N3832S - c/n 144 - a V.757 series Viscount
United States registered

April 2008
Transferred from the Commemorative Air Force for non-destructive use by emergency crews for training purposes at South Padre Island International Airport, Brownsville, Texas, USA.

9 April 2008
Noted being used by emergency crews as a mock plane crash for training.

31 December 2011
The US registration to Grupo Madero S.A. Inc expired.

16 February 2019
Noted still in existence with several cabin windows removed. It is no longer used for any purpose.

The cabin interior is still in relatively good condition but the cockpit has been gutted.

In late 2020 there were rumours of the aircraft being saved and returned to Canada for preservation.


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.