Built by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent as a Sunderland Mk III - 1943

This aircraft was the ninth aircraft of Production Lot 16 for the Ministry of Supply

Delivered to Number 57 Maintenance Unit, Royal Air Force at Wig Bay, Loch Ryan as ML733 - October 18, 1943

Transferred to the R.A.A.F. and prepared at Mount Batten for delivery to Australia - November 10, 1943

Departed Mount Batten (19:10 hours) on the ferry flight to Australia - February 01, 1944

It flew in company with the R.A.A.F. Sunderland 'A26-5'

The 18,716 mile ferry flight was expected to take about 40 days

Arrived at Sydney (Rose Bay) on completion of the ferry flight - March 12, 1944

Ferry route: England - Gibralter - Liberia - Brasil - Cuba - San Francisco - Honolulu - Samoa - Sydney

Taken on-charge and issued to 2 FBRD pending issue to Qantas for inspection and modification - March 13, 1944

Overhaulled by Qantas at the Sydney (Rose Bay) Flying Boat Base

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A26-4

Allocated to No. 40 (Sea/Transport) Squadron R.A.A.F. at Townsville - April 26, 1944

Used the radio callsign 'VHCOD' whilst in service

Aircraft was to be fitted with radar and IFF prior to delivery and to modified for cargo / passenger work - June 12, 1944

Allocated to Qantas at Rose Bay for inspection and modification - June 19, 1944

Received by Qantas at Rose Bay for modification - June 30, 1944

Received by No. 40 Squadron, Port Moresby (3rd fully modified aircraft) - August 05, 1944

Allocated to Qantas for 320 hourly inspection and engine change - October 30, 1944

Arrived Sydney (Rose Bay) for overhaul by Qantas - November 02, 1944

Returned to No. 40 Squadron, Townsville - November 27, 1944

Allocated to Qantas for 320 hourly inspection and engine change - January 30, 1945

Arrived Sydney (Rose Bay) for overhaul by Qantas - February 07, 1945

Returned to No. 40 Squadron, Townsville - February 23, 1945

Allocated to Qantas for 320 hourly inspection and engine change - May 23, 1945

Arrived Sydney (Rose Bay) for overhaul by Qantas - May 28, 1945

Returned to No. 40 Squadron, Townsville - June 25, 1945

Allocated to Qantas for a complete overhaul - October 03, 1945

Arrived Sydney (Rose Bay) for overhaul by Qantas - October 27, 1945

Allocated to No. 3 Operational Training Unit (3OTU) at RAAF Base Rathmines - March 14, 1946

Requisitioned by the Air Board for War Bonds advertising tour around Australia - March 15, 1946

Allocated to No. 2 FBRD on completion of War Bonds tour - April 16, 1946

Received by No. 2 FBRD at RAAF Base Rathmines for Category C storage - April 18, 1946

Struck-off-charge at RAAF Base Rathmines - May 16, 1946

Advertised for sale by the Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) List 2073 - June 12, 1946

Sold to B.W. Monkton, 101 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, Sydney - October 04, 1946

Ferried Rathmines - Sydney (Rose Bay) by Trans Oceanic pilots - November 21, 1946

Converted to Sunderland (Hythe) standard with seating for 28 passengers on single deck

Test flown at Sydney (Rose Bay) following overhaul and conversion to civilan standard - March 06, 1947

Aircraft was equipped to seat 28 passengers on a single deck with pantry and toilet facilities

Aircraft was now known as a Short S.25 Hythe Class flying boat

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AKO (CofR 1323) - May 05, 1947

Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA 1251) issued - May 05, 1947

Registered to Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd, Sydney

Aircraft was named 'Australis' by Nancy Monkton

Operated a charter flight Sydney - Milne Bay - Sydney - May 20, 1947

Departed Sydney (Rose Bay) on a charter flight to Noumea - May 29, 1947

Flight was extended to Port Vila - Espiritu Santo - Honiara -Lingatu - Tulagi - returning to Sydney - June 22, 1947

Made an unscheduled and an unauthorised landing at Lord Howe Island - July 04, 1947

This landing resulted in Monkton seeking approval to operate scheduled services to Lord Howe

Operated the inaugural Sydney - Lord Howe Island service (Captain B. Monkton) - August 01, 1947

Broke its moorings, drifted ashore but was undamaged at Lord Howe Island - August 27, 1947

Overhaul and modification work commenced on the aircraft at Sydney (Rose Bay) - May 17, 1948

Returned to service - October 02, 1948

Aircraft was renamed 'Australia Star'

Utilised on migrant charter flights to Australia from Europe - commencing October 25, 1948

Operated T.O.A. first Sydney - Grafton service - December 24, 1948

Aircraft was renamed 'Samoa Star' - 1949

Withdrawn from service at Sydney (Rose Bay) - October to December 22, 1949

Operated final revenue service - November 23, 1950

Officially withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney (Rose Bay) - December 19, 1950

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 06, 1951

Scrapped at Rose Bay, Sydney

ML733. Royal Air Force - in the standard livery at Poole, January 1944.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-790.)

VH-AKO. Trans Oceanic Airways - 'Australis' in the all-metal livery at Laucala Bay, Suva, July 1947.

(Qantas Heritage Collection Copyright Image 2545-629.)

VH-AKO. Trans Oceanic Airways - 'Australis' in the all-metal livery at Lord Howe Island, circa 1948.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-656.)

VH-AKO. Trans Oceanic Airways - 'Australis' in the all-metal livery at Lord Howe Island, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-098.)

VH-AKO. Trans Oceanic Airways - 'Australis' in the all-metal livery at Lord Howe Island, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-491.)