VH-AKP Short S-25 Sunderland

This aircraft was built by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent as a Sunderland Mk III - 1943

Delivered to the R.A.F. at Wig Bay, Loch Ryan, Scotland as 'ML734' - October 18, 1943

Transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force and prepared at Mount Batten for delivery to Australia

Departed Mount Batten (Plymouth) on the ferry flight to Australia - March 01, 1944

Deilivery route: Mount Batten (Plymouth) - Gibralter - West Africa - Brasil - Caribbean - San Francisco (California) -

Honolulu (Hawaii) - Apia (Samoa) - Sydney (Rose Bay)

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A26-5 - ?

Allocated to 40 Squadron R.A.A.F. at Townsville (Queensland) - April 26, 1944

It operated using the radio callsign 'VHCOE' whilst in service with the R.A.A.F.

Taken-on-charge by 40 Squadron at Townsville (Queensland) - July 02, 1944

It was damaged when struck by the freighter 'S. S. Marella' at Townsville - July 10, 1944

Was damaged - losing over 1 metre of wing when it was stuck by Sunderland A26-1 at Port Morseby - August 29, 1944

Withdrawn from service and stored at Rathmines (Newcastle) - March 12, 1946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 (Newcastle) - Sydney (Rose Bay) by Trans Oceanic pilots - December 16, 1946

Converted to Sunderland (Hythe) standard with seating for 22 passengers on a single deck

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

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AKP (CofR 1434) - October 24, 1947

Certificate of Airworthiness issued (CofA 1350) - October 24, 1947

Registered to Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd, Sydney

The aircraft was originally named 'Australis'

Operated its first T.O.A. commercial service as a charter flight from Sydney - New Hebrides - October 24, 1947

The aircraft was renamed 'Antilles' - January 21, 1948

It was renamed 'Tahiti Star' - ?, 1949

Withdrawn from use for conversion to 36 seats - December 17, 1949 to December 05, 1950

Operated its final T.O.A. scheduled flight to the Pacific Islands - January 01, 1951

Operated the final T.O.A. service on Sydney (Rose Bay) - Grafton (New South Wales) route - June 17, 1952

T.O.A. was placed in liquidation due to financial difficulties - July 01, 1952

All operations ceased except for limited service on Sydney - Lord Howe Island route - maintained by VH-AKP

Leased to Barrier Reef Airways / Ansett Flying Boat Services - August 16 / 18, 1952

Leased to Ansett Flying Boat Services - November 01 to December 27, 1952

Operated the final T.O.A. service Sydney (Rose Bay) - Lord Howe Island - Sydney (Rose Bay) - April 15, 1953

Sold to Ansett Flying Boat Services - May 20, 1953

Ansett also acquired the Sydney - Lord Howe route licence and the Rose Bay Flying Boat facilities from T.O.A.

Registered to Ansett Flying Boat Services - May 25, 1953

It was operated in the 'T.O.A.' livery with red 'Ansett Flying Boat Services' titles

Used to maintain schedule services to Lord Howe Island until a replacement aircraft for 'VH-BRD' entered service

Operated its final revenue service - March 12, 1954

Officially withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney (Rose Bay) - March 24, 1954

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 09, 1954

The aircraft had flown 5,919 hours

Scrapped at Sydney (Rose Bay) for spares - October 1955