Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Long-range commercial flying-boat

Power Plant:

Four 768 kw (1,030 hp) Bristol Pegasus XVIII nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines

Specifications:

History:

During the years 1946 to 1949 a fleet of converted RAF Sunderland IIIs opened up the pre-war Empire air-routes from the United Kingdom to Australia, Hong Kong, and India. Most of these aircraft had been operated jointly by BOAC and RAF Transport Command during the closing years of the war.  They were used for carrying priority passengers and mail and were fitted with economy type bench seats.  From early 1943 they were given joint civil and military-type codes and letters and operated from Poole Harbour in Dorset.  Towards the end of the war a number were converted to airliner type standards, these conversions taking place at Hythe in Kent.  This involved the installation of Pegasus 48 engines in lieu of the Pegasus 38, and the interiors were stripped to allow the carriage of passengers in a comfortable interior, plus up to 2,946 kg (6,500 lb) of mail.  At that stage the front retractable turret was retained.

Three variants of the Hythe conversion were carried out in the United Kingdom. The H-1 carried 16 passengers; the H-2 had a promenade deck added; and the H-3 had an additional eight seats.  First conversion (G-AGHW) occurred during 1945 and all received a name commencing with H, such as Hadfield, Hampshire, Hailsham, Hanwell, Hamble etc. A route-proving flight was made with G-AGHW (ex ML725 Hamilton) to Australia and New Zealand in January 1946, this aircraft later being destroyed when it flew into high ground on the Isle of Wight on 19 November 1947.  Subsequently a twice-weekly service commenced to Australia, one aircraft flying to Singapore and another from Singapore to Sydney, total journey taking five and a quarter days.

After the war the BOAC aircraft exchanged their wartime camouflage for an overall silver colour scheme, and 27 were converted and used British Civil registrations. Later a number went to Aquila Airways, based at Hamble, but they had all been scrapped by 1953.  They were considered to be a stop-gap aircraft after the war to get services operating pending the building and acquisition of new aircraft.  The Sunderlands and Hythes with BOAC flew more than 25 million miles and carried nearly 80,000 passengers.  Most of these aircraft visited Australia during their lives keeping the Empire air-routes open.

Following their withdrawal from service, having operated with No 40 Squadron, the five Short Sunderland IIIs which had been operated by the RAAF, were bought by Captain Brian W Monkton, Managing Director of the new airline, Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd of Sydney, NSW.  Three were converted to Hythe standard in Sydney and the other two used for spare parts.  In September 1948 they commenced operating a monthly service to the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, and a fortnightly Sydney to Lord Howe Island service, as well as regular charter flights to Egypt, Fiji, Samoa, New Guinea, and around the Pacific Islands.

For a period of time from 1949 Port Macquarie Clipper Service, a company operated by the Dulhunty brothers, chartered one of the aircraft each Saturday for two years and flew passengers from Sydney to Port Macquarie and return.  However, following the closure of TOA in 1953, the survivors were sold to Ansett Flying Boat Services Pty Ltd and continued to operate from Rose Bay in Sydney until they were retired in March 1954 due to corrosion in the wing-roots.

The histories of these aircraft were: VH-AKO was a Sunderland III (c/n S/B3555) which made its first flight on 15 October 1943.  It was operated by the RAF as ML733 and by the RAAF as A26-4.  It was converted at Rose Bay to Hythe standard and registered in May 1947 and named Australis.  The Certificate of Airworthiness expired on 19 December 1950 and was not renewed.

VH-AKP was a Sunderland III (c/n S/B3556) ex ML734 with the RAF and A26-5 with the RAAF.  Named Antilles it made a cruise of the Pacific between 18 April and 12 May 1948.  The name was later changed to Tahiti Star.  It was withdrawn from service on 24 March 1954.

VH-BKO was a Sunderland III (c/n S/B 3552) which was ML730 with the RAF.  It operated with the RAAF from 10 July 1947 as A26-1 and used call-signs VHCOA and VHCKR.  It was originally allocated registration VH-ARQ but was re-allocated VH-BKO.  However, the registration of the aircraft conversion was not proceeded with and Trans Oceanic Airways used it for spares.

VH-BKP had a similar history to VH-BKO.  It was allocated ML732 with the RAF and operated with the RAAF as A26-3, using the call-sign VHCKS. Originally allocated VH-BFX by the Department of Civil Aviation, it was re-allocated VH-BKP but the Certificate of Airworthiness  also was not proceeded with and it was reduced to spares.

VH-BKQ was a Sunderland III (c/n S/B3553) which was ML731 with the RAF.  It operated with the RAAF from 19 March 1944 as A26-2.  It was initially allocated VH-BDX with Trans Oceanic Airways by the Department but VH-BKQ was allocated in November 1949.  Named Pacific Star it had problems when, on 14 June 1951, it lost a propeller whilst en-route from Rose Bay to Grafton, NSW.  It returned to Sydney but was not repaired and the aircraft was reduced to spares.  Ownership was transferred to Ansett Flying Boat Services in July 1953 and it was struck off the register in the June 1954 census.