Dates

Event

Constructed as a Sunderland III.

25 March 1944

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n ML814.

1 December 1944

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n ML814.

1 December 1944

To No 422 Squadron R. C. A. F.
Issued to 422 at Pembroke Dock.

20 February 1945

Converted to a Sunderland V.
Flown to Belfast for conversion to a Sunderland Mk V.

18 April 1945

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Norwegian Air Force with s/n ML814.

Transferred to No 330 Squadron.
Issued to Norwegian Air Force at Sullom Voe, Scotland.

21 November 1945

Withdrawn from use.
Stored at Wig Bay, Scotland.

16 May 1952

Transported by air.
Transferred to Short Bros and Harland, Belfast for refurbishment.

4 May 1953

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal New Zealand Air Force with s/n NZ4108.

20 August 1956

Withdrawn from use.
Placed in long term storage at Hobsonville, Auckland.

12 October 1963

Struck off Strength/Charge from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

13 December 1963

To Ansett Flying Boat Services Pty Ltd with new c/r VH-BRF.
Replacement for Sandringham VH-BRE which was badly damaged by a storm during the night of 4 April 1963 at Lord Howe Island.

From 12 September 1965 to 8 October 1965

Leased to Queensland Airlines Pty Ltd.
Used on the Brisbane (Redland Bay) - Gladstone service whilst Gladstone Airport runway was upgraded.

Circa October 1965

Photographer: Geoff Goodall
Notes: From the boat taking passengers ashore on arrival. These two remaining AFBS Sandringhams had been sold to Antilles Air Boats and had Ansett markings painted over, when called back into service to Lord Howe Island due runway delays.VH-BRF was a Sandringham 4, converted at Rose Bay from RNZAF Suunderland NZ4108, originally RAF ML814

21 January 1966

Damaged.
Suffered inflight wing damage when stringers broke in the starboard wing. Escorted to Sydney by Ansett-ANA Electra undertaking pilot training.

Circa 1966

Photographer: From the Brian Girdwood collection
Notes: Moored at Rose Bay (Sydney).

10 September 1974

To Antilles Air Boats, Virgin Islands keeping c/r VH-BRF.
Markings added: Excalibur VIII

24 September 1974

Assigned civil registration: N158J

Circa 25 September 1974

Ferry flight.
Departed Sydney for St Croix.

Circa 1975

Withdrawn from use.
And placed in storage at Isla Grande, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Circa May 1979

To Edward J. Hulton (Juliet Flying Boats Inc) with new c/r N158J.

By 18 August 1981

Photographer: Norbert Knott

From 11 September 1981 to 5 May 1993

To Sunderland Ltd with new c/r G-BJHS.
Operated with markings: Sir Arthur Gouge

Circa 1982

Photographer: Peter M. Law
Notes: Circa 1982 photo whilst moored on the River Thames in London

9 September 1982

Photographer: Unknown
Notes: Photographed near Tower Bridge in London, England, UK.

1986

Photographer: Mark Rees
Notes: Coningsby Air Show 1986

3 August 1989

Leased to Ryanair.
Markings changed to: Spirit of Foynes

5 May 1993

To Personal Plane Services Ltd, Wycombe Air Park, Booker, Marlow keeping c/r G-BJHS.

20 July 1993

Ferry flight.
Route: Lough Derg - Reykjavik - Goose Bay - Lake Ontario - Oshkosh - Lakes Agnes (Orlando).

12 August 1993

Civil registration, G-BJHS, cancelled.

16 September 1993

To Weeks Kermit, Polk City, FL with new c/r N814ML.

30 May 1996

Certificate of airworthiness for NX814ML (S-25 SANDRINGHAM, ML-814) issued.

11 November 1996

Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Short Sunderland of the Fantasy of Flight Museum at Polk City as seen in November 1996.

5 November 1999

6 April 2001

Photographer: Norm Jukes
Notes: Photographed at the Fantasy of Flight in Florida.

Based at Fantasy of Flight/Kermit A. Weeks, Polk City, FL.
View the Location Dossier

12 April 2005

Photographer: James Eubanks
Notes: Fantasy of Flight, Polk City FL

Markings Applied: FANTASY OF LFIGHT, Polk City Florida, ML814