This Day in Aviation History

October 16th, 1937
First flight of the Short Sunderland.

The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of Sunderland in northeast England.

Based in part upon the S.23 Empire flying boat, the flagship of Imperial Airways, the S.25 was extensively re-engineered for military service. It was one of the most powerful and widely used flying boats throughout the Second World War, and was involved in countering the threat posed by German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. RAF Sunderlands also saw service throughout the Korean War and continued in service until 1959. It also took part in the Berlin airlift. Sunderlands remained in service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) until 1967.

Sunderlands converted for civil use, known as Short Sandringhams, continued in airline operation until 1974. A single airworthy example remains on display in Florida at Fantasy of Flight. A sunken Mark I Sunderland, identified as the Sunderland T9044 of No 210 Squadron, RAF, was discovered in 2000 off the coast of Wales; there are plans to raise it in the near future…..

Source:
Wikipedia, Short Sunderland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sunderland

YouTube, Short Sunderland T9044 and the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre:  Short Sunderland T9044 and the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

YouTube, Air (Flying) Boat ’95: 
Air (Flying) Boat ’95

Fantasy of Flight  has one of the remaining examples. 

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