VH-APG Short S-25 Sandringham

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

Delivered to the Royal Air Force at Wig Bay, Loch Ryan, Scotland as JM719 - August 23, 1943

It was allocated to No. 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay, Scotland - January 08, 1944

It was damaged during a flying accident - January 25, 1944

It was returned to Short Bros for repairs - February 01, 1944

Transferred to No 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay, Scotland on completion of the repairs - July 08, 1944

The conversion to a Sunderland Mk V was commenced by No. 57 Maintenance Unit at Wig Bay - September 07, 1944

It was observed awaiting collection at Wig Bay, Scotland - March 30, 1945

It was issued to No. 302 Flying Training Unit - April 25, 1945

It was allocated to No. 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay - April 29, 1945

It was issued to No. 302 Flying Training Unit - May 02, 1945

It was returned to No. 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay - July 12, 1945

It was deemed to be surplus to R.A.F. requirements and was issued to Short Bros 'free-of-charge' - May 21, 1947

It was converted by Short Bros to a Sandringham Mk 7 'Bermuda Class' for B.O.A.C.

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-AKCO - July 29, 1947

The aircraft was named 'St George'

It was withdrawn from B.O.A.C. service and stored at Hamworthy, Dorset - ?

At the time of its withdrawl from service the aircraft had only flown some 2,000 hours total flight time

Sold to Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor by W. S. Shackleton - 1954

It departed Cowes (Isle of Wight, United Kingdom) on its delivery flight to Australia - November 04, 1954

Arrived at Sydney (Rose Bay) on completion of the delivery flight from the United Kingdom - ?

Delivery route: Cowes (England) - Marseille (France) - Malta - Fanara (Egypt) - Karachi (Pakistan) -

Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) - Penang (Malaysia) - Seletar (Singapore) - Sourabaya (Indonesia) -

Darwin (Northern Territory) - Cairns - (Queensland) - Brisbane (Queensland) - Sydney (New South Wales)

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-APG (CofR ?) - May 09, 1955

Registered to ?

Aircraft was named 'Frigate Bird III'

It was utilised on various 'air cruises' around the South Pacific region by Capt P. G. Taylor

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Sydney (Rose Bay) - 1958

Sold to Reseau Aerien Interinsulaire (RAI) - May ?, 1958

Entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-OBIP - May ?, 1958

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 23, 1958

Departed Sydney (Rose Bay) on its ferry flight to Tahiti (French Polynesia) - May ?, 1958

The aircraft was under the command of Capt P. G. Taylor

It arrived at Tahiti on completion of the ferry flight from Australia - June 05, 1958

It was noted that the aircraft had flown some 2,6765 hours 27 minutes - June 07, 1958

The aircraft was initially used on services between Papeete (no runway) and Bora Bora (nearest runway)

It was also used on services to Huahine (Society Islands) - Raiatea (French Polynesia) -

Rangiroa (French Polynesia) - Tikihau (French Polynesia)

Operated its final service Papeete - Papeete (French Polynesia) - September 29, 1970

Flight crew: D. Pearson; ? Rothe; ? Beurier

This flight was a 'search-and-rescue' mission

On engine shut-down at Papeete the aircraft had flown 8,812 hours and 05 minutes

Aircraft was sold by Civil Aviation Papeete to Mr D. Pearson Jnr - March 1975

It was intented to return the aircraft to Rochester (Kent, England) but this doid not eventuate - November 1975

Mr Douglas Pearson Jnr then offered to donate the aircraft to the Queensland Air Museum

The Queensland Air Museum were then advised by the French Embassy (Canberra) that the aircraft had

to be removed from Papeete - February 25, 1976

This offer was not taken up

Mr D. Pearson Jnr advised the Civil Aviation Papeete that the aircraft would be scrapped - March 01, 1976

A 'stay-of-execution' on the aircraft was arranged - 1976

The Musee de l'Air, Paris, France expressed a desire to acquire the aircraft for display - November 1977

The aircraft was subsequently dismantled by the French military and transported to Paris - April 1979

Whilst stored outside at Le Bourget (Paris) it was severly damaged in a fierce storm - ?, 1984

It was subsequently repaired and returned to 'display' condition

Current status - ?