VH-ARQ Short S-25 Sunderland

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

Delivered to the Royal Air Force at Wig Bay, Scotland as 'ML730' - 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 - January 27, 1944

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

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

Received by Qantas at Sydney (Rose Bay) for overhaul prior to its entering service - March 15, 1944

Entered onto the Australian Military Aircraft Register as A26-1 - ?

It used the radio callsign 'VHCOA' whilst in service with the R.A.A.F.

Ferried to No 2 F.B.R.D. at Newcastle (Rathmines) - May 07, 1944

Taken-on-charge by 40 Squadron R.A.A.F. at Townsville (Queensland) - August 24, 1944

Stuck by the Sunderland 'A26-5' at Port Morseby, suffering damage to the starboard outer engine - August 29, 1944

Repaired and returned to service

Requisitioned by the Air Board for advertising War Loans - April 1945

The publicity tour last over 1 month with the aircraft flown by 'Battle of Britian' pilots who had transferred to 40 Sqn

Ferried to No 2 F.B.R.D. at Rathmines (Newcastle) - December 12, 1945

Withdrawn from service and stored at Newcastle (Rathmines) - March 14, 1946

Advertised for sale by the Commonwealth Disposal Commission (CDC) - June 12, 1946

Sold to B.W. Monkton, Victoria Road, Bennevue Hill, Sydney - October 04, 1946

The registration 'VH-ARQ' was allocated but it was not taken up - October 04, 1946

The registration 'VH-BKO' was allocated but it was not taken up - February 24, 1947

Ferried Newcastle (Rathmines) - Sydney (Rose Bay) using the call-sign 'VHCKR' - April 28, 1947

This aircraft did not enter service and it was used for spare parts

The remains were sold for scrap and it was broken up at Sydney (Rose Bay) - 1953