This aircraft was the eighteenth Empire boat completed and flown by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent

The order was placed by Imperial Airways, London - September 02, 1935

It was completed as an S-23 Empire Class boat having 920 h.p. Bristol Pegasus Xc engines

The standard fuel capacity was 650 gallons

It had an all-up weight of 40,500 lbs (18,380 kg) which was later increased to 53,000 lbs (24,200 kg)

The cruising speed was 164 m.p.h. with a standard range of 760 miles / 1,245 km

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-AETY (CofR 7673) - March 01, 1937

Registered to Imperial Airways Limited, London

First flown as G-AETY - July 28, 1937

Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA 5994) issued - July 30, 1937

Delivered to Imperial Airways, London - July 30, 1937

The aircraft was named 'Clio'

Operated its first service on the Southampton - Alexandria route as IE571 - August 01, 1937

The 'IE' designation indicates the aircraft was flying the east-bound service

Operated first service on the Alexandria - Southampton route as IW569 - August 03, 1937

The 'IW' designation indicates the aircraft was flying the west-bound service

This aircraft was part of the aircraft pool operated by Imperial Airways and Qantas Empire Airways

on services between Southampton, England and Sydney, Australia

Qantas Empire Airways crews flew the aircraft on the Sydney - Singapore - Sydney sector of this route

between July 1938 and October 1941

Qantas Empire Airways crews then took over the Singapore - Karachi - Singapore sector of the route

from October 1941 to February 1942 when operations ceased due to Japanese war activities in South-East Asia

This aircraft was acquired by British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C.) when it merged with

Imperial Airways of London - April 01, 1940

Registered to British Overseas Airways Corporation, Bristol - August 22, 1940

Commandeered by the Royal Air Force for use by Coastal Command

Returned to Short Brothers and Harland at Belfast - July 09, 1940

This aircraft had flown 4,382 hours during its civilian life

It was modified to incorporate an array of A.S.V. aerials on the fuselage

Two Boulton & Paul A-type 'four-gun' gun turrets were fitted - one amidship and the other in the tail

The rudder was cropped at its lower end to accommodate the turret

Armour plating was fitted to vital points around the flight deck and fuel tanks

The modifications were carried out between September 1940 and March 1941

It was relaunched as 'AX-659' - March 12, 1941

Allotted to No.119 Squadron R.A.F. where it took part in long range reconnaissance patrols between the

Isle of Islay and Iceland

The aircraft was also utilised to transport supplies to R.A.F. units in the Shetlands, Orkneys and Hebrides

This aircraft was lost when it crashed into the sea off Lochindaal, Isle of Islay, Scotland - August 22, 1941

It had flown some 4,604 hours

G-AETY. Imperial Airways London - 'Clio' in the standard livery at Rochester, Kent, July 1937.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-267.)

G-AETY. Imperial Airways London - 'Clio' in the standard livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, circa 1938.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 2545-847.)

G-AETY & VH-ABA. Imperial Airways London 'Clio' and Qantas Empire Airways 'Carpentaria' in the standard livery at Southampton, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-351.)

G-AETY. Imperial Airways London - 'Clio' in the standard wartime livery at Queens Island, Belfast, September 1940.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 2545-880.)

AX659. Royal Air Force - in the standard wartime livery at Queens Island, Belfast, March 1941.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 2545-848.)

AX659. Royal Air Force - in the standard wartime livery at Queens Island, Belfast, March 12, 1941.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 2545-849.)