VH-BRD Short S-25 Sandringham

This aircraft was built by Blackburn Aircraft, Dumbarton as a Sunderland Mk III - 1944

Built to the Ministry of Transport Contract No. 2228 for 25 Sunderland Mk III aircraft

Delivered to Royal Air Force as NJ179 at Wig Bay, Stranraer, Scotland

Received by No. 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay - June 12, 1944

Transferred to the R. A. F. at Calshot - June 27, 1944

Transferred to the Norwegian No. 330 Squadron at Sullom Voe, Scotland - July 21, 1944

It was damaged when it was struck by a drifting Catalina JV931 at Sullom Voe - March 18, 1945

Repaired on site and returned to service

Transferred to Short Bros & Harland, Belfast for conversion to a Sunderland Mk V - May 03, 1945

Transferred to R. A. F. No. 57 Maintenance Unit, Wig Bay following conversion - July 24, 1945

Transferred to Short Bros & Harland as surplus to requirements - April 11, 1946

Converted to Sandringham Mk IV Tasman Class with seating for 30 passengers

It was allocated the Short Bros Conversion Number 'SH.33C'

Transferred to British Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation on completion of the conversion

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-AME - July 25, 1946

Registered to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand

Leased to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd (TEAL) - August 22, 1946

The aircraft was named ' RMA New Zealand'

Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA 8094) issued - August 22, 1946

Departed Poole on ferry flight to New Zealand with a B. O. A. C. crew and 12 passengers - August 26, 1946

Arrived Auckland on completion of the ferry flight - September 04, 1946

Operated its first Auckland - Sydney - Auckland service - September 11, 1946

Flight crew: Captain J. R. McGrane; F/O P. J. La Couteur

It was loaned to the R. N. Z. A. F. for service to Fiji - May 16 - 17, 1947

Withdrawn from use due to engine overheating problems - February 23, 1948

Returned to service following rectification of engine problems - June 17, 1948

Operated its final revenue service Sydney - Auckland - December 19, 1949

Withdrawn from use and stored at Hobsonville, Auckland

Removed from storage and test flown at Auckland - April 20, 1950

Ferried Auckland - Brisbane (Captain J. Sheppard) for sale to Barrier Reef Airways - April 27, 1950

Sold to Barrier Reef Airways Ltd for 5,000 pounds - April 28, 1950

It was overhaulled and converted to seat 41 passengers

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - September 11, 1950

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BRD - March 12, 1951

Registered to Barrier Reef Airways Pty Ltd

The aircraft was named 'Capricorn'

Operated its first Barrier Reef revenue service Brisbane - Whitsunday Islands - April 1951

Chartered by Trans Oceanic Airways to cover repairs to their Solent VH-TOB - June 20 to July 1951

Registered to Ansett Flying Boat Services - May 01, 1952

The aircraft was renamed 'Princess of Cairns'

Operated the inaugural Brisbane - Hayman Island - Townsville - Cairns service - May 31, 1952

The aircraft was struck by a Riverside Coal Transport barge on the Brisbane River - July 11, 1952

The damage to the port wingtip was repaired and it was returned to service - August 05, 1952

The aircraft sank overnight at its moorings on the Brisbane River - October 31, 1952

It was struck by an unidentified boat causing damage to the port float causing flooding of the aircraft

Towed to Colmslie Slipway after being refloated - November 03, 1952

It was declared a write-off following a detailed inspection - November 04, 1952

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 16, 1953

Sold to Steel Constructions Ltd, Brisbane - April 1953

Onsold to Pacific Clipper Enterprises, Gold Coast who intended to convert it to a floating restaurant

It was lost whilst being towed to the Gold Coast when it was swamped by waves - February 01, 1954

The wreckage was never located