This aircraft was built by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent - 1945

It was built to the U. K. Ministry of Transport Contract No. 2688 for 22 Sunderland Mk IV aircraft

It was allocated the Royal Air Force serial 'NJ216'

The order was cancelled and R. A. F. serial was not taken up - October 06, 1945

Ministry of Aviation agreed with Short Bros to build 12 Solent Mk II aircraft in lieu of the cancelled order

The existing jigs for the Sunderland Mk IVs were to be used

The Short Bros construction number 'S.1308' was allocated to this airframe

The aircraft was configured to seat 34 passengers

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register (CofR 10093/1) as G-AHIV - April 23, 1946

Registered to Ministry of Supply, London, UK

Leased to British Overseas Airways Corporation as registered operator - February 09, 1948

Delivered to B. O. A. C. at Southampton - February 09, 1948

The aircraft was named 'Salcombe'

British Aircraft Register was amended to show change of Registration Holder (CofR 10093/2) - February 12, 1948

Registered to U. K. Ministry of Civil Aviation

Operated its first revenue service - May 11, 1948

Operated its final revenue service - September 15, 1950

Returned to Ministry of Civil Aviation for conversion to Solent III standard

Certificate of Airworthiness re-issued - October 05, 1950

On completion it was placed in open storage at Belfast, Ireland

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register as 'sold abroad' - May 22, 1951

Returned to the British Aircraft Register (CofR R.2564/3) as G-AHIV - June 22, 1951

Registered to Trans-Oceanic Airways Limited, Sydney, Australia

Sold to Trans-Oceanic Airways Pty Ltd - July 04, 1951

It was painted in the Trans Oceanic livery at Belfast prior to its acceptance

Departed Belfast on the delivery flight to Australia as G-AHIV (Captain B. Monkton) - July 05, 1951

It arrived at Sydney (Rose Bay) on completion of the delivery flight - July 14, 1951

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - July 20, 1951

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TOC (CofR 1805) - July 20, 1951

Registered to Trans-Oceanic Airways Pty Ltd, Sydney

Certificate of Airworthiness issued (CofA 1765) - July 20, 1951

Operated its first reveuve service Sydney - Hobart (Captains J. Broadbent, P. H. Mattiesen) - July 25, 1951

The aircraft was named 'Star of Hobart' at Hobart by the Tasmanian Premier - August 03, 1951

It was damaged whilst taking off at night from the Brisbane River on the flight to Port Moresby - October 28, 1951

It struck a davit on the stern of a moored dredge cutting off 6.7 metres of the starboard wing in line with the float

The hull was also badly damaged in a number of places

The flare path had drifted due to strong currents and crew did not observe the dedge until too late

At time of impact the aircraft was approximately 5 metres above the water and travelling at 110 knots

Flight crew: Captains K. H. Goddard, P. H. Mathieson; F/O J. Cole; F/E R. Bush

The arcraft was subsequently landed on the water and beached to prevent further damage

As a replacement wing could not be obtained at an acceptable price the insurance company wrote the aircraft off

The lack of hangar facilities at Brisbane would have made the repairs difficult if they had gone ahead

It was sold for 400 Pounds and was scrapped Colmslie, Brisbane - 1953

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 28, 1954

The insurance company sued the Department of Civil Aviation for negligence and won

The insurance payout was used to purchase the replacement aircraft 'VH-TOD'