Built by

Short Bothers (Rochester & Bedford) Ltd at the Seaplane Works, Rochester, Kent

Type

S.30 Mk.IV C-Class Empire flying boat powered by four 890hp (660 kW) Bristol Perseus XIIc sleeve valve radial engines. This aircraft was referred to as an ‘A’ boat specifically built for Tasman Empire Airways, N.Z.

Fuel System - Type M1A

Two fuel tanks of 326 gallons each and 2 tanks of 179 gallons each, all mounted inside the wings. Two hull-mounted tanks of 380 gallons each. Flight duration 13 hrs, 23 mins. Range in still air 1,914nm or 3,551km. Range against 35kt headwind, 1,446nm or 2,682km.

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register

As G-AFDA to Imperial Airways Ltd, Victoria Station, London, November 15, 1937. Note: this aircraft never carried the registration 'G-AFDA' on its fuselage.

1st Certificate of Registration

No. 8211 issued November 15, 1937

Fleet Number

Not allocated a fleet number as this aircraft never flew for Imperial Airways

Re-allocated

During its construction it was allocated to Tasman Empire Airways, New Zealand

Officially cancelled from the British Aircraft Register

April 22, 1939. The aircraft was sold on this date to Tasman Empire Airways and therefore could not be used on Imperial Airways commercial services.

Launched at Rochester

May 09, 1939 as ZK-AMC AWARUA. No airline titles were carried.

First Flight

May 09, 1939 as ZK-AMC AWARUA

British Certificate of Airworthiness

Issued May 12, 1939. Number unknown

Named

Originally it was to have been named ‘Cumberland’. However, with the aircraft re-allocated to Tasman Empire Airways, New Zealand wanted their aircraft names to be representative of their country. Named ‘AWARUA’ meaning ‘Twin Rivers’. This was possibly a reference to the two harbours of Auckland and Sydney between which Awarua was to operate.

Name changed

To ‘AO-TEA-ROA’ by May 30, 1939. As the aircraft was to be used for a scenic flight for invited Media, TEAL required that the aircraft had to be named AOTEAROA for the purposes of photographs taken on that occasion. Imperial Airways had to repaint the name on the aircraft at short notice, without the hyphens. (The name AOTEAROA means ‘Long White Cloud’ and is the Maori name for New Zealand)

Scenic flight for Media May 31, 1939

Was operated from Hythe to Brighton and return as ZK-AMC 'AOTEAROA'

Test flown

For approximately 10 hours by Captain J.W. Burgess who was to command the aircraft on its delivery flight to New Zealand, followed by storage at Hythe awaiting instructions regarding delivery from the NZ Authorities.

Registration marks changed on the aircraft

To ZK-AMA in time for the delivery flight to New Zealand. An exact date is unknown. To change the registration was a simple matter of substituting the letter ‘A’ for the letter “C’ on the fuselage. The newly added letter ‘A’ was different from the first letter ‘A’ of the registration in size/style and remained that way until the aircraft was broken up in October 1950!

Departed UK on delivery to TEAL

As ZK-AMA ‘AOTEAROA’ Aguust 16, 1939

Arrived Auckland on delivery

August 28, 1939. First aircraft delivered to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd.

Aotearoa operated

Survey flights and special flights as well as crew training flights, as the company, Tasman Empire Airways, was not officially formed until April 26, 1940.

Entered commercial service

April 30, 1940 - Auckland to Sydney as service number AW1 (Auckland Westbound)

Officially entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register

As ZK-AMA on May 02, 1940 (the day Aotearoa operated its first commercial service from Sydney to Auckland) N.Z. Registration number 168.

NZ Certificate of Airworthiness

No. 257 (Date of issue unknown, but the UK Certificate of Airworthiness issued on May 12, 1939 was probably still valid until May 11, 1940)

Withdrawn from use by TEAL

After operating Sydney to Auckland as service number AE967 on November 07, 1947

Total hours flown

8,500

Sold

June 25, 1948 to Messrs Carter and Maybee and placed on display at Mission Bay, Auckland.

Cancelled from the N.Z. Register

July 05, 1948.

Broken up for scrap metal

At Mission Bay, Auckland, October 1950 by Dermott & Linn, Scrap Merchants of Onehunga, Auckland