This aircraft was ordered new by Tasman Empire Airways Limited - ?

Built by Short Brothers and Harland, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Powered by 2,040 h.p. Bristol Hercules 733 engines

It had an all-up take-off weight of 81,000 lb (36,740 kg) and a still-air range of 3,000 miles / 4,830 km

It was configured to seat 44 passengers

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-AMN (CofR?) - November 03, 1948

Aircraft was named 'Awatere' (swift flowing river)

First flown as ZK-AMN - ?

Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) Issued - ?

Departed Belfast on the delivery flight to New Zealand - October 11, 1949

Arrived Auckland on completion of the delivery flight - October 18, 1949

Delivery route: Belfast - Southampton - August - Alexandria - Bahrain - Karachi - Rangoon - Singapore -

Surabaya - Darwin - Bowen - Sydney - Auckland

Operated Tasman and South Pacific service - 1949 - 1954

Operated the inaugural Auckland - Suva - Labasa Solent service - June 1950

Withdrawn from use and stored at Auckland - June 1954

Sold to Aquila Airways Ltd, London - 1954

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - January 17, 1955

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-ANYI (CofR R.4837/1) - January 17, 1955

Registered to Aquila Airways Ltd, London

Departed Auckland on the ferry flight to the United Kingdom - January 17, 1955

Arrived London on completion of the ferry flight - ?

The aircraft retained the TEAL name 'Awatere'

Utilised by Aquila Airways on routes to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Montreaux

Transfered to Aerovias Aquila, Portugal - October 27, 1958

Ferried Southampton - Lisbon - November 22, 1958

Sold to ARTOP, Portugal - October 27, 1961

ARTOP suspended services shortly thereafter due to financial problems

This aircraft did not enter service and was abandoned on a beach on the River Tagus, Lisbon

It was left to rot and was finally broken up for scrap - 1971

ZK-AMN. Tasman Empire Airways Limited - 'R.M.A. Awatere' in the standard livery at Mechanics Bay, Auckland, March 1950.

(Whites Aviation Copyright Image 2545-918.)

G-ANYI. Aquila Airways - 'Awatere' in the standard livery at an unknown location, date unknown.

(A. J. Jackson Collection Copyright Image 2545-796.)

G-ANYI. Aquila Airways - 'Awatere' in the standard livery at an unknown location, date unknown.

(A. J. Jackson Collection Copyright Image 2545-797.)

G-ANYI. Aquila Airways - 'Awatere' in the standard livery at the Tagus River, Lisbon, circa 1964.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 2545-794.)