Warbird Information Exchange

How many of the civilian versions were saved in New Zealand/ Australia?

I know there were several Sandringhams out in the pacific area in the 1950's early 60's.

Which one is the California Solent? I've not heard about that one...

Ric

Pic from a few years back at Oakland:


http://website.lineone.net/~roling47/Se ... lent1a.JPG

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Beautiful....

what are the plans for this flying boat (or a ser no so I can research myself)

Regards

Ric

Any details on this one? I had never heard of it until today. Is it still in CA?

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Here you go:

http://www.westernaerospacemuseum.org/m ... olent.html

http://svsm.org/gallery/SolentMk-III?page=1

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

James mentioned Peter Thomas of Skyfame.

When he first displayed the Sunderland now at Hendon, it was at Pembroke Dock for around 10 years from 1961. Costly maintenance was apparently one reason for moving it to Hendon.

It doesn't seem like there was much local support then.

I saw the TV programme about the wreck when it was shown and it did look surprisingly intact. I share James' concerns that it's likely to be a different matter if it's raised.

Here are some of my recent photos from the past couple of years.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v718/ ... e/Oakland/

Good stuff gang! Unfortunately I tend to agree with the doomsayers about raising the Sunderland. Two thirds 'buried in the seabed.' maybe two thirds dissolved or crushed intothe seabed. Conservation of the artifact it foremost.
It sounds like Sunderlands got the short end of the stick in local interest. After the Pembroke Dock Mk.I sank, did anyone even bother looking for it? Was it just forgotten? Kudos to whoever did find it.
Dan K. Thanks for a cool bit of flying boat trivia on Indy Jones. I haven't seen that movie in over a decade, since before I really got involved in warbirds and flying boats.
Dan K. and Mike.....thanks for sharing the pix.
Anybody with flying boat stuff fell free to email me or pm me. Big or small, boats or floats, I love 'em all.

Floats up!
Canso42

Solent! and Sunderland ( soon to go under cover) at MOTAT, Auckland. There is a cockpit /nose section at Ferrymead in Christchurch also.

Dave

You could well be interested in this then:

http://www.seawings.co.uk/

A bit specialised for many, but for 'boat fans...

Edit to add.
When the Pembroke Dock Mk.1 sank, it was 1940. I suspect they had other things on their minds.

A correction here. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MoTaT) in Auckland, NZ, has an ex-RNZAF Mk V Sunderland, and an ex TEAL Solent. The Ferrymead Museum at Christchurch, NZ, has the cockpit of a Mk V Sunderland too, and various parts are around the country from others, and the wreck in the Chatam Islands as mentioned with the link to my forum.

There are no Short Sandringhams in New Zealand.

The MoTaT Solent is in absolutely pristine condition and is a national treasure. Their Sunderland has however sat derelict outside since the late 1960's and the sea air has not been too kind to it. However at last the museum has the funds to restore it and also raise a new hangar for the aircraft, and moves are now afoot to begin erecting the hangar. It is apparently superbly kept internally, totally original. But it will need some skin replacement and a total repaint and other details to bring it up to the standard of their Solent. With the moves to house the aircraft I think it's future is much brighter than it once was.

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