Thirty-first Empire boat completed and flown by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent

Order placed by Imperial Airways, London

Completed as a S-23 Empire Class boat having 920 h.p. Bristol Pegasus Xc engines

It had an all-up weight of 40,500 lb, cruised at 164 m.p.h. with a range of 760 miles

First flown as G-AFBL - March 28, 1938

Certificate of Registration Issued - March 30, 1938

Delivered to Imperial Airways, London - March 30, 1938

Aircraft named 'Cooee'

Earmarked for delivery to Qantas Empire Airways from outset

Sold to Qantas Empire Airways - April 20, 1938

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ABF - May 20, 1938

Registered to Qantas Empire Airways Ltd

Operated inaugural Sydney-Southampton service (Capt P. Lynch Blosse) - July 5, 1938

Flew U.K.-West Africa-Congo-Durban route (Capt F.J. Bailey) - April 1940

Aircraft was isolated in the western sector of Horseshoe Route - February 1942

Ownership transferred to British Airways in exchange for G-AFPZ - August 1942

G-AFPZ 'Clifton' had been isolated in Australia when Horseshoe Route was cut during WWII

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - August 1942

Entered onto U.K. Aircraft Register as G-AFBL

Withdrawn from use by British Airways - February 2, 1947

Broken up for scrap at Hythe - 1947

Aircraft had flown a total of 14,307 hours

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rochester, April 1938.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-238.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, April 1938.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-239.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, April 1938.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-239a.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, November 1938.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 2545-240.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, date unknown.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 2545-369.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - in the original livery at Rose Bay, Sydney, date unknown.

(Qantas Heritage Collection. 2545-370.)

VH-ABF. Qantas Empire Airways - the interior of the rear cabin at Rose Bay, Sydney, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-259.)

A route map depicting the route flown from Sydney to Southampton by the Empire Boats.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-224.)