Built by Short Bros at Rochester, Kent as a Sunderland Mk III - 1943

Delivered to the R.A.F. as ML733 - October 18, 1943

Transferred to the R.A.A.F. and prepared at Mount Batten for delivery to Australia

Departed Mount Batten - March 1, 1944

Routing was via Gibralter-West Africa-Brasil-Caribbean-San Francisco-Honolulu-Fiji-Sydney

Allocated to 40 Squadron R.A.A.F. at Townsville - as A26-4 - April 12, 1944

Used the radio callsign 'VHCOD' whilst in service

Withdrawn from service & stored at Rathmines - May 16, 1946

Advertised for sale - June 12, 1946

Sold to B.W. Monkton - October 14, 1946

Ferried Rathmines-Rose Bay, Sydney - November 21, 1946

Converted to Sunderland (Hythe) standard - seating 28 passengers on single deck

Test flown at Rose Bay - March 6, 1947

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AKO - May 5, 1947

Registered to Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd

Aircraft was named 'Australis' by Nancy Monkton

Operated a charter flight Sydney-Milne Bay - May 20, 1947

Operated a charter flight Sydney-Noumea - May 29, 1947

Flight was extended to Port Vila-Espiritu Santo-Honiara-Lingatu-Tulagi - returning to Sydney - June 22, 1947

Made an unscheduled & unauthorised landing at Lord Howe Island - July 4, 1947

This landing resulted in Monkton seeking approval to operate scheduled services to Lord Howe

Operated the inaugural Sydney-Lord Howe Island service (Capt B. Monkton) - August 1, 1947

Broke its moorings, drifted ashore but was undamaged at Lord Howe Island - August 27, 1947

Withdrawn from service at Sydney - May 17 to October 1, 1948

Returned to service - October 2, 1948

Utilised on migrant charter flights to Australia from Europe - commencing October 25, 1948

Aircraft was renamed 'Australia Star'

Operated T.O.A. first Sydney-Grafton service - December 24, 1948

Aircraft was renamed 'Samoa Star' - 1949

Withdrawn from service at Sydney - October to December 22, 1949

Operated its final T.O.A. service - November 23, 1950

Officially withdrawn from use and stored at Rose Bay, Sydney - December 19, 1950

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 6, 1951

Scrapped

VH-AKO. Trans Oceanic Airways - in the metal livery at Lord Howe Island, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection. 2545-098.)