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

Delivered to the R.A.F. at Wig Bay, Scotland as ML734 - 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-Pacific Islands-Sydney

Allocated to 40 Squadron R.A.A.F. at Townsville - as A26-5 - April 26, 1944

Used the radio callsign 'VHCOE' whilst in service

Received by 40 Squadron at Townsville - July 2, 1944

Damaged when struck by freighter S.S. Marella at Townsville - July 10, 1944

Damaged - losing over 1 metre of wing when stuck by Sunderland A26-1 at Port Morseby - August 29, 1944

Withdrawn from service & stored at Rathmines - March 12, 1946

Advertised for sale - June 12, 1946

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

Ferried Rathmines-Rose Bay, Sydney - December 16, 1946

Converted to Sunderland (Hythe) standard - seating 22 passengers

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AKP - October 24, 1947

Registered to Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd

Aircraft was named 'Australis'

Operated its first commercial service for T.O.A. - a charter - Sydney-New Hebrides - October 24, 1947

Aircraft was named 'Antilles' - January 21, 1948

Was renamed 'Tahiti Star' - 1949

Withdrawn from use for conversion to 36 seats - December 17, 1949 to December 5, 1950

Operated its last scheduled T.O.A. Pacific Islands flight - January 1, 1951

Operated final T.O.A. Sydney-Grafton service - June 17, 1952

T.O.A. was placed in liquidation - July 1, 1952

All operations ceased - except for limited service on Sydney-Lord Howe Island route - maintained by VH-AKP

Leased to Barrier Reef Airways / Ansett Flying Boat Services - August 16 / 18, 1952

Leased to Ansett Flying Boat Services - November 1 to December 27, 1952

Operated its final T.O.A. service - Sydney-Lord Howe Island-Sydney - April 15, 1953

Sold to Ansett Flying Boat Services - May 20, 1953

Ansett also acquired the Sydney-Lord Howe route licence & Rose Bay Flying Boat facilities from T.O.A.

Registered to Ansett Flying Boat Services - May 25, 1953

Operated in T.O.A. livery with Ansett Flying Boat Services titles in red

Utilised to maintain schedules until a replacement aircraft for VH-BRD entered service

Operated its final service for Ansett Flying Boats - March 12, 1954

Officially withdrawn from use and stored at Sydney - March 24, 1954

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 9, 1954

Had flown 6,148 hours

Scrapped at Rose Bay, Sydney for spares - October 1955

VH-AKP. Trans Oceanic Airways - in the metal livery at Hobart, date unknown.

(E. D. Daw Collection. 2545-108.)

VH-AKP. Ansett Flying Boat Services - on the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, January 1954.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-186.)

VH-AKP. Ansett Flying Boat Services - on the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, January 1954.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-187.)

VH-AKP. Ansett Flying Boat Services - on the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, January 1954.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-188.)

VH-AKP. Ansett Flying Boat Services - departing the lagoon at Lord Howe Island, January 1954.

(R. N. Smith Collection. 2545-189.)