The Short Sandringham flying boat is a passenger conversion of the Short Sunderland used during World War 2. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines, it had a range of 3,928 kilometres or 2,440 miles.
Fifty aircraft were converted, with the first taking to the sky in January 1943. Major operators included BOAC, TEAL, Qantas and Ansett Flying Boat Services, who feature in the film below.
Short Sandringham Video
Following on from last week’s video about the Boeing 747-400ER, this time we look at the Short Sandringham flying boat. This video is called “Last Regular Flying Boat Service in Australia” and lasts for 20 minutes. Every second of it is worth watching.
There is a wealth of footage here, much of it in colour, as the last services took place in 1974. With air-to-air shots, cockpit views, plus interviews with pilots and others, it is a real time capsule that makes you feel like you’re there.
Especially striking is some of the camera work. They have really taken the time to get some utterly fabulous and unique shots, which have to be seen to be believed. The pilot talking about some of the hazards of the operation is very interesting too.
There are some great black and white newsreel clips of the original Short Empire flying boats in the 1930s to whet your appetite in the beginning. It really is a well put together presentation.
Overall Thoughts
Ansett Flying Boat Services operated their last passenger services between Rose Bay in Sydney and Lord Howe Island in 1974. After that, the Short Sandringham was consigned to the history books.
Today you can find two of the ex-Ansett flying boats in museums. One is in Florida in the United States and the other is in Southampton. It is a shame none of them stayed in Australia.
Have you ever flown aboard one of the Short Sandringham flying boats? What did you think of the video? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Ian Woodforth via Airliners.net
I was privileged to serve as Passenger Services Manager for Ansett Flying Boat Services at Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour from 1972 until 1974 when the Sandringhams ceased operations and the airstrip on Lord Howe Island became operational. These two aircraft were absolutely magnificent and many of our passengers became emotionally attached to them, whether they be islanders commuting to the mainland or tourists heading to the Island on vacations.
The flight time SYD-LDH was a very relaxed 3hrs 20mins and ended with the most spectacular arrival/landing on the island lagoon.
I was fortunate to occupy the cockpit “jump seat” on many flights and my memories of these experiences will never fade. You may also be interested to know that our operation enjoyed an overall 99.9% load factor between SYD-LDH due to high passenger and freight demands. I would be happy to provide more details/info if anybody is interested.
That sounds like it would have been an amazing experience and something that very few people can say they did, especially in those years. I heard the flying boats were very popular among the residents of the island and I bet it would certainly have been a much more fun experience than the QantasLink Dash 8s today. You’re very lucky to have been able to do that, how wonderful it must have been! Thanks for that!
As a longtime resident on St.Croix in the US Virgin Islands, I have spent many hours as a passenger in Gruman Mallards and Goose seaplanes flown by Antilles Airboats. The owner, Gen. Charlie Blair (and wife, Maureen O’Hara) bought two of the Sandringhams in Australia and and flew them home for use in the VI. My next door neighbor made both trips as “Flight Engineer”, but I only had the chance to make two inter-island flights before they were taken out of service when the FAA refused to certify them. I was commuting to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico, during that era, on the smaller seaplanes, and one of the Sandringhams was undergoing a total rebuild in a hanger by the San Juan “ramp”. The other one sat at a mooring down the beach from my home, for quite a spell, until it was sold to someone in the Middle East.
It was always fun to fly with Antilles, and it was often possible to sit in the “Right Seat” when no co-pilot was required. I had the chance to check out the cockpit in the Sandringham, but it required a full crew when in the air. The seaplanes are always a great way to travel. Today, a successor airline to Antilles is flying the same routes in De Haviland DHC-6 Twin Otters, a much quieter, airconditioned ride, but not nearly as charismatic as the old, Flying Boats.
Sounds like you live in a lovely part of the world and have had some wonderful flying experiences. Sitting up front must have been a real treat as well. I can imagine things are not quite the same today with the more modern aircraft. I look forward to taking off and landing on water someday, it will be something very different to what I’m used to. Thanks for the comment, enjoyed the read!
Didn’t Chalk’s Ocean Airways operate the amphibious Mallard? Not sure if that came after the Sandringham but I think it did.
I flew the Mallard with Chalks from Miami to Nassau once, I believe around 1990. It was a lot of fun but pretty strange to look out and see water come almost up to the window.
That would have been pretty cool. I’ve not been on a flying boat yet, so it’s on the list. Thanks for the comment!
Yes indeed, it did come after the Short Sandringham. I perhaps should have said, the last of the large flying boats (though that title would be taken by the Saunders-Roe Princess). It certainly wasn’t the last flying boat ever built, but it was pretty near the end. Thanks for the comment!