ADF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History

RAAF A18 Short S.23 C Class "Empire Flying Boat"
& Short S.25 Sunderland (Not taken up)

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  S.23 'C' Class Empire A18-10. 11 Squadron, c.1940, via Mike Mirkovic.
     
 

Short Empire Image Gallery

  
     
 

(See also A26 Short Sunderland and 10 & 461 Sqn, RAAF Short Sunderlands)

  
     
 
Aircraft Serial Model c/n Aircraft History
A18-1 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-2 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-3 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-4 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-5 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-6 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-7 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-8 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-9 S.25 n/a Reserved for first 9 Sunderlands delivered, but not taken up.
A18-10 S.23 S.811 Ex G-ADUT 'Centaurus'.
Originally Ex-BOAC, but at the start of the War BOAC S.23's that were in Australia were transfered to QANTAS. An equal number of QANTAS Aircraft were tranfered to BOAC.
Impressed to RAAF service from QEA, 09/39.
Working out of Darwin 12/41, servicing RAAF bases in NEI, Koepang, Ambon, Buru.
03/03/42, Destroyed Broome Harbour during Japanese Air Raid.

Empire Flying Boat A18-10 Empire Flying Boat A18-10 Empire Flying Boat A18-10 Empire Flying Boat A18-10 Another angle on Centaurus at the same location, photographer Robert Gill. Shell employee Robert Gill refuelling Centaurus. Photographer unknown Empire Flying Boat A18-10 Drums of fuel for Centaurus, hope they had an electric pump. Photographer Robert Gill. Empire Flying Boat G-ADUT ( Later A18-10) "Centaurus" Williamtown 13-16 January 1938 Empire Flying Boat G-ADUT "Centaurus" Williamtown January 1938 Photo Eric Douglas Empire Flying Boat G-ADUT "Centaurus" Williamtown January 1938 Photo Eric Douglas Centaurus Cockpit January 1938 Photo Eric Douglas View of cockpit of Centaurus. Photographer Robert Gill.S.23 'C' Class Empire A18-10. 11 Squadron, c.1940, via Mike Mirkovic.

A18-11 S.23 S.843 Ex G-AEUA 'Calypso'.
09/1939 Impressed to RAAF service from QEA,
11/1941 11 Sqn, working in New Guinea area, Rabaul evacuations, etc,
01/1942 Working in New Guinea area, Rabaul evacuations, etc,
16/02/1942 33 Sqn is formed, takes over Empire Flying Boats,
08/08/1942 sank near Daru, New Guinea , following damage sustained in a heavy seas landing for rescue of survivors of torpedoed steamship Mamuta.

Short S.23 Empire A18-11 via Gordon Birkett
A18-12 S.23 S.849 Ex G-AEUG 'Coogee'.
26/09/1938 Registered VH-ABC 'Coogee',
28/08/1940 Impressed to RAAF service from QANTAS,
01/1942 Working in New Guinea area, Rabaul evacuations, .
16/02/1942 33 Sqn is formed, takes over Empire Flying Boats,
28/02/1942 Crashed during water landing at Townsville.
RAAF crew killed:FLTLT Robert John Love 400004 (Pilot), PLTOFF Peter Satterswaite Devonshire 407942, CPL William James French 10429, LAC Maurice Clayton 15065.

Short S.23 Empire A18-12 via Gordon Birkett
A18-13 S.23 S.877 Ex G-AFBK 'Coolangatta'.
Registered VH-ABB 'Coolangatta' 19/04/38 to 28/08/40.
Impressed to RAAF service from QANTAS, 28/08/40.
Late 01/1942 with 41 Sqn Coded DQ-A.
08/11/1941, With 11 Sqn working out of Darwin to Ambon, NEI etc. Working in NEI area - evacuations.
29/07/1943 Released from RAAF, returned to Qantas Empire Airways, again as VH-ABB Coolangatta,
11/10/1944 Crashed Rose Bay, Sydney NSW.
1 Passenger killed and another 15 passengers and crew injured.

Coolangatta A18-13 Rose Bay, Sydney, 20th June 1936 Photo by Sam Hood Coolangatta A18-13 Rose Bay, Sydney, 20th June 1936 Photo by Sam Hood Short C Class Empire VH-ABB A18-13 Photo George Jackman Short S.23 Empire A18-13 via Gordon Birkett
A18-14 S.23 S.1025 12/03/1942 G-AFPZ Clifton leased from BOAC to RAAF, .
14/03/1942 With 41 Sqn Coded DB-B.
Allotted to 33 Sqn,.
26/06/43 Released from RAAF service and bought by QEA, registered then as VH-ACD (named HUSSEY and ASHLEY).
18/01/44 Lost during a training landing accident at Rose Bay, Sydney.
Brought ashore, damaged now by salt water, was converted to components.

Empire Flying Boat A18-14
 
     

The Author of this page is Darren Crick updated by Brendan Cowan

Source: http://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum, Townsville at War Website, Australian Aviation Magazine, National Archives, CASA Aircraft Records.

Emails: Wynnum B Graham, Bob Livingston, Richard Gibbons, Dean Norman, Gordon Birkett, John Andrade.

Updated 19 August 2014
     

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