"My old man was on HMS Venerable at the end of the war. After VJ, they pushed Corsairs and Avengers over the side, along with new factory crated engines, in order to make room for the evacuation of Singapore. So don't underestimate the willingness to dump good kit at that time. "
My father's (serviceable) Mk.III Sunderland was one of several scuttled at Bathurst after VE Day, rather than flown home.