Picked up in a Charity shop...

[uxb99]

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1728x1296/sunderland2_cfdce08c613f808ab431e5a2c27fe83bbdc3a7ec.jpg
...for £4. Might not mean much to some but I have fond memories watching this aircraft during the 90's and again at Kermit's facility.
Sad it had to be sold and sad it's no longer flying.
Would be interested in any anecdote's, history regarding the aircraft.
Was there ever a book released about the restoration?
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1728x1296/sunderland1_c60c6c53ba546b2b484259ec22bd0fc1a1c70f1b.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/275x206/sunderland2_ae2415f948cf8d3bc028afa36c35f54ca2cefa60.jpg

[uxb99]

Sorry about the attachments. Perhaps an admin can tidy :-)

[treadigraph]

Uxb, you seen these videos on Kermit's YouTube site? The late Geoff Masterton evident in one of them as I recall. Great to see her flying at Biggin Hill and West Malling while Ed Hulton still owned her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tEGMdrGxyI&t=35s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJr-x9PWzMs&t=1448s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j81IBeIqBCY

[uxb99]

No I haven't seen those. Thanks for posting. I seem to remember it was going to be sponsored by (Ryan Air?) but it fell through.

[longer ron]

There was a TV programme about Edward Hulton and the Sunderland - cannot remember the title at the moment but I am fairly sure we have it on DVD if not already on youtoob.
I will have a look for it tomorrow if it has not already been linked to.
Last time I saw her flying was just before she went to the states - I was driving up the A3 when I noticed a rotund shape in the rear view,I checked and it wasn't me :) - so I stopped the car and got out to watch and listen as she rumbled past.
The only other time I saw a Sunderland fly was when Charles Blair brought one of his a/c over in 1976/77 ish and he did a low pass along the main ramp at Brawdy :) Lovely to see/ hear :)

[longer ron]

The link below is the TV programme I mentioned above - Edward's Flying Boat - I have not watched the 3 videos posted but will do so tonight,therefore not sure if any of the footage from the TV programme is shown on the 3 Kermit videos above.
Fortunately some kind soul has uploaded the programme to youtoob - so I didn't have to :)
BTW I wasn't on the A3 when I saw the Sunderland in the rear view - it was the A286 and pulled over on a handy grass verge :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx7eiXIqP8E

[longer ron]

Some pics I took at Calshot whilst the Sunderland was in residence (1993 ish ?),some taken from top of martello tower.


https://i.imgur.com/46PJAUI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/39ZfT8J.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0L7VWvb.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AcRMya1.jpg

[sycamore]

Thames landing...
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1460x2000/scan1799628_ef11badfff6172f115024cc1f317282271094c45.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1460x2000/scan1744742_b2e46a0cf1ea562ca4004dcd400a3bcb87d7fd4d.jpg
6 August1982;we did consider following it under the bridge,but it would have meant joining the `unemployed queue....`
We had a crew of 10 in XZ597.I knew GM (the FE )as i flew his aircraft...
COPYWT.RAF Finningley Photo Section....

[NutLoose]

Summer of 76 St Athan, we used to see her fly over.

[longer ron]

There was another interesting video made about the Sunderland,I could not remember the title but managed to have a rummage through our extensive (and very sad) DVD collection yesterday :)

It is - An Appreciation of ML814 - The Last Sunderland Flying Boat

A nice video covering 1991 - 93 and the C of A flight testing/Kermit training,pretty good quality visually and with some interesting dialogue from Ken Emmott,Kermie and Vic Hodgkinson (who I spent a very enjoyable 60 mins with (many years ago) up in the Flight Deck of the Solent Sandringham chatting about flying etc) and Peter Smith.

Looks like it is still available from the Original Film Maker

https://www.patrickkempe.co.uk/dvd/the_last_sunderland_flying_boat.htm

Peter Smith (the ground Engineer) also wrote a book about the aircraft although it is reasonably expensive now.

[longer ron]

Summer of 76 St Athan, we used to see her fly over.

Charles Blair did a low pass down the main Ramp at Brawdy in 1977 - but I think it was the 'other' survivor - Sandringham, VP-LVE (now 'Beachcomber' at Solent Sky),he had wanted to land at Pembroke Dock as she had been based there during the war but permission was not forthcoming.

[treadigraph]

Terrific pics and memories! :ok:

[uxb99]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. I didn't know this Sunderland flew for so many years. I remember seeing her flying in the distance near Peckham, South London. Perhaps this was for the Thames landing?

[Jhieminga]

Some photos from a long-ago visit to Fantasy of Flight:
https://flic.kr/p/2nENmno

https://flic.kr/p/2nETnyY

https://flic.kr/p/2nENmnd

https://flic.kr/p/2nEUHEd