Short Sunderland MK V (ML824)  [@ RAF Hendon]

The design of the Short Sunderland, which eventually was to become one of the RAF's longest serving operational aircraft, was based on that of the stately Short C Class 'Empire' flying boats, operated by Imperial Airways in the 1930s. It was the first British flying boat to have power-operated gun turrets as part of its defensive armament and the overall strong protective armament resulted in the Germans giving it the nickname 'Flying Porcupine'.

The maiden flight of the Sunderland prototype took place on 16 October 1937, and the first production Sunderland Mk Is were delivered to No 230 Squadron in Singapore early in June 1938, and by the outbreak of World War 11 in September 1939 three more squadrons were equipped with the type. 55 Mk IIs followed the Sunderland Mk 1, of which 90 were built; these were fitted with Pegasus XVIII engines with two-stage superchargers, a twin-gun dorsal turret, an improved rear turret and ASV Mk II radar. Production of the Sunderland Mk II reached 55 aircraft. The major production version was the Mk III, with a modified hull; the first Short-built Sunderland Mk III  flew on 15 December 1941 and the parent company eventually produced 286 Mk IIIs, a further 170 being built by Blackburn Aircraft. (The latter company had already built 15 Mk Is and five Mk IIs).

ML824 was built in 1944 and served with Nos. 201 Squadron and 330 (Norwegian) Squadron before joining the French Aeronavale. It was later returned to the UK and after a period of storage was transferred to the museum when it opened in 1978. It is displayed in the colours it wore when flying with 201 Squadron.

Short Sunderland MK V (ML796)  [@ RAF Duxford]

The Sunderland Mk III equipped 11 RAF squadrons (including one Polish and one Free French), and was followed by the Sunderland Mk IV, a larger and heavier development with 1700hp Bristol Hercules engines, eight 12.7mm (0.50in) machine guns and two 20mm (0.79in) cannon. In fact, only two prototypes and eight production aircraft were built and given the name Seaford, but after evaluation by Coastal and Transport Commands the Sunderland IV/Seaford was abandoned and the aircraft later converted for commercial use as the Short Solent. The last operational Sunderland, therefore, was the Mk V, 100 of which were built by Shorts and 50 by Blackburn. The MK V, powered by four 1200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90 Twin Wasps and carrying the ASV Mk VIc radar, made its appearance late in 1943 and continued to serve for many years after WWII, the last RAF Sunderland Vs retiring from No 205 Squadron at Changi, Singapore, in 1959. Nineteen Sunderland Mk Vs were exported to France's Aeronavale, retiring in 1960, and 16 to the RNZAF, where they served until 1966.

After RAF service, ML796 was operated by the French Navy before retiring and passing into private hands. It was later used as a restaurant in Brittany.