On the 15th May 2009 it will be the 50th anniversary since the last operational flight of any Flying Boat in the Royal Air Force [although the RNZAF continued for a few more years]. 205 Squadron at Seletar had this honour of ‘paying off the pennant’
On December 12th 1958 I left the Squadron for pastures new, there were still 5 Sunderbuses left and much of the Squadron personnel were broken up and went their separate ways.
205 Squadron Changi with MKIA Shackletons took over the Sunderlands role
So ended an era in the annals of the RAF……….
Photo courtesy of Bill Whiter
By: Bob - 7th May 2009 at 15:33
How that scene has changed – today it would have the Esplanade Theatre just below its nose gun and would be about low enough to skim the tops of all the hotels built around the Marina!
St Andrews Road (with the Supreme Court Dome) was almost a waterfront property then but now has several hundreds of yards of land between it and the bay…
Going to be back in SG in a couple of months – looking forward to going back.
By: Pondskater - 7th May 2009 at 14:50
As the anniversary gets closer, one more of DP198 over Singapore.
Allan
By: Postfade - 27th April 2009 at 12:05
Peter Lewis:
Great Sunderland picture…I’ve noticed that you have a wonderful archive of RNZAF aircraft!
I am always in awe of these aircraft when say visiting Duxford or Hendon…particularly the later as you can go inside and experience the size and ‘nautical nature’ of the planes.
John: Love seeing your pics of course. It must indeed have been a wonderful experience to work on them.
David T
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th April 2009 at 17:32
Have been away for a week thanks for the replies. Plenty more pics here if anyone is interested including some of Bill Whiters magnificent shots 
I am still in touch with about thirty webfooter bods from that time.
A different Air Force with Naval terrminology, what a privilege to have been part of it especially at 18 years of age :p
By: flyernzl - 20th April 2009 at 22:42
Not only was 2Apr67 the last Sunderland Fiji-NZ flight, it was the last flight for both NZ4107 and any RNZAF Sunderland. Sad.
NZ4107 was sold to Australian Aircraft Sales, Sydney, & scrapped at Hobsonville.
By: furd - 20th April 2009 at 21:17
The end of the RAF Flying Boats
Would that be the RNZAF Sunderland now preserved at the MOTAT Museum collection?
No- the Sunderland at the Motat Museum is NZ4115, the last Sunderland to fly from Fiji to NZ on the 2 April 1967 was NZ4107.
Thanks for the welcome Moggy C and Allan.
By: Postfade - 20th April 2009 at 19:54
I’ve got a print of DP198 taken ‘on the ramp’ at Seletar.
Alas all traces of them had gone by mid-1961…I did prowl around Seletar looking.
My father had been there in 1932 flying as Navigator (well they were called ‘Observer’s’ weren’t they) on Hawker Horsley’s.
David Taylor.
By: AMB - 20th April 2009 at 15:28
I flew the last RNZAF Sunderland of 5 Sqn from Lauthala Bay Fiji to Hobsonville New Zealand on the 2 April 1967. Sadly on arrival at the Hobsonville sea base there was not a sole to welcome this final flight of the type which had served not only NZ so well but the South Pacific area in SAR and general support and communications.
Would that be the RNZAF Sunderland now preserved at the MOTAT Museum collection?
By: Pondskater - 20th April 2009 at 14:59
John, thanks for reminding us of the anniversary.
As you probably know, the ORB for 205 squadron doesn’t mention the Sunderland detachment after Dec 1958 so with thanks to crew such as Bill Whiter, who checked some dates in their log books, I can add:
14 May 1959 Last Operational exercise by an RAF Sunderland. DP198 was on a Fesex I sortie with HMS Caprice.
15 May 1959 Last formation flight by RAF Sunderlands. DP198 and ML797 went on a farewell formation flight over Singapore. It was the last flight for DP198.
Both John Evans and Chaz Bowyer’s books record ML797 as flying for the last time on 20th May 1959. I’ve seen the 15th May mentioned before as a “last official date” for the Sunderlands. Is that the official date for the end of the detachment?
Here’s a photo of the last formation flight, ML797 from DP198. (I’m fairly sure this is also from Bill Whiter, but apologies if it isn’t – I can’t get to my database right now.)
Furd – please do share you reminiscences here. Moggy is right, we’d love to hear them.
Allan
By: Moggy C - 20th April 2009 at 12:09
Welcome to the forum.
Please feel free to share any of your experiences / pictures with us.
You will find an eager and interested audience here.
Moggy
By: furd - 20th April 2009 at 10:22
The end of the RAF Flying Boats
I was interested to read about the 50th anniversary of the last flying Boat operation in the RAF and mention of the RNZAF. I flew the last RNZAF Sunderland of 5 Sqn from Lauthala Bay Fiji to Hobsonville New Zealand on the 2 April 1967. Sadly on arrival at the Hobsonville sea base there was not a soul to welcome this final flight of the type which had served not only NZ so well but the South Pacific area in SAR and general support and communications. The Sqn had acquired five new Lockheed P3B aircraft the previous year and we were by then the forgotten element of the Sqn; I had the choice of converting onto the P3B or the C130 however the attitude of the Sqn with the final Sunderland flight made it a no brainer, I enjoyed three and a half years on the C130 before leaving the Airforce and starting a thirty year flying career with Air NZ. I’m now retired but I still reflect on those early flying boat days.
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April 18, 2009 at 9:03 am