FlyPast – August 2018

Spotlight

Short

Sundeland

88 FLYPAST August 2018

Artwork

Short Sunderland Mk.I

L2163 ‘DA-G’ of RAF

210 Squadron based

at Oban, Scotland in

1940. ANDY HAY-2018

T

his month’s Spotlight

subject is Sunderland Mk.I

L2163, a flying-boat that

operated with the RAF’s

210 Squadron from Oban, Scotland.

Painted in camouflage markings

and adorned with the unit codes

DA-G, the Sunderland was often used

to protect convoys in the early part

of World War Two. This included

incoming troop ships bringing

personnel from Canada to the UK.

On January 15, 1941, Sunderland

L2163 was one of three aircraft

allocated to fly to Freetown in Sierra

Leone, West Africa. The crews

and ground staff were intended to

form 95 Squadron, with Wg Cdr

F J Fessanges as CO and Sqn Ldr

Lombard as flight commander.

With Fg Off Baggott at the

controls, L2163 left Oban for

Pembroke Dock in Wales where the

flying-boats would be prepared for

the long flight. Before departure to

Africa, our subject was replaced by

N9027 because the latter had flown

fewer hours since its last service and

was deemed to be in better condition

Sunderland L2163 remained in the

UK, and was eventually damaged

beyond repair in a gale off Stranraer,

Scotland, on January 15, 1942.

protectorprotectorprotector

Scottish

Andy Hay presents artwork of a Short Sunderland used to defend shipping

in the waters off Scotland

SpotlightSpotlight

Short

Sundeland

ScottishScottish