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VP-LVE
C/N  SH.55C

"Southern Cross"

Aussie Airliner
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Manufactured - Shorts Bros / Sunderland MK III  July 1943

Royal Air Force - Wing Bay, Stranraer, Scotland    as JM715   1943-1947

   Flying Boat Modification Unit - Cairds Yard, Greenock - conversion to MK V   April1945

Short Bros. & Harland - 1947  conversion to Sandringham Mk 4 Tasman Class for...

Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. TEAL - Auckland, N.Z. reg. ZK-AMH  "RMA Auckland" 1947 -1950

Barrier Reef Airways Pty. Ltd.- Brisbane, Australia  reg. VH-BRC "Coral Clipper" 1950 -1952

Ansett Flying Service - Sydney, Australia  1952 - 1974 "Beachcomber"

Antilles Air Boats - U.S.V.I.  1974-1980     reg. N158C  orig. "Southern Star" chg. to "Southern Cross"  re-reg. VP-LVE (B.V.I.)

M & M Aviation - Isla Grand, San Juan, P.R. 1980  Capt. Ron Gillies / Mike Coghlan and  additonal investors purchase from AAB to ferry to U.K. for resale after arrival.

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 Solent Sky Museum - Southhampton, UK   presently on display

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photo credit Tom Anusewicz
VP LVE Southampton Water Sep 1977
VP LVE Capt Ron Gillies  08 September
VP LVE Southampton Water Sep 1977
VP LVE Southampton Water September 1977
VP LVE Southampton Water Sep 1977
VP LVE Near Hythe Southampton Water Sep
VP LVE Southampton Water Sep 1977
VP LVE Over Southampton Water Sep 1977 B
Antilles Air Boat Tkt 0163 for VP LVE So
VP LVE Over Isle of Wight Sep 1977
photos by Barry Friend
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S-25 Southern Cross's Last Atlantic Crossing      First Officer, Jim Flanagan's Journal transcript

Sept-Oct 1980

Pago Pago

Slides by Jim Flanagan, the AAB "Southern Cross" crewmember from start to finish.

Philadelphia

Southern Cross's Last Atlantic Crossing

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The CD-ROM 

is 248 pages of in depth information on Beachcomber then "Southern Cross"

​

Robert H. Smith

P.O. Box 484

Kiama, N.S.W., 2533 Australia

inquiry@aussieairliner.org

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It is also available as a coffee table book

​

This film has some "alternative facts" and will make comments later.

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taxiing into Dublin

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Dublin, Ireland

1950

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Leaving Dun Laoghaire (Dunleary)

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Dun Laoghaire Harbor - Dublin 1977

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Refueling at Killaloe for flight to Gander Lake (Newfoundland) in 1976

photo credit Donal Goggin 

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"Southern Cross" arrives in Foynes before flying on to Glengarriff and Killaloe on July 28, 1976

photo credit  Donal Goggin

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Entering Scotsman's Bay at Dun Laoghaire (Dunleary)

photo credit  

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Moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbor. Donal Goggin in the bow compartment pulling in the drogues (sea anchors) and adjusting other lines. Noel Holle (engineer) on top and Capt. Ron Gillies in the cockpit.

photo credit  Donal Goggin

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Moored at Glengarriff. Donal drove to Cork City, got a bus to Glengariff and flew on "Southern Cross" for an hour before making the return trip and on to Limerick.

photo credit Donal Goggin 

"Southern Cross"   

in

Ireland - 1976

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2 quick videos of the summer trip in 1976

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Recently acquired this post card. When I received it, the back had a revision. AER ARANN IRISH INTERNATIONAL was crossed out and Antilles Air Boats inserted. The AAB aircraft was leased to Aer Arann and correct as printed.

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Active soldier, Jeff O'Connor sent in a polaroid photo of "Southern Cross" at its dock in Christiansted, St. Croix. Jeff found the photo in the back of the frame of one of his grandmothers painting. 

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