The fourth and final Short S.25 Sandringham 'Tasman' class Sunderland conversion for TEAL had been built by Shorts at Rochester as a Sunderland Mk.III c/n SB2018 and was taken on charge by the RAF as JM715 on 8Jul1943.
This aircraft saw no operational service, being held in reserve, and was converted to a Mk.V with P&W engines in mid-1945. The aircraft was returned to Shorts for conversion to civil status at Belfast in 1947, and emerged as a 30-passenger Sandringham for the UK Ministry of Supply. Leased to TEAL after demand had shown that three operational aircraft were insufficient, the aircraft was registered ZK-AMH on 29May1947, and bore the name 'Auckland'. The delivery flight from Poole to Auckland took from 15th to 29th October 1947 and it entered commercial service on 7Nov1947.
It seems that, unlike the other three TEAL Sandringhams, ZK-AMH was delivered to New Zealand with the Union Jack painted on the fin. The following photos were taken soon after the delivery flight, in late 1947.
ZK-AMH moored out, off Hobsonville, presumably during some sort of engine refit
Under tow at Hobsonville
Taxiing on Waitemata Harbour
Moored on the Mechanics Bay buoy
Following the revelation of the Sandringham engine problems, ZK-AMH was withdrawn from airline service on 22Feb1948, but following modification work re-entered service in June of that year.
By now, the Union Jack had been replaced by the more appropriate New Zealand ensign.
ZK-AMH taxiing at Mechanics Bay
Passing one of the DSFCo steam vehicular ferries that were in regular service prior to the construction of the Auckland harbour bridge
Moored on the Mechanics Bay buoy




Moored on the Hobsonville buoy
At the TEAL Mechanics Bay braby
ZK-AMH alighting on the harbour. Note the chase boats that were an essential feature of flying boat operations.
ZK-AMH flew its final TEAL service in December 1949, and was then stored at Hobsonville awaiting a sale.
Barrier Reef Airways Pty.Ltd., Brisbane bought the aircraft, and it was flown from Auckland to Brisbane on 27Apr1950. At Brisbane it was converted to 41 pax seating and operated as VH-BRC 'Coral Clipper' from 28Sep1950 on the Hayman Island service.
It was withdrawn from use in early 1951, but following the loss of sister ship VH-BRD it was sold to Ansett Flying Boat Services, overhauled and re-entered service in late 1952 under the new name 'Beachcomber'.
Used on the Rose Bay - Lord Howe Island service from early 1953, it continued operating on this run until the conclusion of flying boat services in this area in 1974.
ZK-AMH as VH-BRC in Ansett colours at Rose Bay

A documentary film was made on the Ansett Island service in the 1970s featuring this aircraft. Clips from this film have appeared on youtube and are well worth watching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Gqvz5VbxsFollowing the end of Australian activity, this Sandringhan was sold to Antilles Air Boats, Virgin Islands where it became N158C on 10Sep1974, leaving Sydney on the delivery flight 28Nov1974.
Registration was changed to VP-LVE in March 1976, still with Antilles, and finally back to N158C 9May1980.
Following the cessation of Antilles operations, the Sandringham was flown to the UK and bought by the Science Museum there in 1982 for display at the R.J. Mitchell Museum, Southampton, England from Jun83 as VH-BRC.
Interesting to note that all four TEAL Sandringhams are still more or less in existence - ZK-AMB underwater at Vila and apparently able to be visited by scuba divers, ZK-AMD underwater at Lord Howe, ZK-AME underwater off the Queensland coast, and ZK-AMH at the museum in Southampton.
Next: ZK-AMK