History
Southern Cross Flying Boat
Flying Boat Southern Cross 31.42 KB
Sea Plane Southern Cross 30.71 KB
An Irishman's Diary - an Irish Times Column 1977
Southern Cross (Irish Times) 135.90 KB
Transcript of An Irishman's Diary Column 1977
More cheerfully, Liam Byrne makes mention in his chapter on Irish airlines (suprisingly, there have been more than 20 of them over the past half-century) of the Short Sandringham flying-boat which this country saw ploughing its dignified path on the Shannon some years ago.
The 48-seater, built in 1943 by Short Brothers in Britain as an RAF Sunderland, was converted to civilian use by the same firm in Belfast four years later. After a journey through several owners, it was purchased in 1974 by an American aviator Captain Charles Blair, owner of Antilles Air Boats in the Virgin Islands and husband of Maureen O'Hara, the actress.
It was the innovative Aer Arann that brought the vintage craft to Ireland when the firm hired it for the summers of 1976 and '77. Blair sadly died two years ago when another seaplane piloted by him, a Grumman Goose, crashed intp the sea off the Virgins. The new owners of his company are not interested in keeping the Sandringham, almost certainly the last remaining British-built large passenger flying-boat on their books.
A Dorset aviation firm nows seems to have seized its chance and has virtually raised the money to buy it with the intention of bringing it back to England, overhauling it and eventually putting it on display. One of the main movers behind the scheme, Michael Coughlin, told the Diary yesterday: "We're almost there at the buying end. We'll know by Thursday, I'm flying out to the Virgin Islands to pay over the rest of the money".
From an Irish point of view, the next stage of the scheme could well see the flying boat on the Shannon again. Coughlin and the company hope to use the Southern Cross, when overhaled for 'joy rides', a few seasons of fun and nostalgia before permanent display.
"We'll certainly be bringing it back to Ireland", he said, "We hope to be visiting you very soon". He and his fellow-organisers have now appealed for help to the original makers, Shorts. It would indeed be appropiate if the Belfast firm contributed to the effort to restore its fine old warhorse.
Flying Boat Letter 1977
Irish Times Letter re: Southern Cross Letter 48.40 KB
Capt. Carter
Harbour Master
Dun Laoghaire
This is an "Irish Press" photograph of what must be one of the more unusual visitors to Dun Laoghaire in recent times, Sandringham Flying Boat VPLVE, "Southern Cross" owned by Antilles Air Boats of the U.S.Virgin Islands * commanded by Capt. Charles F Blair.
The aircraft may be coming to Ireland again in the summer of 1979.
Sean Carvin
