Aviation researchers are aiming sky high with a unique database tracing the remarkable story of the Short Sunderland flying boat and those involved in its long service, in peacetime and war.

The database is being compiled by Chris Osborne and John Evans and will become part of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre Archive. To date over 12,000 individual names have been listed along with incidents involving hundreds of Sunderlands.

Chris’ fascination all began when he inherited the flying logbook of his grandfather, Mal Osborne, of Swansea. Starting with tracing the stories of each Sunderland Mal flew, and the crewmen he flew with, it rapidly expanded to include Sunderland losses, incidents, rescues and encounters with enemy submarines and aircraft.

Chris, who lives in London, said that his grandfather flew 32 out of 749 Sunderlands built, including the two preserved examples in UK museums. He flew with 201 Squadron RAF and had a special connection with Pembroke Dock as well as Castle Archdale in Northern Ireland.

In over 40 years of aviation research, John has amassed a large collection of photographs, records and memorabilia on flying boats, now part of the Heritage Centre collection.

“In the 1980s and 1990s, when Pembroke Dock staged several reunions for flying boat personnel, I met and corresponded with so many people directly involved with these special aircraft and who generously let me access their photographs and records,” said John.

Pembroke Dock had a huge part in the Sunderland story, the aircraft serving locally for nearly 20 years, up to 1957.

Chris and John’s project has taken off with the key support of the Heritage Centre’s Collections Team, particularly Volunteer Ken Edwards. A former RAF serviceman, Ken is digitalising John’s aviation archive, a project which has already taken seven years.

According to Chris and John, the database is growing all the time and will always be added to.

“The Heritage Centre receives many enquiries relating to Sunderlands and airmen, and this database will offer opportunities to find out more about each aircraft and individuals who played their parts in the long story of a famous aircraft.”