Salvaging & Restoring the last Seaplane Tender in Africa.

40ft Seaplane Tender at speed

SEAPLANE TENDER Mk-1   ST-433

Most people don’t have a clue what a Seaplane is – let alone a Flying Boat, yet these magnificent aircraft formed the backbone of aviation in Africa for many years until land-planes took over and the grandeur of these graceful flying boats were lost into obscurity.

The original Short-Sunderland, Short-Solent, Short-C Class and Short-S23 Empire Flying Boats were graceful aircraft but could not land on a runway at all.

Operated by the British Imperial Airways (later known as the BOAC) these aircraft, arriving at the various destinations would have to “anchor” the same way a boat does and to solve the problem of passenger disembarkation, maintenance and refuelling, the British-built Seaplane Tender or Launch was designed.

The RAF (Royal Air Force) operated 5 x 40ft Seaplane Tenders in South Africa during WWII.

It is assumed that after the war they were then transferred to the SAAF.

Of these boats only ST-433 has survived as the last of her type …

This website will be dedicated to her Restoration back to full operational status to once again serve a Flying Boat as she was originally intended.