Aircraft · United Kingdom · 1938-1945
Short Sunderland
maritime patrol flying boat
A heavily armed four-engined flying boat that patrolled far out over the Atlantic hunting U-boats, the Sunderland's defensive firepower earned it the Luftwaffe nickname 'Flying Porcupine' after crews found it a costly target to attack. It helped close the mid-Atlantic air gap alongside the Liberator.
| crew | 9-11 |
|---|---|
| top speed | 343 km/h |
| armament | up to 16x machine guns, depth charges |
| produced | 749 |