Finding visuals...
  • The Locator
  • Airframes Database

    Social media...
    Follow AV on facebook
    Follow AV on Twitter @aerial_visuals
    Follow the AV YouTube Channel

    Site navigation...
  • Home
  • Desktop Calendar
  • The Racers
  • FAQs
  • About Aerial Visuals
  • Comment on this Dossier
    • Search For Airframes Now
    Search - Index - Gallery - Reports - Lists - AV Needs You!

    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Short S25 Solent/Sandringham/Sunderland
    Latest Model:Seaford 3
    Last Military Serial:NJ203 RAF
    Construction Number:S.1295
    Last Civil Registration:N9946F
    Compressed ID:Short Seaford 3 sn NJ203 RAF cn S.1...
    Latest Owner or Location:Oakland Aviation Museum, Metropolitan Oakland International Airport / North Field, Oakland, California

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE    		 If you can add to the history or would like to submit a correction please use the editor to do so.

    UPLOAD A PHOTO    		 If you have a photo of this airframe to share then use the photo upload tool.
    The Airframes Database depends on user contributions to stay current.
    If you have any news about this airframe or photos which you would like to share please do so
    by using the links above.
    The more you and others share the better the database becomes!

    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a Seaford 3.

    24 October 1946

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n NJ203.

    19 March 1949

    To British Overseas Airways Corporation-BOAC with new c/r G-AKNP.
    Operated with markings: City of Cardiff

    From 1 May 1951 to 12 February 1954

    To Trans Oceanic Airways Pty Ltd with new c/r VH-TOB.
    Operated with markings: Star of Papua

    1955

    To South Pacific Airlines with new c/r N9946F.
    Operated with markings: Isle of Tahti

    June 1955


    Photographer: William T Larkins
    Notes: Short Solent III South Pacific Air Lines - NX9946F at Oakland Airport in June 1955.

    29 October 1958

    Certificate of airworthiness for N9946F (SOLENT MARK 3, S1295) issued.

    December 1958

    Intention was to be used by South Pacific Airlines on Honolulu - Christmas Island - Papeete and return route, but British Government announced thereafter that Christmas Island would be used for atomic bomb testing. This resulted in permission to use Christmas Island as a transit stop being withdrawn. Aircraft did not enter service and was flown back to Oakland.

    From 1959 to 1973

    To Hughes Tool Company keeping c/r N9946F.
    Storage San Francisco Harbour.

    Towed to Richmond, California for further storage.

    1967

    To H and M Airline Services.

    1973

    To R and H Gottelli.

    1973

    To Rick and Randy Grant.

    1981

    Used as a prop in the movie - Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    1 July 1989


    Photographer: unknown

    25 August 1993

    To Richard T. Grant Jr, PT Richmond, CA keeping c/r N9946F.

    10 September 2010


    Photographer: Mike Henniger

    8 September 2012


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at Oakland Aviation Museum in Oakland, California.

    To Oakland Aviation Museum, Metropolitan Oakland International Airport/North Field, Oakland, CA.
    View the Location Dossier

    13 May 2015

    Civil registration, N9946F, cancelled.
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Internet Sources
     Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    Individual Contributors
     Terry Fletcher
    Mike Henniger
    Tell Others About this Airframe Dossier
    Forum Link: [URL=https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=1118][IMG]/home/users/web/b1393/nf.aerialvisuals/public_html/AV/Support/Logo_20x20.jpg[/IMG]Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Short Seaford 3, s/n NJ203 RAF, c/n S.1295, c/r N9946F[/URL]
    Direct Link: https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=1118
    Copyright 1993-2025 m.AerialVisuals.ca
    The Aerial Visuals pages are best viewed with a screen at least 800 pixels wide.
    In case you are wondering Aerial Visuals is a huge fan Google Chrome. If you do not have Chrome installed why not?
    Aerial Visuals requires cookies and Javascript to function correctly. Please ensure these features are enabled in your browser.
    Aerial Visuals is powered by Netfirms.