Short Sunderland | The Porcupine of the North Atlantic

The Short Sunderland patrol bomber flying boat is one of the most iconic aircraft of World War II. Yet its characteristics, performance and quirks have received comparatively little attention. Fortunately, the newly formed Coastal Command gathered some footage of the aircraft and its crew during World War II. And some of the b-roll for its dramatised propaganda film, Coastal Command, survives. Here, veteran Sunderland pilots, navigators and engineers share their opinions of what was dubbed the “Flying Porcupine“, what it was like to fly, and how it performed in its vital anti-submarine and reconnaissance roles.