Short S23 Empire flying boat VH-ABA "Carpentaria" departs from Sydney's Rose Bay flying boat base in late 1938. One of the world's first long haul air services, Qantas Empire Airways in co-operation with Imperial Airways operated a service between Australia and Great Britain from August that year. The luxurious service with a nine day transit time was abruptly cut short with the advent of World War II, the aircraft being pressed into military service.
