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The Short Sunderland, in spite of being one of the last flying boats designed, was durable enough to fly in service from June 1938 until the early 1960s. When World War II started, Coastal Command's three Sunderland squadrons were immediately ordered for ocean patrol and search and rescue, and in January 1940, made the first of many U-boat kills. With their great endurance, Sunderlands spotted ship movements when other types were forced back to base due to lack of fuel. The aircraft's excellent defensive armament became famous to the Germans, who nicknamed the aircraft "Flying Porcupine." The large flying boat was in demand for convoy escort throughout the war due not only to its striking power but its ability to land on the water for immediate rescue. Sunderlands could carry a large number of personnel in an almost continuous stream without the need for land runways. Often overshadowed by more glamorous aircraft, the Sunderland ended the war as one of the most effective weapons employed by any side and it was the only RAF aircraft to be used from the beginning to the end of the Korean War.
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