Double Sunrise Flights

With the fall of Singapore in February 1942, the air route between Australia and Britain was severed, preventing the rapid movement of VIP passengers and government mail between the two countries. 

In early 1943, the British and Australian governments agreed that British Overseas Airways Corporation would conduct an air service between Britain and Karachi, while the Australian airline Qantas would pioneer a new route from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to Australia using Catalina flying boats. 

These latter flights were the longest commercial air service in the world at the time and became famous as ‘Double Sunrise’ flights because crew and passengers often saw two sunrises during the 30-hours plus spent in the air.

Less well-known is the RAAF support that made these flights possible.

To read more, download the knowledge article Double Sunrise Flights written by Squadron Leader Dave Burns.