The short sunderland has made an indelible mark in the annals of aviation history as the most iconic flying boat ever to take to the skies operating exclusively from water the sunderland has had a long and varied history during world war 2 the aircraft spearheaded the u boat hunting patrols in the atlantic ocean recording the first allied kill in 1940 the sunderland also excelled in maritime search and rescue operations and heavy transport duties at times moving over 80 men and supplies