It was initially equipped with six Short Sunderland flying boats which had been ferried from the United Kingdom to Australia between January and March of that year.

These ferry flights were made by experienced crews drawn from the RAAF's two Sunderland squadrons in the United Kingdom, No.

40 Squadron suffered its only loss on 28 November when a Sunderland struck a post and sank after landing at Townsville; there were no fatalities.

On 9 March 1945 one of its Sunderlands landed on a small lake in an isolated area of New Guinea to relieve an Army garrison force.

The Sunderland rediscovered the survivors the next day after contact was lost with them overnight, and maintained position over the dinghy until Allied naval vessels reached it.

A daily (except for Sunday) service from Port Moresby to Cairns began the next day and bi-weekly flights to the Treasury Islands commenced on 26 February.

[6] In July the squadron was issued with four Martin Mariner flying boats which were based at Cairns and also operated in the transport role.

[3][4] Following the Japanese surrender the squadron flew ex-prisoners of war and other soldiers back to Australia.