Sikorsky S-38

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-38

The Sikorsky S-38 was an American twin-engined eight-seat sesquiplane amphibious
aircraft. It was sometimes called "The Explorer's Air Yacht" and was Sikorsky's
first widely produced amphibious flying boat which in addition to serving
successfully for Pan American Airways and the U.S. Army, also had numerous
private owners who received notoriety for their exploits.

The S-38 was developed from the Sikorsky S-34 and S-36. The S-38 first flew on
May 25, 1928. The United States Navy ordered two aircraft (designated XPS-2) and
Pan American Airways was an early customer.

A total of 101 aircraft were built, manufactured originally by the Sikorsky
Manufacturing Corporation of Long Island, New York, and by the Sikorsky Aviation
Corporation in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sikorsky was acquired by United Aircraft
and Transport Corporation in mid-production.


Role
Flying boat

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Sikorsky Aircraft

Designer
Igor Sikorsky

First flight
25 May 1928

Introduction
October 1928

Primary users
Pan American Airways
New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line
Hawaiian Airlines

Number built
101

Unit cost

$37,000 in 1930


Developed from
Sikorsky S-34
Sikorsky S-36

Variants

S-38A 11 Built

S-38B Ten-place model, 80 Built

S-38C 12-place model, ten Built

C-6 United States Army Air Forces designation for the S-38A for evaluation, one
aircraft later used as a VIP transport.

C-6A United States Army Air Forces designation for a C-6 with minor changes, ten
aircraft.

XPS-2 United States Navy designation for the S-38A, two aircraft later converted
to XRS-2 transports.

PS-3 United States Navy designation for the S-38B, four aircraft later converted
to RS-3 transports.

XRS-2 United States Navy designation for two XPS-2 converted as transports.

RS-3United States Navy/Marine Corps designation for the S-38B transport version,
three aircraft and conversions from PS-3.

RS-4United States Navy designation for two civil S-38A impressed into service

Reproductions

During the 1990s two reproduction S-38s were built by the late Buzz Kaplan’s
“Born Again Restorations,” of Owatonna, Minnesota. One was produced for Samuel
Curtis Johnson Jr., the son of Herbert Fisk Johnson, to recreate his fathers
flight, which he completed in 1998. As of August 2017 the plane is suspended
from the ceiling of Fortaleza Hall in the S. C. Johnson & Son company
headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin . The other S-38 replica, N28V, appeared in
the movie The Aviator (2004), a story loosely based on the life of Howard
Hughes, who owned an S-38 during his lifetime. As of August 2017 it is owned by
Kermit Weeks and located at the Fantasy of Flight Museum in Polk City, Florida,
bearing the Osa's Ark paint scheme.

Specifications (S-38-A)

General characteristics
Crew: two
Capacity: ten passengers
Length: 40 ft 3 in (12.27 m)
Wingspan: 71 ft 8 in (21.85 m)
Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
Wing area: 720 ft² (68.6 m²)
Empty weight: 6,000 lb (2,727 kg)
Loaded weight: 10,480 lb (4,764 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial
engines, 400 hp (298 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 104 knots (120 mph, 192 km/h)
Range: 648 nm (750 miles, 1,200 km)
Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,878 m)
Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (229 m/min)
Wing loading: 14.5 lb/ft² (69 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)




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