The Sikorsky VS-44 Flying Boat

The VS-44 had to have military and civilian applications Sikorsky had the biggest boat and last flight, but had a lean production run of just four.

Trace his lineage back to some previous designs amphibious, had its first 'S-38 spark. Powered by two 420-hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp, the ten-passenger biplane, the first flight in 1928 and reach a cruising speed of 100 km / h, was ordered by the U.S. Navy and Pan American Airways. Lindbergh inauguratedAir mail with the kind between the U.S. and the Panama Canal Zone the following year. Carried out by several other carriers, they enjoyed a limited edition of 110.

The success, quad-engine, high wing, boat hull S-40, Pan American in 1929 and appointed to determine hosted the largest aircraft in the United States then, 40 people in the area of 500 miles, the first entitled "American become Clipper "to inaugurate service to 19 November 1931. Its fleet of three possible allows PioneerCaribbean and South America routes.

The S-41, a larger version of the S-38 with a capacity of 14, had a limited run of just seven.

Scheduled for the transoceanic routes, the S-42, the reversible units of four Pratt & Whitney Hamilton Standard propeller pitch was driven to fill needs for increased capacity, 2,500 miles, amphibious transport aircraft cruising at 150 km / h, even if reduced payload of 1,500 kg significantly increased its scope. First flight1934, enabled previously assigned to serve Pan American Atlantic and Pacific, the segments with its fleet of ten.

The largest and last-place Sikorsky flying boat for innovative technologies from these previous models developed by the Navy requirement for a bomber patrol 3,450 miles to the area from the current eclipse PBY Catalina. The specification, defined by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics' Design Proposal # 137 details of 200 miles per hour, a crew of six and four machinesTurrets.

The design, as a series of "S-44" by Sikorsky, and the only one who came in close relation to the needs of the Navy, a built-up, all-metal cantilever wing, four Pratt & Whitney, 700-hp Twin Wasp radial, the drove at a constant speed Hamilton Standard propellers, A.50 caliber machine gun in his two turrets fore and aft and A.30 caliber machine gun in his middle two towers. Although the record was £ 4,000 bombs, which subsequently entered, and much morepowerful 1050 hp R-1830-1868 engines with propellers with a diameter of 12 meters coupled doubled this capability.

A single prototype, for which the contract was awarded June 25, 1936, flew for the first time one year after August 13 from Housatonic near the Sikorsky plant in Stratford, and contained a 47,142-pound gross weight and configuration bomber a 49 pound maximum weight of 059 as a patrol.

The two-month flight test program and includes 26.9 hours in flight, showed differentperformance parameters, including a 640-FPM initial rate of climb, stall speeds of 62 km / h, a 225-mph top speed at 10,000 feet, a service fee of 23,100 feet, and 4,545 miles wide.

Delivered at Norfolk Naval Air Station in October 12, 1937, the accumulated XPBS-1, an additional 53.5 hours of flying experience test, at the helm of power failures, it was a return to the manufacturer for the changes. However, despite the fact that the pilots of the Navy has issued a total ofhandling aircraft performance and satisfaction, the Navy abruptly canceled any further orders for the design and replaced it instead of the Coronado. No reason was given then.

Sun referred to the transport of government officials and the priority load, the only race XPBS-1 for five years until it was damaged during landing in San Francisco Bay in 1942 by a newspaper strike. E 'is Navy with 1,367.5 hours away in the logbook.

The design,however, had a commercial application. Pan American Airways competitors of American Export Airlines (AEA), a long time, amphibious transport aircraft in search of its transatlantic passengers, has signed a contract for a civilian version of XPBS-1 called "VS-44", the prefix "VS "The combination but temporary, Chance Vought Sikorsky and Management, both divisions of United Aircraft Corporation. Pending its receipt of the Civil Aeronautics Board will route rights of passengers,Purchase of three VS-44As that the names against its American Export shipping and Internet operations of vessels, namely, "Excalibur," "Excambian" and "Exeter", while Pan American ordered the self-competition Martin M-130 flying boat.

Several design modifications have been committed, and bring it to commercial standards. The tower nose, first had, with a solid, round, replacing the metal cone, while the 'doors, windows and doors were installed. To transformthe bomber patrol in an airliner, a very different was installed inside, sealed in Scotland six smaller sections uniforms passenger seats, galleys, toilets, heating, ventilation, sound insulation e. A large horizontal stabilizer, was equipped with ten degrees of dihedral to increase the longitudinal control, while the aileron and rudder cables have been rerouted.

The layout of the interior, including a five-man cockpit by a pilot, copilot controlledflight engineer, navigator and radio operator, a galley and placed immediately below with oven, electric stove with two burners, sink, hot and cold water, a refrigerator and storage space, accommodation, mooring facilities, a luggage compartment and rooms with two men. capacity of 32-16 passengers per day to bed-configuration. forty-inch-wide seats, convertible bonds in the upper and lower beds, and each was provided with a window, aThe reading light, heating and ventilation openings. The aft cabin contained women's bathroom, a second loading area and accommodation for cabin crew.

After the completion of the VS-44A, with a length of 79.3 meters, wearing a thick, with a wingspan of 124 feet, 3:00 to 4:00 under the blades, propeller-powered 12.6-foot-diameter out of 1,200 HP Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp piston engines and S13C-G, below which hung two surface-skimming near its wingtip floats. TwoDual-stranding main gear and a single, double tail wheel allows nonaquatic plan rolls on wheels. The horizontal stabilizer extends 31 feet. With a fuel capacity 3,820 liters, provided that the aircraft is 59,534-pound gross and a top 211 km / h speed.

Draped in camouflage livery of the Navy, was the first aircraft with the name "Excalibur" 30 Completed in December 1941, but was diverted from the needs of World War II. AEA, began with their own crews, weekly, warTransatlantic transportation service, June 20 to Fayne, Ireland. "Excambian" and "Exeter" was May 4 and 23 delivered in June.

The operation of the world's first non-stop Atlantic crossing to the west at 22 June 1942, aircraft, "Excalibur" by Fayne flew to New York in 25 hours, 40 minutes with 16 passengers on board.

The lifespan of aircraft would be a bit 'more than three months. Running out of a long, water, and proposed to Botwood, Newfoundland, October 3, 1942, isreached a height of ten feet, before returning to the water. Re-emerging in the corner too, 30 degrees nose-high attitude, during which increased to 35 feet, but then the earth, the cask impact with the ocean surface and break. Five of the 11 crew members and six of the 26 passengers died. Although the true cause has never been localized, it is believed that the pilot had tried to over-use, drag-production, offHow else trailing edge flap setting.

Since the other two boats had formed the world's longest-range commercial flying to a location 3,100 miles or more from areas with a full load, and because of the war dictated the need for such shipments, its property to the Government of Moved to the United States dates back to 26 in January 1943 for the transatlantic passenger service in the navy cargo, ferry and mail in the Caribbean and Europe. American Export Airlines, under contract with thecontinued to maintain and fly the plane.

Repainted in the livery of AEA in January 1945, the two VS-44As planned yet included community service in June, but sparked after a merger with American Overseas Airlines (AOA) and the prevalence of war track construction eliminates the need for routes transatlantic aircraft now have more land as the Douglas DC-4.

The "Excambian" and "Exeter" and then acquired by war activities from Tampa Airlines Corporation27. February 1946, at which time they were subserviced for other charter carriers. But Tampico own financial difficulties led to their subsequent resale to Skyways International in April next.

Hull-loss accidents, but characteristic of the construction project in history, once and only four months after the acquisition of 15 August 1947. The attempt to land at night Rio de la Plata near Montevideo, Uruguay, while black, non-existent in VisualTerms of reference and updated without setting altimeter, aircraft, "Exeter" is already overburdened, affecting the surface of the water, pouring out his chest and flat cutting half of its left wing.

Flooded with water that flows fell, the plane, with nine of the 12 souls on board with him. Only "Excambian", one of four XPBS-1 and VS-44A cells, has remained. Its longevity would destroy all.

After Skyways "liquidation and intermediate products owned by Seaboard Commercial FinanceCorporation, Aviation Exchange Corporation has acquired the aircraft with the intention to carry cargo to the Amazon, but his plan was not economically viable for a review. As a result, acquired Avalon Air Transport, the air service to competition in the field of ship 27 miles of Long Beach, California, is available on Catalina Island, on June 14, 1957, but moved the controls of the motor in a position between the two front seats in the cockpit, which removespanel, flight engineer, and had the functions of navigator and radio operator superfluous. Seats increased from 47 operating system under an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, each VS-44A final 8172 tour to Catalina Island during his ten years in service to more than 211 000 passengers, with 68 trips to San Clemente signed Marina .

The training in that role islands, "Excambian" provided inter-Caribbean connections, particularly between SanThomas and St. Croix, when it bought Antilles Air Boats January 9, 1968 for $ 100,000. But the operation of short-term almost over, as life had three other cells, was abruptly interrupted when the plane ran after landing in St. Thomas for the following year. Even though he had injuries and little more than your feet wet in the front cab, repair costs, particularly due to corrosion, it has proved prohibitive, and is then left in situ for a further period of sixYears.

With his life so effectively resolved, though the Antilles Air Boat, Air plane at the Naval Museum in Pensacola, Florida, 1976, and terminated a contract of long-term financing with the New England Air Museum in 1983. During his ten years later restoration was carried out in a temporary file, $ 150,000 Rubb hangar at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, was in his original 1942, American Export Airlines changed the configuration requires the exchange of 97Percent of its aluminum skin, 35 percent of its cellular structure to check the engine capacity of flight engineer on the panel and the installation of passenger seaplane overseas.

The project, which was National Air and Space Museum tour, completed by a team of volunteers from Sikorsky, Textron Lycoming, the aviation industry and technical colleges.

Transfer in areas such as wings, engines and control, the New Windsor LocksEngland Air Museum, has re-assembled and painted in the livery of AEA, in the second half of the year, first appearing in its hangar Harvey H. Lippincott civil aviation.

After that passengers, freight and mail in the military and commercial settings for over a quarter of a century, the second case the discharges of the airline business, charter and air taxi operations, "Excambian," the last of the four remaining XPBS- 1 and VS-44A cells, it also represents the end ofLong-haul transoceanic, elegantly furnished, flying boat was, and remains on the screen dominates the room to tell his story.