Sikorsky VS-44
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| VS-44 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Flying Boat |
| Manufacturer | Sikorsky Aircraft |
| Designed by | Igor Sikorsky |
| Maiden flight | 13 August 1937 |
| Introduction | 10 February 1942 |
| Retired | 1968 |
| Primary users | American Export Airlines Tampico Airlines Avalon Air Antilles Air Boats |
| Number built | 3 |
| Unit cost | $400,000 US |
Sikorsky VS-44 were large four-engined USA flying boats built to compete in the transatlantic air travel trade carrying 40 or more passengers across the Atlantic Ocean. Only 3 were produced, Excalibur, Excambian and Exeter.
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[edit] History
In the early days of commercial air travel, large four-engine flying boats built by companies like Consolidated Aircraft, Boeing, Shorts, Breguet, Latecoere and Dornier soon established the legitimacy of air travel. At first, long flights meant small payloads, giving passengers a sense of airborne freedom as they walked from smoking lounge to dining room, to sleeping compartment on these flights. Freedom of movement and more of the ultimate luxury, speed.
One of the leaders in flying boat design and production was Russian immigrant Igor Sikorsky who had founded Sikorsky Aero Engineering Company when he came to the US in 1919. In 1930 his company became a subsidiary of United Aircraft. Sikorsky manufactured flying boats, such as the S-42 used by Pan Am for trans-Atlantic flights and known as Pan Am Clippers. Looking at the longer routes across the Pacific, Pan Am needed planes with longer range than was available with the S-42. Juan Trippe, Pan Am's president, didn't like the updated S-42 design proposed by Sikorsky, instead going with the Martin M-130 and later the Boeing 314 Clipper.[1]
[edit] VS-44 Design
By 1940, Sikorsky, now merged with Chance Vought under the umbrella of United Aircraft, produced the VS-44. A single deck seaplane with two-row Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasps rated at 1,200 horsepower (900 kW) each, the new aircraft was 80 feet (24 m) in length and weighed in at 57,500 lb (26,000 kg) for takeoff. The Boeing 314 Clipper was larger and boasted more powerful Wright Twin Cyclones of 1,600 hp (1193 kW), but the VS-44 was 30 mph (48 km) faster and could fly an average payload more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km), out distancing the big Boeing by 500 miles (800 km) and earning bragging rights with the longest full-payload range of any aircraft in the world. The VS-44 brought home several new world records after it went into operation, but the limited production would never even recoup the VS-44’s development costs.
American Export Airlines (AEA) ordered for three VS-44s, dubbed ‘Flying Aces’ and named Excalibur (NX41880; later as NC41880), Excambian (no NX; later as NC41881) and Exeter (no NX; later as NC41882) after the parent company's Four Aces. AEA had grown out of the American Export Lines steamship line, so naturally these planes gave nothing away to cruise ships. Sikorsky’s standard of luxury boasted full-length beds, dressing rooms, full galley, snack bar, lounge and fully controlled ventilation.
[edit] World War II Service
World War II had begun, though, putting civilian transatlantic air service on hold. Now under a Navy contract and with the Navy designation JR2S-1, AEA’s three VS-44’s continued flying between New York, New York and Foynes, Ireland, carrying passengers, freight and war materiel. The first VS-44, Excalibur crashed on takeoff in 1942, ending her life early.
[edit] Post War Service
After the war, the big Sikorsky ‘boats continued to fly for the airline, which had renamed itself American Overseas Airlines (AOA) and was operated by American Airlines. AOA sold Excambian in 1949 to Tampico Airlines.
In 1946 Exeter was sold to TACI of Montevideo, Uruguay, as CX-AIR. It crashed Aug 15, 1947 while landing in River Plate off Montevideo when (allegedly) returning from a smuggling flight to Paraguayan rebels. 4 out of the 5 crew were killed, but both passengers survived.
A short-lived effort to restore the only remaining VS-44 to run freight in the Amazon came to naught, leaving the former AOA ‘boat stranded in Ancon Harbor, Peru.
By the late 1950s, two Southern California businessmen had heard of the Excambian's plight and had her ferried to Long Beach, where restoration work began. Dick Probert and Walter von Kleinsmid of Avalon Air Transport, (AAT) thought the big VS-44 would be perfect for the Catalina tourist trade. AAT named her Mother Goose, to complement the line’s Grumman Goose amphibians, and plans were made to utilize her to meet summer travel demands. In the winter, N41881 would undergo maintenance.
Excambian carried thousands of passengers for AAT until 1967 when it was sold to Charles Blair of Antilles Air Boats. Blair, husband of actress Maureen O'Hara, acquired the Excambian to ferry passengers among the Virgin Islands. In January 3, 1969 she was extensively damaged by rocks while taxiing at Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands. It was judged beyind economic repair and beached in March 1972 and converted to a hot dog stand.
[edit] Restoration and Museum Piece
In 1976, Excambian was donated to the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida and eventually put on permanent loan to the New England Air Museum in Connecticut. NEAM restored Excambian to its WWII livery with volunteer help from some of the former Sikorsky workers who had built the original VS-44.[2]
[edit] Specifications
- Power: Four 1200 hp (900 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial air-cooled engines
- Top Speed: 235 mph (378 km/h)
- Fuel Capacity: 3,900 US gallons (15,000 L)
- Propellers: Hamilton Standard hydromatic quick-feathering, 3-bladed
- Wing span: 124' (38 m).
- Length: 79'3" (24 m).
- Height: 27'7" (8 m).
- Weight: empty 30,200 lb (13,700 kg).
- Gross weight: 57,500 lb (25,900 kg).
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