Sikorsky S-38
| S-38 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sikorsky S-38 being positioned for display at AirVenture, Oshkosh in 2006. This is a replica. | |
| 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 |
| Number built | 101 |
| Unit cost |
$37,000 in 1930
|
| Developed from |
Sikorsky S-34 Sikorsky S-36 |
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 (now United Technologies Corporation) in mid-production.
Some famous owners include:
One of the two remaining S-38s, N28V, appears in the movie The Aviator (2004), a story loosely based on the life of Howard Hughes. Hughes owned an S-38 during his lifetime. N28V is not a real survivor but rather a reproduction, built in the early 2000s. As of September 2010[update]N28V bears the Osa's Ark paint scheme. N28V is now owned by Kermit Weeks and located at the Fantasy of Flight Museum in Polk City, Florida.
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