Sikorsky S-38s

Amphibious S-38s
Amphibious S-38s
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Hawaiian Airlines, originally founded as Inter-Island Airways, played a pivotal role in introducing air travel to Hawaii. In 1929, the company acquired the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, a sturdy and comfortable aircraft used for sightseeing tours over Honolulu. The goal was to help residents become familiar with flying before launching scheduled interisland air service with two amphibious Sikorsky S-38 planes.

The Sikorsky S-38 was a twin-engine amphibious aircraft designed for versatility and performance. With space for a crew of two and eight to nine passengers, it was sold fully equipped for $55,000. In an early promotional brochure, Sikorsky uniquely spelled “Amphibian” with an “o” as a trademark.

This aircraft could take off from both land and water, climb at a rate of 1,000 feet per minute at full capacity, and cruise at 110 miles per hour, reaching a top speed of 130 miles per hour. Remarkably, it could also maintain flight on a single engine, outperforming other amphibious planes of its era. The first ten units were sold within eight weeks of official performance data being released, leading to increased demand from governments, airlines, and private buyers.

MODELS-38
CREW 2
PASSENGERS10
ENGINE2 x Pratt & Whitney "Wasp" 410 HP
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan71 ft 8 in
Length40 ft 3 in
Height13 ft 10 in
Wing area720 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Gross weight9200 lb.9200 lb.
High speed128 mph124.5 mph
Stalling speed52.5 mph55 mph
Cruising speed at sea level at 1650 R.P.M.112 mph110 mph
Initial climb940 ft/min880ft/min
Climb in 10 mm.7650 ft7250 ft
Service ceiling20100 ft19400 ft
Take-off time in still air from land8 sec10 sec
Take-off time from water11 sec16 sec

Excerpted from THE SIKORSKY TWIN-ENGINED AMPHIBIAN.

Reference

    1. Hawaiian Airlines (July 12, 2009) Hawaiian’s First Airplane Coming Home. Hawaiian Airlines. https://newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/releases/hawaiians-first-airplane-coming-home
    2. Sikorsky Archives. (n.d) Sikorsky S-38. Sikorsky Archives. https://sikorskyarchives.com/home/sikorsky-product-history/american-flying-boats-and-fixed-wing-aircraft/sikorsky-s-38/