Content provided in partnership with

FROM FLYING DREADNOUGHT TO FLYING ACES

Air Classics, Apr 2005 by O'Leary, Michael

SAGA OF THE VOUGHT-SIKORSKY VS-44A

During the mid-1930s, the idea of building really big flying boats began to take hold. One of the first to enter the field was Sikorsky, who after discussions with the Bureau of Aeronautics, signed a contract on 29 June 1935 to build and design a long-range four-engine flying boat designated XPBS-1 (BuNo 9995). A graceful and attractive aircraft, work on this prototype proceeded quite quickly and the aircraft made its first flight on 13 August 1937 with Edmund AlLen and Clifford Swartz at the controls. Powered by reliable R-1830-68 Twin Wasps, the aircraft was dominated by a tall flowing vertical tail.

More Articles of Interest: NORTH AMERICAN'S LAST BOMBER; MITCHELLS OVER THE DESERT; THUNDERBOLT SAVES LIBERATOR; NepTunes FIGHT ON; BIG BOMBER

The press quickly gave the plane the name "Flying Dreadnought" and, for the time, the machine was fairly heavily armed with a .50-cal weapon in a manually operated front turret, two .30-cal weapons in side-by-side waist hatches and a .50-cal gun in the tail which was the first real tail gun position on an American aircraft. Also, the craft would carry 4000-lbs of bombs and other weapons.

The Navy stated: "The construction of this plane was undertaken by the Navy Department in its efforts to explore the value of large flying boats in national defense, as for years the Navy has sponsored their development by well-regulated experiments. This flying boat represents one of the most powerful bombing planes in the US, having a military load carrying capacity comparable to that of any known existing airplane. It will also have the usual long range demanded of Navy patrol bombers, as demonstrated by the Twin Wasp-powered PBY-1 patrol bombers in the recent non-stop flight from NAS San Diego to the Fleet Air Bases at PearHarbor and Coco BoIo, Canal Zone. It will afford the Navy Department an opportunity to compare the relative value as a national defense weapon, both from a tactical and an engineering standpoint, the large four-engine flying boats versus the smaller two-engine type flying boats."

Extensive flight testing followed which revealed some undesirable stall characteristics but these were traced to down wash of the wing on the horizontal tail and cured. The Navy took delivery of the plane on 12 October 1937 and assigned the craft to Patrol Wing 5 at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, where testing was continued. Navy pilots found the aircraft to meet contracted specifications but Sikorsky lost the four-engine contract to Consolidated with their four engine Coronado. The prototype went on to be assigned to Air Transport Squadron Two at NAS Alameda, California. However on 30 June 1942, while returning from Pearl Harbor, the craft struck a log in San Francisco Bay and was written off as destroyed. At the time, the Sikorsky had accumulated 1365.7-hrs of flying time - not bad for a one-off prototype.

Even though the flying boat did not win further Navy orders, its capabilities were not lost on civilian operators. American Export Shipping Line had establishing an aviation subsidiary, American Export Airlines, and went after Congress in order to smash Juan Trippe's monopoly as the unofficial flag carrier with Pan American Airlines. While this was going on, United Aircraft Corp. combined operations of its Chance Vought Division with Sikorsky to create the new Vought-Sikorsky Division (at this time, the company designation of S-44 for the XPBS-1 was changed to VS-44).

American Export Airlines (AEA) kept its battle going against Pan American and in Decemher 1939 placed contracts with Vought-Sikorsky to redesign the XPRS-1 for commercial use. Along with this came a contract option to purchase three aircraft. The Civil Aeronautics Board ruled in favor of AEA in July 1940 to hegin transatlantic service and the company immediately exercised its option for the three aircraft. The flying hoats were to he named Excalibur-(NC41880), Excambym (NC41881), and Exeler (NC41882). The parent company's three premier cargo ships also carried these names and were known as the "Aces" so it was not illogical that the aircraft hecame the "Flying Aces."

The new aircraft would he quite impressive and would he ahle to fly the Atlantic non-stop with a full load of passengers and mail at a top speed of 235-mph. The flying hoats were equipped to carry a maximum of 32 passengers in daylight configuration of 16 passengers with sleeping accommodations for the transatlantic service.

In elahorate ceremonies, the first VS-44A, named Excalibur, was christened on 17 January 1942 at the Sikorsky factory. The airline took delivery immediately following the ceremony and the first flight took place the next day with Capt. Charles Blair, AEA Chief Pilot, in command. After a few flights, he would comment, "The VS-44A is one excellent aircraft!" In April 1942, the aircraft was sprayed in standard Navy camouflage. Excambian was delivered to the Navy on 4 May 1942 and it had been camouflaged at the factory. Excalibur made its first transatlantic trip on 26 May 1942 and started a weekly round-trip service between America and Ireland. Exeter was delivered on 23 June 1942, and the trio of flying boats began valuable wartime service hauling high-ranking passengers and priority cargo. Interestingly, a number of returning American Volunteer Group pilots would join AEA to pilot the flying boats.

FROM FLYING DREADNOUGHT TO FLYING ACES

Air Classics, Apr 2005 by O'Leary, Michael

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Health

Most Popular Articles in Home & Garden

Most Popular Publications in Home & Garden