Sikorsky S-41

The Sikorsky S-41 was an amphibious flying boat airliner produced in the United States in the early 1930s. Essentially a scaled-up monoplane version of the Sikorsky S-38 biplane flying boat, Pan Am operated the type on routes in the Caribbean, South America, and between Boston and Halifax.

Development The S-41 had a parasol wing configuration, with two radial engines mounted on struts between the fuselage and the wing. The cabin was completely enclosed within the all-metal hull and could seat 15 passengers.Taylor 1989, p.810The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p.2932

The United States Navy purchased three examples and designated them RS-1;Grossnick 1995, 529 these were joined by two Pan Am aircraft pressed into Navy service and designated RS-5.Grossnick 1995, 542the Navy applied the designations RS-2, RS-3, and RS-4 to other models of Sikorsky flying boats; refer to Grossnick 1995, p.530 and p.542 and Andrade 1979, p. 218.

Variants S-41AAerofiles S-41B S-41C RS-1 United States Navy designation for three S-41s for evaluation. RS-5 Two S-41s impressed into service with the United States Navy.

Operators

Pan Am United States Navy

Accidents and incidents On 27 August 1931, A Sikorsky S-41, NC41V of Boston-Maine Airways crash landed while making the run between Halifax (N.S.) and Boston (MA). After clinging to the sides of a partially inflated life raft in rough seas for two hours, the 12 survivors were rescued by the F/V Nova Julia, a mackerel seiner out of Gloucester MA, captained by Capt. Leo Favaloro. There was one fatality. Seventy-year-old Edward Bamwell was assumed trapped in the wreckage as it disappeared beneath the waves just a moment after he gallantly allowed one of the three women passengers to precede him to the waiting raft. The Sikorsky had only been in service one month. Heavy fog was cited as the cause of the crash.28 Aug 1931 Gloucester Daily Times26 June 1999 Hartford Courant. Obituary of Alfred Esten The S-41 was repaired and reregistered as NC60V.United States Civil Aircraft Register http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_N32.html On 28 October 1931, Col Thomas C. Turner, Chief of the Aviation Section of the United States Marine Corps, flew as a passenger in a Sikorsky RS-1 to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.Elliott & Gillespie 1975, p.14Elliott 1977, p.15 After arrival, the aircraft became stuck in the sand; when he got out to inspect it, he was struck in the head by one of its propellers.New York Times 29 October 1931, p.21 He died from his injuries two days later.

Specifications (S-41A)

Sikorsky S-41

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