S-38

The Sikorsky S‑38, nicknamed the “Sea Scout,” was the first amphibious transport built by Igor Sikorsky’s company in the United States. First flown in March 1928, the twin‑engine, high‑wing monoplane entered service with Pan American Airways, the U.S. Army Air Corps and a host of private operators. Its all‑metal airframe and pontoons allowed water landings as easily as runway operations, a rare capability at the time. Powered by two 250‑horsepower Wright J‑5 radial engines, the S‑38 could cruise at 115 miles per hour and carry up to eight passengers or a comparable freight load over a range of roughly 600 miles. The aircraft’s spacious cabin, large windows and relatively quiet ride made it popular for early airline routes across the Caribbean, the Pacific and the Great Lakes. In the 1930s the S‑38 proved its reliability as a de‑icing test bed, a mail carrier, and even a presidential transport for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s niece, Anne. Its success paved the way for larger Sikorsky amphibians such as the S‑42 and established the company’s reputation for innovative, versatile flying boats that shaped early commercial aviation.

Igor Sikorsky

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