HR2S-1 Mojave

The HR2S-1 Mojave was Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation’s first large, twin‑engine, amphibious flying boat, introduced in the late 1940s to meet the U.S. Navy’s demand for a heavy transport capable of operating from water and short airstrips. Developed from the earlier R-4 and R-5 designs, the HR2S‑1 first flew on 12 October 1947 and entered service in 1949 as the Navy’s V‑5 transport. Its most striking feature was a high‑mounted, 2,100‑horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine on each wing, driving four-bladed propellers that provided the power needed to lift a 30‑ton payload. The hull incorporated a stepped design and retractable landing gear, allowing seamless transition between sea and land operations. With a maximum speed of 180 knots, a range of 2,500 nautical miles and the capacity to carry up to 30 troops or a jeep and equipment, the Mojave proved versatile in logistics, humanitarian aid, and early Cold‑War reconnaissance missions. Although only ten were built before the program was cancelled in 1950, the HR2S-1 demonstrated the practicality of large amphibious transports and informed later Sikorsky designs such as the S‑61 Sea King, cementing its place in aviation history as a pioneering bridge between wartime flying boats and modern multi‑mission helicopters.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

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