The Sikorsky S-38 was sometimes called "The Explorer's Air Yacht". Indeed, the S-38 was Sikorsky's first widely produced amphibious flying boat which in addition to serving successfully for Pan American Airways and the U. S. Army, also had numerous private owners who received notariety for their exploits. Some famous owners include:

• Aviator Charles Lindbergh - Surveyed South American and Pacific Ocean routes for Pan Am with Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
• Newspaper publisher Robert R. McCormick - Surveyed commercial air routes between North America and Europe.
• Venture capitalist J. H. Whitney - Luxury Transport
• The Flying Hutchinsons - First attempted around the world flight by a family.
• Filmmakers Martin and Osa Johnson - In the zebra-striped S-38 "Osa's Ark", with companion giraffe-patterned S-39 "Spirit of Africa", explored Africa extensively, making safari movies and books.
• S. C. Johnson 's Herbert Johnson - Explored South America in search of and to research the carnauba wax palm, the source of the world's hardest natural wax. The "Spirit of Carnuba", a replica of this aircraft, exists and is flying today.
• Howard Hughes purchased one for a flight around the world.

The aircraft appears in the movie The Aviator

A total of 90 aircraft were built, manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, Connecticut. Sikorsky was acquired by United Aircraft Corporation in mid-production. The aircraft first flew in May 1928.

Specifications (S-38-A)

General Characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 10 passengers
• Length: 40 ft 3 in (12.27 m)
• Wingspan: 71 ft 8 in (21.85 m)
• Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
• Wing area: 720 ft² (68.6 m²)
• Empty: 6,000 lb (2,727 kg)
• Loaded: 10,480 lb (4,764 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp, 400 hp (298 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 mph (192 km/h)
• Range: 750 miles (1,200 km)
• Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,878 m)
• Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (229 m/min)
• Wing loading: 14.5 lb/ft² (69 kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

• Keystone-Loening K-84 "Commuter"
• Keystone-Loening K-85 "Air Yacht"
• Sikorsky S-39 - Single engine version
• Grumman G-44 "Widgeon"
• Grumman G-21 "Goose"
• Piaggio Aero P-136 Royal Gull

Designation sequence (Sikorsky): S-34 - S-35 - S-36 - S-38 - S-39 - S-40 - S-41

Designation sequence (USAAC): C-3 - C-4 - C-5 - C-6 - C-7 - C-8 - C-9

Designation sequence (USN): XPS - XP2S