The Sikorsky S-40 was an amphibious flying boat built in the early 1930s, and the largest commercial airliner of its time. Flying for Pan American Airways, a total of three aircraft were built, manufactured by the Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division of the United Aircraft Corporation in Stratford, Connecticut. All three were scrapped during World War II. The aircraft first flew on November 19, 1931 and was piloted by Charles Lindbergh from Miami, Florida to the Panama Canal Zone. The S-40 was the first of many aircraft known as Flying Clipper and Pan Am Clipper.

The S-40 was nicknamed the "Flying Forest" for its maze of support struts.

Specifications (S-40)

General Characteristics

• Crew: four
• Capacity: 40 passengers
• Length: 76 ft 8 in (23.37 m)
• Wingspan: 114 ft 0 in (34.76 m)
• Height: 23 ft 10 in (7.27 m)
• Wing area: 1,875 ft² (174.3 m²)
• Empty: 24,748 lb (11,249 kg)
• Loaded: 34,000 lb (15,455 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 4x Pratt & Whitney R-1690 radial engines, 575 hp (429 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 135 mph (217 km/h)
• Range: 875 miles (1,408 km)
• Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (3,963 m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Wing loading: 18 lb/ft² (89 kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: 0.07 hp/lb (0.11 kW/kg)

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: S-36 - S-38 - S-39 - S-40 - S-41 - S-42 - S-43