Sikorsky S-39 – Foto e Video

Le Sikorsky S-39 era un aereo anfibio leggero americano prodotto dalla Sikorsky Aircraft durante i primi anni 1930. L'S-39 era una versione più piccola e monomotore dell'S-38.

fonte: Sikorsky S-39 su Wikipedia

Le Sikorsky S-39 was a light amphibious aircraft developed by Sikorsky Aircraft in the early 1930s. It was a smaller, single-engine version of the S-38, with a capacity of four or five passengers and a payload of about 1,200 pounds. The S-39 was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engine that produced 300 horsepower. The S-39 had a cruising speed of 120 mph, a maximum speed of 125 mph, a range of 400 miles and a service ceiling of 15,800 feet.
The S-39 was used for various purposes, such as exploration, transport, military liaison and coastal patrol. One of the most famous users of the S-39 was the filmmaker couple Martin and Osa Johnson, who flew a giraffe-patterned S-39 named Spirit of Africa across Africa to make safari movies and books. Another notable user was Edward A. Deeds, who had a yacht named Lotosland that could accommodate an S-39 for his travels. The United States Army Air Corps also acquired one S-39 in 1932 and designated it as Y1C-28, later C-28. It was evaluated for coastal patrol and light transport roles, and later assigned as a liaison aircraft to the United States Military Academy.
Solo 21 S-39 furono costruiti tra il 1929 e il 1932, e solo tre di loro sopravvivono oggi. Uno è in mostra al New England Air Museum nel Connecticut, uno è in grado di volare al Fantasy of Flight in Florida e uno è in fase di restauro in California.