Sikorsky S-36

Sikorsky S-36

Role	Eight-seat amphibian
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft
First flight	1927
Introduction	1927
Primary user	Pan American Airways
Number built	6
Developed from	Sikorsky S-34
Developed into	Sikorsky S-38

The Sikorsky S-36 was an eight-seat amphibian sesquiplane designed and built by the Sikorsky Manufacturing Company in the late 1920s. The aircraft was ordered by Pan American Airways, the start of a long association with Sikorsky flying boats.^[1]

Development

The S-36 was a modified and larger version of the earlier S-34 and was designed as a commercial aircraft for six passengers or freight. It was an amphibian sesquiplane with a boat hull fuselage and retractable landing gear. It was powered by two Wright Whirlwind J-5 engines and had a crew of two and room for six passengers on two facing bench seats. Only six aircraft were built.

Operational history

One aircraft named Dawn was sold to Mrs Frances Grayson for an attempt to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. As a passenger in Dawn and after two false starts the aircraft departed for the Atlantic attempt on 23 December 1927 but was not seen again.^[1]

The United States Navy bought one aircraft, designated the XPS-1, for evaluation as a patrol aircraft, it was fitted with a gunner's position in the bow although it was used as a transport.^[1]

The fourth aircraft was delivered to Pan American Airways in December 1927.^[1]

Accidents and incidents

A wealthy divorcee, Mrs. Francis Grayson, Brice Herbert Goldsborough (navigator), Oskar Omdal, and Fred Koehler (passenger) set off to cross the Atlantic (a 3rd attempt) on Dec 23, 1927 in a Sikorsky S-36 named "The Dawn".^[2] Sea conditions were stormy and rough, but she was she was determined to be the first woman to fly the Atlantic. They passed Cape Cod at 8 AM, headed for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. The Sable Island wireless station picked up "Something's wrong here" with their call letters...30 miles distant. They did not reach a landing port. This caused the first ever air relief expedition, including 2 destroyers and the USS Los Angeles dirigible. A message in a bottle was found on Jan 29, 1929; it read "1928, we are freezing. Gas leaked out. We are drifting off Grand Banks. Grayson." Nothing more is known.^[3]

Variants

The XPS-1

S-36: Production aircraft, five built.
S-36B: Evaluation aircraft with Wright J-5 engines for the United States Navy as the XPS-1, one built.
XPS-1: One S-36B for evaluation by the United States Navy

Operators

United States

Specifications (S-36 production version)

Data from ^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Capacity: Six passengers
Length: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
Wingspan: 62 ft 0 in (18.9 m)
Height: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
Wing area: 585 ft² (54.35 m²)
Empty weight: 3950 lb (1792 kg)
Gross weight: 6000 lb (2722 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright Whirlwind radial engine, 200 hp (149 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h)
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4572 m)
Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.05 m/s)

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 Best 2003, page 31
↑ Sikorsky, Sergei (2007). The Sikorsky Legacy. Arcaida Publidhing. p. 47. ISBN 9780738549958.
↑ Goldsborough Families, Karin Martin, 2010, pp. 146-150
↑ Flight 1927, p. 739

Bibliography

Best, Martin (2003). "Sikorsky American Fixed-Wing Aircraft, Part 2: Sikorsky S-36 to S-38". Air-Britain Archive. 2003 (1): 31. ISSN 0262-4923.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
"The Sikorsky S.36.B Amphibian: An Interesting Flying-Boat of Unusual Design". Flight. XIX (42): 738–739. October 20, 1927. Retrieved October 11, 2012. A contemporary technical article on the S-36.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sikorsky S-36.

Sikorsky aircraft

Fixed-wing aircraft (company designations)	S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4 S-5 S-6 S-7 S-8 S-9 S-10 S-11 S-12 S-13 S-14 S-15 S-16 S-17 S-18 S-19 S-20 S-21 S-22 S-23 S-24 S-25 S-26 S-27 S-28 S-29-A S-30 S-31 S-32 S-33 S-34 S-35 S-36 S-37 S-38 S-39 S-40 S-41 S-42 S-43 VS-44 S-45

Fixed-wing aircraft (military designations)	C-6 C-28 JRS JR2S PS RS XBLR-3 XPBS XSS XV-2

Helicopters (company designations)	VS-300 (S-46) S-47 S-48 S-49 S-51 S-52 S-53 S-54 S-55 S-56 S-57 S-58 S-59 S-60 S-61 S-61L/N S-61R S-62 S-63 S-64 S-65 S-66 S-67 S-68 S-69 S-70 S-71 S-72 S-73 S-74 S-75 S-76 S-80 S-92/H-92 S-97 S-300 S-333 S-434

Helicopters (military designations)	SH-3 HH-3E/F R-4 H-5 H-6 H-18 H-19 H-34 CH-37 XH-39 HH-52A CH-53 CH-53E CH-53K CH-54 HH-60G HH-60J MH-60R/S SH-60B/F SH-60J/K UH-60 VH-60 RAH-66 CH-124 CH-148

Experimental aircraft	Cypher Cypher II Firefly X2 XBLR-3 XV-2

USN/USMC patrol aircraft designations 1923–1962

Patrol

Boeing	XPB PB P2B P3B

Douglas	PD P2D P3D

Grumman	PF

Hall	PH P2H

General Aviation	PJ

Keystone	PK

Martin	PM P2M P3M P4M P5M P6M P7M

Naval Aircraft Factory	PN P2N P3N¹ P4N

Lockheed	PO

Sikorsky	PS P2S

Lockheed	PV P2V P3V

Consolidated	PY P2Y P3Y P4Y-1 P4Y-2 P5Y P6Y

Patrol Bomber

Boeing	PBB PB2B

North American	PBJ

Martin	PBM PB2M

Naval Aircraft Factory	PBN

Lockheed	PBO

Sikorsky	PBS

Canadian Vickers	PBV

Consolidated	PBY PB2Y PB3Y PB4Y-1 PB4Y-2

Patrol Torpedo Bomber

Hall	PTBH

¹ Not assigned

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