igor sikorsky's ugly duckling
1928 - With new capital, Sikorsky purchased land in Stratford CT, on Long Island Sound, and "in close proximity to deep water, "which is important for our seaplane activities." 1929 - United Aircraft & Transportation Corporation acquired Sikorsky Aviation Corporation.. The Sikorsky plant was in Bridgeport (really Stratford, CT) on 36 acres between the airport and the Housatonic River.
Whether it was called a flying boat, a term coined by Glen Curtis - the father of naval aviation, or amphibian, a name invented by Igor Sikorsky himself, the inventor of the first 4-engine airliner, or even the business air taxi, as it was known by the rich stock brokers of Wall Street, who routinely summoned it for their daily commutes to the Big Apple from the venerable Hamptons - the Sikorsky S-39 was in small part a large step that grew from childhood dreams and visions that became reality for both its creator and the world.
The original S-39 prototype aircraft resembled the existing S-38. Designated the X963M, it was outfitted with two Hermes in-line engines of 115hp each. After a few flights, the prototype crashed because of an engine failure. Considered woefully under-powered for its size, Mr. Sikorsky decided to switch to a more powerful and reliable single-engine version. The new and improved version was type certified July 22 of 1930. On its maiden test flight, pilot Boris Sergievsky looped the airplane. The S-39 was the culmination of advancing design concepts meeting the needs of the then growing population of sportsman aviators.
At a time when aviation was known to be a dangerous activity and rates for other insured aircraft were on the rise, Igor Sikorsky enjoyed the reputation of producing the safest aircraft flying.
**Fun Fact:
The first aircraft to be insured was a Sikorsky, as well as the first person to carry flight insurance was a passenger flying in a Sikorsky.**
NC-58V, along with her preceding sister ships, was manufactured by the Sikorsky plant during 1930-1931. During this time Mr. Sikorsky thought it best to produce a limited number of ships in a small run, so as not to be caught short with low sales. It was only three years into what would become the Great Depression of the 20th century, and wise businessmen and manufacturers hedged their bets. The first production run of S-39's was limited to 20 ships with a second run of 20 additional aircraft manufactured and set aside for assembly as orders came in for the planes. In 1930 the fully outfitted S-39 sold for a whopping $20,000.
By contrast, 20 Model A Ford automobiles could be had for the same price. Unfortunately, for the S-39 and fans of the type, sales demand never met original expectations. During the later part of 1932 the remaining parts for the additional 20 ships were used for S-40 production, and the rest were summarily scrapped. The first famed clipper ships of Pan American World Airways and the famed Lindbergh Line utilized salvaged material from Igor's S-39s aka his Ugly Ducklings.
The current hull of NC-58V, now registered as N920SK, represents the last S-39 produced by the Sikorsky Factory and the last Sikorsky flying boat in the world not owned by a museum.
The original S-39 prototype aircraft resembled the existing S-38. Designated the X963M, it was outfitted with two Hermes in-line engines of 115hp each. After a few flights, the prototype crashed because of an engine failure. Considered woefully under-powered for its size, Mr. Sikorsky decided to switch to a more powerful and reliable single-engine version. The new and improved version was type certified July 22 of 1930. On its maiden test flight, pilot Boris Sergievsky looped the airplane. The S-39 was the culmination of advancing design concepts meeting the needs of the then growing population of sportsman aviators.
At a time when aviation was known to be a dangerous activity and rates for other insured aircraft were on the rise, Igor Sikorsky enjoyed the reputation of producing the safest aircraft flying.
**Fun Fact:
The first aircraft to be insured was a Sikorsky, as well as the first person to carry flight insurance was a passenger flying in a Sikorsky.**
NC-58V, along with her preceding sister ships, was manufactured by the Sikorsky plant during 1930-1931. During this time Mr. Sikorsky thought it best to produce a limited number of ships in a small run, so as not to be caught short with low sales. It was only three years into what would become the Great Depression of the 20th century, and wise businessmen and manufacturers hedged their bets. The first production run of S-39's was limited to 20 ships with a second run of 20 additional aircraft manufactured and set aside for assembly as orders came in for the planes. In 1930 the fully outfitted S-39 sold for a whopping $20,000.
By contrast, 20 Model A Ford automobiles could be had for the same price. Unfortunately, for the S-39 and fans of the type, sales demand never met original expectations. During the later part of 1932 the remaining parts for the additional 20 ships were used for S-40 production, and the rest were summarily scrapped. The first famed clipper ships of Pan American World Airways and the famed Lindbergh Line utilized salvaged material from Igor's S-39s aka his Ugly Ducklings.
The current hull of NC-58V, now registered as N920SK, represents the last S-39 produced by the Sikorsky Factory and the last Sikorsky flying boat in the world not owned by a museum.
