[WWII] Sikorsky S-40

[Phaelen Bleux]

Sikorsky S-40 Clipper
In the early 1930s, Pan Am Airlines contracted with Vought-Sikorsky to construct three new flying boats for its expanding commercial business. A larger passenger capacity was needed than the S-38, which could only carry eight passengers. Three S-40s were built, and were named the Caribbean Clipper, American Clipper, and Southern Clipper. Beginning in November 1931, they flew routes from Miami to Panama, Cuba, Jamaica and Columbia. With the imminent onset of WWII, they were turned over to the U.S. Navy in 1940 and used as training aircraft. By 1943, all three planes had begun to show their age and replacement parts were scarce. Ultimately, all three planes were scrapped, having been replaced in commercial service by the more modern S-42.
Any well-too-do Cliffhanger might easily find himself on one of these planes if he was traveling around the Gulf of Mexico in the mid to late 1930s.
The S-40 burns 85.8 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage. A full load of fuel costs $18. Historical range was 875 miles.

Subassemblies: Heavy Bomber chassis +5; Huge STOL Bomber wings +5; two Medium AFV wing pontoons +2, four Medium Weapon engine pods +1, 3 fixed wheels +2 (only used when pulled from the water for maintenance). All waterproofed.
Powertrain: Four 429-kW aerial HP gasoline engines with four 429-kW props and 90-gallon fuel tank [Wings].
Occ.: 4 CS, 40 PS Body
Cargo: 10 Body

Armor
Body: 2/3, 3/5U
Wings: 2/3
Wheels: 2/3
Pontoons: 1/1, 3/5U
Engine Pod: 1/1

Equipment:
Body: Medium radio transmitter and receiver, navigation instruments, backup driver, autopilot.

Statistics:
Size: 77'x114'x24' Payload: 4.63 tons Lwt.: 17.0 tons
Volume: 1840 Maint.: 23 hours Cost: $78,505

HT: 11. HPs: 1100 Body, 1012 each Wing, (100 each Wheel), 75 each Engine Pod, 200 each Pontoon.

aSpeed: 135 aAccel: 1 aDecel: 43 aMR: 11 aSR: 3
Stall Speed: 48 mph.
wSpeed: 14 wAccel: 1 wDecel: 5 (5.5) wMR: 0.05 wSR: 3
Flotation Rating: 37.8 tons. Draft: 2.2'.

Design Notes:
Historical wing area was 1,875 sf. The weight, cost and HP of the wing were reduced by 25% to lighten the design; design loaded weight was decreased 2% to the historical. Performance calculations were based on historical values for wing area and loaded weight. The aircraft requires a 15 mph headwind for water-based take-offs. Design aSpeed was 92; the historical value is shown.
The Medium Weapon Pods are 0.2 VSPs too small for the engines; this was hand-waved. Fuel tankage was not available; however the above amount fits nicely with both available payload and historical range.

Variants:
In 1941, the Southern Clipper was converted into a cargo plane capable of transporting a 5,000-lb. payload.

[tratclif]

Very nice! Thanks for this.