- quality handcrafted wooden model civilian aircraft -
- quality handcrafted
wooden model civilian aircraft -
Sikorsky VS-44, Avalon Air Transport
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Standard/Custom model: length 12.5" wingspan 18"
Photography by Action Asia Photo |
The VS-44 aircraft was built by Sikorsky. The model shown (with tail #N41881) was a "Golden Age Flying Boat" that serviced the cross-Atlantic route from 1942 to 1946. She had the name of "Excambian" and was also called "Queen of the Sky". The prototype for the VS-44 first flew on August 13th, 1937. American Export Airlines ordered three aircraft (called Excalibur, Excambian and Exeter) at a total cost of $2.1 million for a planned transatlantic route to the UK and France. Although there were delays in obtaining approval, in early 1942 the US Navy gave American Export Airlines a contract to operate a wartime route across the Atlantic. On May 26th, Excalibur made the maiden nonstop flight from New York to Foynes in Ireland and on June 20th regular round trip service began. The Flying Aces - as the 3 aircraft were collectively called - proved to be the world's longest range airliners and set record after record. They were the only aircraft capable of flying nonstop across the North and South Atlantic at full payload. American Export Airlines advertising boasted minimum vibration, maximum sound-proofing, individual sofas, full length beds, roomy dressing rooms, full galley for serving hot meals, snack bar service, attractive lounge and smoking room, proper heating and ventilation, and room to spare per passenger. No other contemporary aircraft had these luxuries. After the war Excambian was used by various commercial operators. In 1950, a group from Baltimore rebuilt Excambian to carry freight to Amazon River natives. Their plan failed - which left Excambian stranded in Ancon Harbor near Lima, Peru. However, a savior was in the wings. Avalon Air Transport began operations between Long Beach and Catalina Island in 1953 using a Catalina Goose at first. Then, in 1957, Avalon Air Transport ferried Excambian back to California where she took over the Goose's route. Avalon Air made the crossing 8,172 times (counting all planes) and carried an estimated 211,246 passengers on those flights. In 1968 Antilles Air Boats acquired Excambian to ferry passengers among the Virgin Islands. Later in 1968 she was extensively damaged and retired from service. In 1976 Antilles President Charles Blair and his wife, Maureen O'Hara, donated the aircraft to the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida. The Naval Aviation Museum eventually put her on permanent loan to the New England Air Museum. Excambian has been fully restored and is now in the New England Air Museum reminding visitors of the past glorious days when the first flying boats shuttled passengers across the Atlantic in luxurious style. She is the only example of a Golden Age Flying Boat remaining today. Length:
79 ft
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