Sikorsky S-31

Sikorsky S-31
Sikorsky S-31
General information
Type	Civil utility sesquiplane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Manufacturing Corporation
Number built	1
History
First flight	September 1925

Last updated November 09, 2025

The Sikorsky S-31 was a 1920s American sesquiplane designed and built by the Sikorsky Manufacturing Corporation and configured for aerial photography.^[1]

Design and development

The S-31 was a sesquiplane built for photographic work by the Fairchild Flying Corporation. It had two open cockpits and a cabin for the photographic equipment.^[1] The S-31 was powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Wright Whirlwind J-4 engine and first flew in September 1925.^[1] Following participation in the New York Air Races in October 1925 it was shipped to Brazil to be used by Fairchild for aerial photographic work. At some point the S-31 had twin Lewis machine guns ring-mounted on the rear cockpit.^[1]

Specifications

Data from^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
Wingspan: 45 ft 0 in (13.72 m) ^[2]
Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
Wing area: 260 sq ft (24.15 m²) ^[2]
Empty weight: 1,700 lb (771 kg)
Gross weight: 2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright Whirlwind J-4 , 200 hp (149 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 35 mph (56.3 km/h, 30 kn)
Endurance: 6 hours 0 minutes
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,572 m)

References

1 2 3 4 5 Best, Martin (1990). "Sikorsky American Fixed-Wing Aircraft - Part 1 S-29A to S-35". Archive. 2002 (4). Air-Britain: 127–133. ISSN 0262-4923.
1 2 Upper wing

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[ab-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Best, Martin (1990). "Sikorsky American Fixed-Wing Aircraft - Part 1 S-29A to S-35". Archive. 2002 (4). Air-Britain: 127–133. ISSN 0262-4923.

[Upper_wing-2] 1 2 Upper wing

[1]

[2]

v t e 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-22/23/24/25/26/27 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 P2S RS XBLR-3 XPBS XSS XV-2
Helicopters (company designations)	VS-300 (S-46) S-47 S-48 S-49 S-50 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 S-95 S-97 S-100 S-102 S-103 S-300 S-333 S-434
Helicopters (military designations)	SH-3 Sea King HH-3E/F R-4 H-5 H-6 H-18 H-19 Chickasaw H-34 Choctaw CH-37 Mojave XH-39 HH-52A Seaguard CH-53 Sea Stallion CH-53E Super Stallion CH-53K King Stallion MH-53 CH-54 Tarhe UH-60 Black Hawk HH-60G Pave Hawk HH-60J/MH-60T MH-60R/S Seahawk SH-60B/F Seahawk H-60J/K VH-60 RAH-66 Comanche VH-92 Patriot CH-124 Sea King CH-148 Cyclone HLH
Experimental aircraft	Cypher/Cypher II Firefly Raider Raider X SB-1 X2 XBLR-3 XV-2

Sikorsky S-31

Contents

Design and development

Specifications

References