World’s Only Flying S-38 Prepares for Atlantic Crossing

August 16, 2010—If you ever watched “The Aviator,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a young Howard Hughes, you’ve seen it. Or if you were at this year’s AirVenture Oshkosh you probably saw it. But now people around the world will get a chance to see it in person, when on August 21, the Sikorsky S-38 reproduction known as “Osa’s Ark” or “The Flying Zebra” will take off from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to cross the Atlantic. It is the only flying S-38 aircraft in the world. The amphibious S-38 will fly over Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, England and Germany before ending its adventure in Berlin. While the plane will be making many stops of its trip in various countries, the team is also seeking permission to land on the Thames River in London. The S-38 will be flown by owner Thomas Schrade, who also was pilot for its scenes in “The Aviator,” the 2004 movie that chronicled the early years of tycoon and aviator Howard Hughes. The flight will raise money for The Wings of Hope, an organization that provides support for other humanitarian organizations worldwide through the coordination of air transport for rescue workers, supplies, and patients. The event is being coordinated in the United Kingdom by Aviation Without Borders, as well as its sister organization in Germany, Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen - Wings of Help. The S-38 first flew in 1928 and 110 were eventually built, although none of the original aircraft survive. Schrade’s aircraft was constructed using the upper wings and tail booms recovered from scrapped examples, and other parts manufactured according to plans obtained from Sikorsky Aircraft. It took more than 40,000 hours to complete. The S38’s Zebra paint scheme commemorates American adventurers and photographers Martin and Osa Johnson, who attempted to circumnavigate the world in an S-38 in the 1930s, according to key.aero. For more information on the flight, or to help sponsor a leg of the 5,000-mile journey, contact Aeropodium.

Thomas Schrade’s S-38 is painted like a zebra to commemorate American adventurers and photographers Martin and Osa Johnson, who attempted to circumnavigate the world in a S-38 in the 1930s. Photo credit: Aeropodium The only flying Sikorsky S-38 will fly from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Berlin, Germany, beginning later in August. Graphic credit: Aeropodium

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