Sikorsky S-43 Baby Clipper

The Sikorsky S-43 and its military cousin, the JRS-1 were designed in the late 1930s as airliners and military personnel transports. Fifty-three were built between 1937 and 1941 for civilian customers and the U.S. Navy. A total of three S-43/JRS-1s survive today. Sometimes called the "Baby Clipper" S-43s served with Pan American Airlines and other airlines on shorter routes for which the larger flying boats were not needed. The Navy purchased seventeen of these aircraft with two of them going to the Marine Corps. Although this particular aircraft is actually an S-43, it has been painted in the U. S. Marine Corps markings of VMJ-2 out of deference to its owner: the U. S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum in Quantico, VA. The aircraft it represents was actually destroyed by fire in January 1942.