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In December 1939, American Export Airlines
hoped to regain the Pam Am Clipper routes. The company contracted with
Sikorsky for the design and engineering of a commercial version of the
XPBS-1 flying boat. Three aircrafts were produced as Excalibur, Excambian,
and Exeter. The first VS-44 made its first flight in January 1942. It was
faster and longer full-payload range that Boeing 314. After ithe VS-44
went into operation, it made several new world records. Due to the
intervention World War II, three VS-44 were requisitioned for military
service with Navy designation JR2S-1, continued flying between
New York and Ireland,
carrying passengers, freight and materiel. After the war, the two
remaining VS-44s continued to fly until the Exeter cashed in 1946 and the
Exambian damaged in 1969.
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