By: Anna Benko
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Sikorsky JRS-1 displayed in the Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Chantilly, VA. "Sikorsky JRS-1, NASM (1)" by flicker user Ian Abbott, under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Licence. Source.
At first glance, the Sikorsky JRS-1 weathering blue-grey exterior may look like
nothing special. However, the JRS-1 is anything but, as it's the only aircraft in the
collection that was stationed at Pearl Harbour on the morning of the December 7, 1941, attacks.1 In the days following the attacks, the Sikorsky JRS-1 took to the air patrolling for Japanese submarines and enemy fleets.2 The historical significance of such an aircraft is undeniable. Still, the question of how to preserve, protect, and tell the story of such an incredible artifact is more complex, as restoration and conservation interventions inherently destroy parts of history.
Read about the difference between restoration and conservation here.
First-Hand Account
Veteran Wesley H. Ruth, discusses his experience as an Ensign Duty Officer ordered to fly the unarmed JRS-1 on display at the National Air and Space Museum on reconnaissance flights following the Dec. 7, 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbour. Source.
Sikorsky JRS-1 Background
Often referred to as a 'flying boat" because it could take off and land from land and water, the JRS-1 was used for non-combatant utility purposes, including aerial photography and mail delivery by the US Navy.3
US Navy Sikorsky JRS-1 on land and water in silver livery. Left: "Sikorsky JRS 1 " by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Source. Right: "US Navy JRS-1 of Utility Squadron One (VJ-1)" by National Museum of Naval Aviation. Source.
At the time of the surprise attack, the JRS-1 sported a paint job consisting of a silver body, a black undercarriage, a green tail, and a diamond-shaped squadron logo showing a flying pelican holding a mail bag and photographer.4
This specific paint job's purpose was to communicate the aircraft's squadron and tasks to other aircraft and navy personnel. The bright colors were also helpful for search and rescue to spot if the plane was forced down.5 In the days following the attack, JRS-1 was painted blue by the ground crew, as a form of camouflage for its new role as a patrol plane.6
Detail of the flying pelican squadron logo showing through the weathered layer of blue paint on JRS-1. "How a flying pickup truck survived Pearl Harbor" by The National Air and Space Museum. Source.
Graphic created by Anna Benko with information compiled from The National Air and Space Museum “Sikorsky JRS-1 Catalogue Entry".
Conservation Decisions
When the Sikorsky JRS-1 came to the museum, the conservation staff had many challenging decisions to make. Should the JRS-1 be restored to look as it did at the moment of the attack? If so, that would destroy the historical elements of the JRS-1 story that occurred after the attack. Should they instead leave it how it is? But, exposure to the elements had caused rapid deterioration, which would continue without intervention.7
The team ended up compromising. To do this, they identified what aspects of the structure contained the heritage value and prioritized their conservation.8 Thus, the old paint layers and topical damages to the exterior were left untouched to show the layered history of the JRS-1, and conservation techniques were used to stabilize the main structure.
Read more about conservation techniques here.
Right: Sikorsky JRS-1 during stages of conservation by The National Air and Space Museum. Source.
The Larger Critical Issue
Surprisingly, using minimal intervention and balancing the loss of historical meaning, as was done with the JRS-1, isn't common in aircraft conservation.9 It has become almost standard practice in aviation circles that as long as an aircraft is of a correct model, it will be stripped of its individual identity and rebuilt in the image of a more favorable or marketable one. 10 This is commonly seen with military aircraft and developed out of the 1950s and 60s fad of hobbyist collecting and flying vintage aircraft and the surge of interest in Hollywood's blockbuster war films depicting these planes.11 People wanted to see airplanes looking shiny and new!
The Blue Max (1966) Movie Poster
Further Reading
Canada’s Historic Places. “The Conservation Decision-Making Process,” in Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, 3-14. The Government of Canada, 2010.
Gillespie, Ric. “Historic Aircraft and Spacecraft: Enfants Terribles,” in A Companion to Cultural Resource Management, edited by Thomas F. King, 263-271. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2011.
National Air and Space Museum. “How a Flying Pickup Truck Survived Pearl Harbor,” Smithsonian, Oct. 13, 2017. https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/jrs-1-pearl-harbor.
National Air and Space Museum. “Sikorsky JRS-1 Catalogue Entry,” Smithsonian, accessed Oct. 19, 2022. https://www.si.edu/object/sikorsky-jrs-1:nasm_A19610112000.
Vinas, Salvador Muno. “On Minimal Interventions,” in On the Ethics of Cultural Heritage Conservation, 53-61. London, UK: Archetype, 2020.
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