 | | Vought OS2U Kingfisher
1. Vought Sikorsky OS2U-3 (Kingfisher) flown Lt J.G. John A. Burns who rescued nine downed pilots from Truk Lagoon in April 1944.
2. OS2U-3 Unit: Northern Fleet, No. 1 Two Kingfisher were served in Soviet Union. In Spring 1944 USSR temporary got ex-Italian light cruiser Milwaukee. It delivered on 24th August 1944 to Northern Fleet and renamed Murmansk. Onboard it carried 2 OS2U-3 Kingfisher, they still wore American White/Grey painting and re-coded '1' and used as trainers and liaisons.
3. OS2U-3,Unit: Fuerza Aerea de Chile No. 308,View of the OS2U-3 Kingfisher showing the Nr. 308, first FACH plane flew over the national Antarctic territory in 1947. Note: Chilean Kingfishers wore telescopic sights only for a brief time after its arrival to Chile.
4. Kingfisher Mk.I, Unit: 765 NAS, FAA ,No. Fn678 Sandbanks, England,1943. Seaplane pilot training unit.
5. OS2U-3 Unit: 107 Sqn, RAAF,Serial: JE-T, A48-18 (BuNo.5983) The RAAF Kingfisher in lightened and bare metal markings of 107 Squadron. The Light Grey codes were later all changed to Black.
6. OS2U-3 part: the RAAF Antarctic Flight number: A48-13 (BuNo. 5977) in 1947, the aircraft in the Antarctic wing Australian air force, was operated by the Australian Antarctic expedition and was used for reconnaissance flights around the Australian Antarctic base.
7. U.S. Navy NAVAL air base 100: Corpus Christi, Texas, 1942.
8. OS2U-2 Part: VS-5D4. US Navy: 5D4-S-3 (BuNo. 2190) NAVAL Base, Cape May New Jersey, 1942.
9. OS2U-2: PW-2, U.S. Navy BuNo. number: 2216 seaplane tender AV-8 USS Tangier, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1941.
10. Voughi OS2U-2 of VS-2D1 (First Naval District - Inshore Patrol Squadron), NAS Quonset Point R.I.. soring 1941. Overall Aluminium Varnish with upper wing surfaces in Orange-Yellow. Cowl, Fusalago and pontoon stripes are insignia Red.
11. Vought O2SU-1 of VO-1 on the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), October 1940. Overall Aluminum varnish, Orange-Yellow upper
wing surfaces. True Blue cowling and fuselage stripes, and Insignia Red tail surfaces. More |
Aircraft decals (military) |
Catalogue | £15.99 | |
 | | Vought OS2U Kingfisher by Adrian M Balch
As the mighty battlewagon ploughed through the waters of the Pacific few would have noticed the little aircraft perched on the ships stern. To many it was 'old, slow and ugly' while to others it was veritable life saver. The name of this unsung hero: the Vought OS2U Kingfisher. Designed initially for gunnery spotting duties the Kingfisher was lightly armed defensively although once America entered the war it soon found itself toting depth charges. Manned by a crew of two that consisted of a pilot and the guy in back who did everything else the little spotter aircraft soon earned itself a solid reputation. It was the rescue mission at Truk that made the aircraft famous. After a heavy raid upon Truk the crew spotted their
own airmen struggling in the water. Setting down the little Kingfisher soon found itself festooned in rescued aircrew. The little engine managed to drag the overweight machine to a meeting with a submarine where all were rescued, the slowly sinking aircraft being sunk. The rescue efforts of the Pacific Kingfishers plus those of the Martin Mariner (also in this series) formed the basis of the air sea rescue concept in use today. Outside of the U.S. Navy the OS2U was flown by the USCG,USMC, the Fleet Air Arm, various Latin
American countries, the RAAF who took it to the Antarctic plus the Russian Navy. Fortunately a handful survive in preservation in Australia and the United States. More |
Aircraft books |
Catalogue | £14.50 | |