Vought OS2U-3 "Kingfisher"

[Robbie Stuart]

Back home in Atlanta now, thought I would give ya one more from my "Feet Wet" stuff from when we were at the beach
USFG PHOTO
DESCRIPTION; Vought OS2U-3 "Kingfisher" is recovered by the USS Baltimore (CA-68) after she had rescued Lieutenant George M. Blair from Truk Lagoon, 18 February 1944. Plane's pilot is Lieutenant Denver F. Baxter. His radioman, ARMC Reuben F. Hickman, is on the wing, preparing to attach the plane so it can be hoisted on board. Blair's F6F "Hellcat", of Fighting Squadron Nine from en:USS Essex (CV-9), had been shot down during the dawn fighter sweep over Truk.
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[John Dupre]

Love the Kingfisher. I think it would be the ideal warbird for me. Economical to operate, simple to fly, unique with an interesting combat history. I know there is an intact ex museum example in Australia being restored and saw photos years ago of a distressed example in CA that was supposed to be restored to fly. Any news on either example.

[Warbird Kid]

Yeah, I'm quite anxious on info regarding Kingfishers too. Especially ones being readied for flight.

Another aircraft i wish someone would start building again. That would be the Kit plane of the century!

[jdvoss]

Yes, a neat airplane indeed. I'm surprised that they wern't more attractive to the surplus market in the years following WWII. One of my warbird crash site sources tells me that there is one laying at the bottom of Clear Lake in California. It seems pausible as Clear Lake was an alternate seaplane facility for NAS Alameda.

[Tom Moungovan]

I believe you have a start of one at the Vilu Museum near Cape Esperance on Guadalcanal...I saw the float of one there in Sept. '07 along with a lot of other wrecks and parts of other aircraft.

[wendovertom]

Are there any flying or near flying anywhere in the world?

Tom P.

[Pat Carry]

Are there any flying or near flying anywhere in the world?

Tom P.

Not only flying but also where are all the survivors?

[Holedigger]

Listed survivors as I have found (edited x2)
National Museum of Naval Aviation (moved from Palm Springs Air Museum)
National Air and Space Museum

Yanks Air Museum/Chino
Gerry Yagen at Wangaratta, formerly at Whale World, Albany, Western Australia
Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio de Chile. Santiago, Chile
Museo de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba
USS Alabama in Mobile, AL
USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC

(edited) Sad, makes the list one airframe shorter

The problem with lists, they are almost always obsolete and wrong by the time they are posted!

Last edited by Holedigger on Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Listed survivors as I have found
National Museum of Naval Aviation
National Air and Space Museum
Palm Springs Air Museum
Yanks Air Museum/Chino
Whale World, Albany, Western Australia
Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio de Chile. Santiago, Chile
Museo de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba
USS Alabama in Mobile, AL
USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC

Just a simple correction.
I believe the Palm Spring OS2U was on loan from NASM and is in fact, the same aircraft. It's at Hazy now.
Jerry

[rcaf_100]

Just a simple correction.
I believe the Palm Spring OS2U was on loan from NASM and is in fact, the same aircraft. It's at Hazy now.
Jerry

Unfortunately yes.
OS2U-3 BuNo 5909 at Palm Springs in 2002: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Na ... er/1162312
And at Udvar-Hazy in 2006: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Na ... 1162312/L/

[airnutz]

Another correction...the Whale World Kingfisher, I believe, moved on to Gerry Yagen and is
the one at Wangaratta. Former RAAF A48-2, pics here..
http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Kingfisher