Vought OS2U Kingfisher survivors

bilwor · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:53 pm

How many Vought OS2U "Kingfishers" are still aroung? Are any flyable?
bill word

Elroy13 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:08 pm

As far as I know,...there arent any flyable Kingfishers. I think there is one at the Garber facility and one at Pensacola and another one down in a museum in Chile...

(edit)...And one on the USS North Carolina

Jeff Funk · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:16 pm

The Garber bird is probably at Udvar Hazy now. I took pictures of one there a few months after the Museum opened up.

Richard W. · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:27 pm

Udvar-Hazy Kingfisher-

Not a great shot, I'm afraid. I didn't do so well with the lighting there.

Jiggersfromsphilly · **Joined:** Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm **Posts:** 951

Aren't there ones on the Battleships Alabama BB60 and North Carolina BB55?

k5083 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:13 pm

Yes, although the one on Alabama is no longer on board the ship.

I think the print editions of Coggan's Warbird Index/Directory have the definitive answer to this question.

Richard, dude -- Photoshop can take care of those lighting issues!

August

gregv · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:33 pm

aren't there at least a few being restored in Australia?

I seem to recall some pics floating around a while back.

cheers

greg v.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:27 pm

I know of one in the restoration shop of Yesterday's Air Force out in Chino, along with a Helldiver. They used to sit sid by side.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:29 pm

There is also one in Bob Pond's collection of aircraft. It is on loan from the Air and Space Museum as well as an SBD. Both are fully restored. So the Air and Space Museum actually as two, one in their museum, and one in Plam Springs.

Richard W. · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:57 pm

k5083 wrote:

...Richard, dude -- Photoshop can take care of those lighting issues!

August

That looks much better. Thanks

dors · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:59 pm

I remember seeing a picture of one in a museum in Cuba. I believe it was an article in air classics (early 90's?)

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:32 pm

great post!!!

my favorite waterbird!! the most famous os2u is nicknamed the "bug". it rescued ww 1 ace eddie rickenbacker who was on a fact finding mission with a b-17 crew that ditched in the pacific early in ww 2, they were floating near 3 weeks in a raft in the ultimate survival situation. when the kingfisher crew found them, they taxied the bird with the survivors on the wings in rough seas to a navy ship some distance away. after the rescue, the kingfisher was so beat up by then that the navy ship shot her up till it sunk. rickenbacker received accolades for his heroics, but harsh commentary about his crappy attitude toward the b-17 crew.

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:25 pm

NASM has 1 Kingfisher, the one on display in DC and the one in Palm Springs are the same plane. It was on loan to Palm Springs

k5083 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:42 pm

So according to WD 3d ed. (last one I have) we've pretty much covered it:

3073 on USS N. Carolina
5909 NASM
5926 Pensacola
???? with USS Alabama

Individual examples displayed in Chile, Australia, Cuba.

And three or four hulks here and there.

August

Bill Kistler · **Posted:** Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:52 pm

A few more shots of the NASM bird,

Bill

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Vought OS2U Kingfisher survivors

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