Path: news.nzbot.com!not-for-mail
From: Miloch <Miloch_member@newsguy.com>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Subject: Vought OS2U Kingfisher
Date: 28 Feb 2017 07:48:37 -0800
Organization: NewsGuy - Unlimited Usenet $23.95
Lines: 119
Message-ID: <o9464l03da@drn.newsguy.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: p8511b70bfcd623ad5feb56be84327cea45ab3ed07e718e65.newsdawg.com
User-Agent: Direct Read News 5.60
X-Received-Bytes: 5429
X-Received-Body-CRC: 1164307395
Xref: news.nzbot.com alt.binaries.pictures.aviation:5526
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_OS2U_Kingfisher
The Vought OS2U Kingfisher was an American catapult-launched observation
floatplane. It was a compact mid-wing monoplane, with a large central float and
small stabilizing floats. Performance was modest, because of its light engine.
The OS2U could also operate on fixed, wheeled, taildragger landing gear.
The OS2U was the main shipboard observation aircraft used by the United States
Navy during World War II, and 1,519 of the aircraft were built. It served on
battleships and cruisers of the US Navy, with the United States Marine Corps in
Marine Scouting Squadron Three (VMS-3), with the United States Coast Guard at
coastal air stations, at sea with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, and with
the Soviet Navy. The Royal Australian Air Force also operated a few Kingfishers
from shore bases.
The Naval Aircraft Factory OS2N was the designation of the OS2U-3 aircraft built
by the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The OS2U first flew
on 1 March 1938.
In the late 1930s, Vought engineer Rex B. Beisel was tasked with designing an
observation monoplane aircraft for the U.S. Navy suitable for a multitude of
tasks including directing battleship fire. In replacing the standard biplane
observation aircraft with a more modern monoplane design, Beisel incorporated
innovations becoming the first production type to be assembled with spot
welding, a process Vought and the Naval Aircraft Factory jointly developed to
create a smooth fuselage that resisted buckling and generated less drag. Beisel
also introduced high-lift devices, spoilers and in a unique arrangement,
deflector plate flaps and drooping ailerons located on the trailing edge of the
wing were deployed to increase the camber of the wing and thus create additional
lift.
For combat missions, the pilot had a .30-caliber Browning M1919 machine gun, the
receiver mounted low in the right front cockpit, firing between the engine
cylinder heads, while the radio operator/gunner manned another .30-caliber
machine gun (or a pair) on a flexible Scarff ring mount. The aircraft could also
carry two 100 lb bombs or two 325 lb depth charges. Additionally, the
"Kingfisher", as it was designated, served as a trainer in both its seaplane and
landplane configurations.
Whitney R-985-4 Wasp Junior radial engine.
Role
Observation floatplane
Manufacturer
Vought
First flight
1938
Retired
1959 (Cuba)
Primary users
United States Navy
Royal Navy
Royal Australian Air Force
Soviet Navy
Number built
1,519
The Kingfisher was widely used as a shipboard, catapult-launched scout plane on
U.S. Navy battleships, heavy cruisers and light cruisers during World War II, as
well as playing a major role in support of shore bombardments and air-sea
rescue. Two examples showing the plane's rescue capabilities include the
recovery of World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker and his crew from the Pacific in
November 1942 and Lieutenant John A. Burns' unique use of the aircraft in April
1944 to taxi airmen rescued from Truk Lagoon to the submarine Tang, which was
serving rescue duty near the atoll on that date. In all, LT Burns rescued 10
survivors on two trips and was awarded the Navy Cross for his efforts.
Australia received 18 Kingfishers from a batch of aircraft ordered by the Dutch
East Indies that was diverted to Australia in 1942. They were initially used as
training aircraft for pilots destined for flying boats, but in 1943, they were
used to equip No. 107 Squadron RAAF, which carried out convoy escort duties
until disbanded in October 1945. One Kingfisher was used in support of the
Throughout its U.S. Navy service, the OS2U and even its predecessor, the Curtiss
SOC Seagull served much longer than planned, as the planned successor, the
Curtiss SO3C Seamew, suffered from an insufficiently powerful engine which was a
complete failure. The OS2U was only slowly replaced in the latter stages of
World War II with the introduction of the Curtiss SC Seahawk, the first examples
reaching the U.S. Navy in October 1944.
Specifications (OS2U-3)
General characteristics
Crew: Two, pilot and observer
Length: 33 ft 10 in (10.31 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 11 in (10.95 m)
Height: 15 ft 1.5 in (4.61 m)
Empty weight: 4,123 lb (1,870 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,000 lb (2,721 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 164 mph (264 km/h)
Range: 805 mi (1,296 km)
Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (3,960 m)
Armament
for observer )
Bombs: 650 lb (295 kg) of bombs
*
|
|