World War II Database

Contributor: David Stubblebine

ww2dbaseThe Chance-Vought OS2U Kingfisher was an American catapult-launched observation floatplane. It was a compact mid-wing monoplane, with a big central float and small stabilizing floats. Performance was modest, because of its light engine. The OS2U could also operate on fixed, wheeled, tail-dragger landing gear.

ww2dbaseThe 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, and with the US Coast Guard, the Royal Navy and the Soviet Navy. The Royal Australian Air Force also operated a few Kingfishers from shore bases.

ww2dbaseThe 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 March 1, 1938.

ww2dbaseFloatplanes on battleships and cruisers were used during bombardments to radio range and bearing data back to their ships. OS2U's from these capital ships also found their usefulness as rescue aircraft - Kingfishers from USS North Carolina (BB-55) and USS Massachusetts (BB-59) landed in Truk lagoon 1-May-1944 to rescue downed airmen. Lieutenant (jg) John Burns gave the Kingfisher near celebrity-status on this date when he and radioman Aubrey J. Gill landed their Kingfisher under fire. After picking up 7 airmen (including another OS2U crew), Burns' plane was too heavy fly and nearly too unstable to float. After a 5 hour wait, Burns taxied to submarine USS Tang (SS-306) where all 9 were rescued. Tang then sunk the plane with machine gun fire.

OS2U Kingfisher Timeline

SPECIFICATIONS

OS2U-3

Machinery	One Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-2 radial engine rated at 450hp
Armament	2x7.62mm M1919 Browning machine guns, 295kg of bombs
Crew	2
Span	10.95 m
Length	10.31 m
Height	4.61 m
Wing Area	24.00 m²
Weight, Empty	1,870 kg
Weight, Maximum	2,721 kg
Speed, Maximum	264 km/h
Service Ceiling	3,960 m
Range, Normal	1,296 km

Photographs