A Forgotten Hero of The Pacific War | Vought-Sikorsky OS2U ‘Kingfisher’ [Historical Deep-Dive]

[@RexsHangar]

Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 65% OFF your subscription ▶ HERE: go.babbel.com/1200m65-youtube-rexshanger-june-2022/default F.A.Q Section Q: Do you take aircraft requests? A: I have a list of aircraft I plan to cover, but feel free to add to it with suggestions:) Q: Why do you use imperial measurements for some videos, and metric for others? A: I do this based on country of manufacture. Imperial measurements for Britain and the U.S, metric for the rest of the world, but I include text in my videos that convert it for both. Q: Will you include video footage in your videos, or just photos? A: Video footage is very expensive to licence, if I can find footage in the public domain I will try to use it, but a lot of it is hoarded by licencing studies (British Pathe, Periscope films etc). In the future I may be able to afford clips :) Q: Why do you sometimes feature images/screenshots from flight simulators? A: Sometimes there are not a lot of photos available for certain aircraft, so I substitute this with digital images that are as accurate as possible. Feel free to leave you questions below - I may not be able to answer all of them, but I will keep my eyes open :)

[@youdontneedtoknow6621]

Brilliant video man love it! Do you think you could do a video on the supermarine walrus you mentioned in the video. It looks very interesting to me

[@brendonbewersdorf986]

Could we the the German arado equivalent as well?

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Take the baby route to learn languages, speak it first, simple sentences, then expand to more with alphabet, reading and then the writing bit. Done anything much on inter-wars Italian aircraft?

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Another outstanding aircraft video,congrats......Thanks from ans old Navy flying Shoe🇺🇸

[@doankhang9496]

Can you do a video on the Fairey III seaplane

[@bradleybarnhart4188]

About forty years ago I was having a job interview and it was going poorly. On the man's desk was a Kingfisher model, I racked my brain to come up with the name, finally it came to me. I said "That is a nice looking Kingfisher." He looked at me and said "How the hell do you know what that is?" BTW, I got the job.

[@halo129830]

Sir it’s a navel classic.

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

That is really sharp of you

[@bradleybarnhart4188]

@@madhukarjonathanminj2772 Thank you, probably more desperation than anything else, I was about to become a dad and I needed a job!

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

@@bradleybarnhart4188 oops that seems like a tough situation ,was interviewer ex-military or just an aviation enthusiast?

[@bradleybarnhart4188]

@@madhukarjonathanminj2772 this was about 1980 and he had been a Navy pilot and flew Kingfishers. Unfortunately, he would not share details.

[@mathewkelly9968]

I love aircraft like this , nothing fancy , no amazing performance figures but does a vital unglamorous job .

[@bertiewooster3326]

Watch the film Murphy's War for great kingfisher flying

[@smythharris2635]

Murphy flew a Grumann Duck, did he not, check the movie stills.

[@bertiewooster3326]

@@smythharris2635 Duck Kingfisher Walrus Sunderland Catalina ...etc

[@Kadeo-ms6qw]

It’s a good looking aircraft too, for a float plane.

[@derrosen2769]

This thhing was made by the same man who invented the first helicopter ( Vought Sikorsky - 300

[@tomjustis7237]

For anyone interested in Lt. Burns rescue of the downed airman near Truk, do a search for "Silent Service; Tang vs Truk." It even contains actual video of his aircraft with all of the rescued men on the wings that was recorded by a Tang sailor who had a home movie camera! Well worth watching!

[@Zorglub1966]

Found it : kzbin.info/www/bejne/r57IoHxtf691o9E thanks for the tip!

[@nathanmeece9794]

As a footnote Lt. Burns was assigned to the USS North Carolina.

[@ericsonhazeltine5064]

It is actually film of the rescue, now placed on video. Video had yet to be invented

[@grahamepigney8565]

@@ericsonhazeltine5064 a video is the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images.but I don't think KZbin can stream cine film. Therefore it is a digital video copied from a cine film video recorded on a home movie camera. The word noun video pre-dates the digital age by several decades as does the noun audio.

[@garryferrington811]

That was a film rather than a video. Videotape was not available during the war, as it hadn't been invented.

[@johnstevens5114]

Thanks so much for this wonderful tribute. My Dad was a gunner on the Kingfisher attached to the USS Trenton CL-11 in the Aleutians. He still loved the old bird till his passing in 2020 at 94.

[@theonlylechuga]

may your dad rest in peace, kind sir.

[@williambinkley8879]

As a kid in the 70s, I went to see the USS Alabama. At the time she had two Kingfishers on the quarterdeck. They were very pretty airplanes.

[@kingleech16]

Neat!

[@darrenjohns5096]

As a kid in the 80s our boy scout troop spent the night on board the Alabama it was sweet

[@marksmith8928]

The U.S.S. North Carolina, in Wilmington N.C. still has one on the deck to this day.

[@williambinkley8879]

@@marksmith8928 I remember that. I saw it back around 98.

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

Same here! :) I was impressed by the catapult planes on the battleship that day, and since then always admired the float planes used in war. Saw this video, and it brought back memories of that visit to the BB Alabama.

[@fredhayes145]

Thank you for producing this. My father was a radio-gunner on a Kingfisher aboard USS Washington. I have his flight log including entries for flights over Saipan.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

i hope you donate it to a museum or the US Navy archives at some point in the future, it’s a historic treasure

[@colvinator1611]

Your dad and his fellow freedom fighters are heroes to a man.

[@danielebrparish4271]

Make a copy and donate the original to the WWII museum in New Orleans.

[@Warrior_Pilgrim]

Wow that’s incredible!

[@seanwoods647]

My grandfather was a radio-gunner on board a Kingfisher on the USS Indiana. His plane is actually hanging from the ceiling at the air and space museum. Funny story with that, actually. He got a call out of the blue from the museum staff who were trying to settle a discrepancy in the records of custody on the airframe. At one point during the war it seemed to be assigned to 2 different ships. They called him for the story, because his signature was all over the logs. As it turns out, the aircraft needed an overhaul, at he same time the Indiana was going in for repairs after colliding with the Washington. So they had temporarily assigned the embarked plane to a seaplane tender, where they could be worked up by the time the battleship would be ready to fight again.

[@robertl6196]

Nice. One of my favorites. For the record, the Kingfisher is credited with ONE air-to-air kill. The un-luckiest Japanese pilot ever.

[@MartintheTinman]

No, that pilot isn't alone. A CAC Wirraway also downed an unlucky Japanese pilot and a US C-47 was credited with a kill when the Japanese aircraft struck the tail plane and crashed

[@allangibson2408]

Unobservant would be more accurate. Japanese pilot training basically evaporated after 1942 with trainee pilots shipped directly to frontline units. The 1944 “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” was the ultimate result.

[@sugarnads]

@@MartintheTinman to be fair wirraways WERE being used in the fighter role early on...

[@johanbertilsson2213]

But the Wirraway was not a fighter, it was a trainer, related to the North American Harvard.

[@allangibson2408]

@@johanbertilsson2213 The Wirraway was based on the NA-16 (NA-33 to be specific) and was definitely used as an emergency fighter and ground attack fighter bomber. The Texan was NA-77 so a significantly younger design. That was one more fighter kill than the CAC Boomerang got… The Boomerang was much slower than any Japanese fighter and most Japanese bombers built since 1935 but was more heavily armed with its 2x20mm cannon and 4x303 Machine Guns.

[@johnfraser8116]

My dad trained on an OS2U-3 at Pensacola near the end of WW2. His training missions included searching for the shadows of German submarines in the Gulf of Mexico. The way he talked about it, it was the best part of his life. Thanks for this!

[@ridleymain9234]

Yes, I absolutely adore the kingfisher and I know Rex will do it justice

[@pfalzerwaldgumby4798]

Roughly 60 years ago, I built a model of the Kingfisher. I thought and still think that this is a very cool plane. I‘ve been waiting for Rex to cover it. Thanks!

[@yes_head]

Not forgotten by me. I've always been fond of the Kingfisher, ever since I was a kid. I've always liked its lines, and -- like the PBY -- their value was quickly appreciated.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Obviously designed for low take off speed, thick winged. Speed not at all a priority. And very stable in air, helps going through very windy conditions, And strong, to land on rough seas, to a point. 😳 🙂

[@theusher2893]

My grandfather was a PBY mechanic/waistgunner in the Pacific. He never spoke much about his service but he and his buddies adored the Catalina.

[@CrusaderSports250]

@@theusher2893 used to know the flight engineer from a Sunderland, an amazing aircraft, due to the very long patrols they had bunks, a proper mess room with galley and a toilet, Bob gave me a guided tour of one that had been converted for civvy use after the war, this one even had a white burr walnut bar on the upper deck, a flight experience for the wealthy few unfortunately but glorious to see. I think the Japanese navy still use flying boats in air sea rescue/maritime duties roll, and with a blown wing they have a very low landing and take off speed enabling them to operate in quite rough seas. Have always loved flying boats to the point that I converted a 747 into one with lifted engines and a high wing, the Boeing Blue Whale!!.

[@chpet1655]

I loved it ever since I built my 1/48 scale Monogram kit. A company that released really nice 1/48 scales

[@ColleenHart-zd4ml]

My grandfather Arthur Lynch was rescued from the sea by a Kingfisher flown by Rollin Batten on July 4,1944. I and generations of my family owe their lives to this plane.

[@toddlininger4874]

Lt. Gandey on my Grandfather's ship, the U.S.S. Pensacola, shot down a Zero in his Kingfisher...mentioned in his diary and on wikipedia...great video , keep up the good work

[@gregburns5638]

Many thanks for your wonderful video! My Mom, Stella, her older sister, Mary, and younger sister, Jean, were among the first women hired by "Chance Vought Aircraft" in Stratford, Connecticut during February of 1942. Mary, who had recently graduated from business school, worked in the secretarial pool, while Mom and Aunt Jean became riveters on the "Corsair F4U" fighter planes. They worked 10 hours per day, 6 days per week, at a then, um, "whopping" $IXTY FIVE CENT$ per hour! And the factory produced approximately 14 planes per day. All told, about 12,000 "Corsairs" were built from 1939 until 1953, with 8,000+ made by "Vought", and the other 4,000 done by "Goodyear" or "Brewster". Unfortunately, there are only about 25 left worldwide that are still able to fly. In 2005, a bunch of enthusiasts organized the "Corsairs Over Connecticut" airshow, with 9 gorgeous "bent birds" in attendance. Although Mom was too frail to attend the packed airfield, she did get to hear and see them all flying over our house. All three lovely ladies are gone now, but are fondly remembered for their hard work during that truly horrible time in our history... 👍💋😍

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Dang, Lt. Burns almost double-aced on rescues in one mission! Definitely earned that Navy Cross.

[@Raptor747]

It's worth noting that the most expensive and difficult part to replace of any aircraft is its crew. Thus, by saving even one pilot, a Kingfisher "paid for itself"; by rescuing a carrier airman, which were even harder to train and even more valuable, they were a godsend whenever they could be employed in the role. Of course, submarines also served in this role as well. The raid on Truk Atoll saw one of the awesome uses of the two assets in conjunction, and to great effect (as you covered in this video). It sucks for a submarine crew to know that they'll probably never get a chance to hunt for enemy ships when assigned to pilot rescue duty, but even beyond the impact of the rescued aircrews, the impact on the morale of said aircrews is probably a big deal too. Knowing that there's a chance of being rescued even deep in enemy waters had to have been a massive comfort to the people flying in the great Pacific with such primitive technology.

[@dougerrohmer]

I've heard stories of rescued airmen having to tag along while the sub attacked enemy ships and then suffering depth charging. Very grateful to make it back to fresh air.

[@ColKorn1965]

Been on USS North Carolina more times than I can count. Their Kingfisher was restored/ repainted recently apparently. Neat little plane

[@michaeltelson9798]

There is a story about one used for training in Tampa Bay I believe. The salt water would pit the propeller and it would be filed down. After awhile it was getting harder and harder to take off from water until one day it wouldn’t. It was found to balance the propeller after filing It down that they gradually shortened its length. After all of the maintenance it had lost almost a foot of length.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

Ah, the OSU2, a fave of mine! A truly beautiful aircraft which did everything that was asked of it.

[@sski]

Thank you for the very concise and informative video, Rex. I remember building a 1/72 scale model of this plane (one of my first) when I was a kid in the early 70's. Mainly because of the name - Sikorsky - My last name is Sikorski, the Polish, although through my mother's research we have found ties to Russian heritage. Anyway, that's a story for another day. But I was into building models with 'that name'. I was building the helicopters, HO3, HO4, Skycrane, S62, HUS Seahorse, all the plastic models that were available back then. But the first was the Kingfisher (even though it was Vaught really ;)

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

14:35 The OS2U-3's wing is REALLY happy.

[@andrewgause6971]

Glad I am not the only one who thought that!

[@amerigo88]

One of the least understood combat factors is command and control. A Kingfisher circled and circled over Tarawa during that bloody mess. The Kingfisher was the admiral in command's eyes and ears all during the critical first day of the invasion. The lives saved from bypassing the clogged communication network between the bleeding Marines on the beaches and their ultimate commander cannot be reckoned. Read about this in Ian Toll's account of Tarawa from his Second book in the Pacific War trilogy. Bless the Kingfisher.

[@joelamb3581]

Similar stories from the Aleutian campaign. Col. William "Eric" Eareckson did an awful lot of good with a Kingfisher and a can-do attitude.

[@bobabraham5060]

An excellent trilogy

[@rayschoch5882]

On his way to becoming a Navy fighter pilot in 1944 (VF-19), my Dad did some training flights in a Kingfisher.

[@williamcanfield2889]

My father’s USN squadron, VS-67, took the OS2-U with them to the South Pacific in ‘43. He flew the OS2-U until those planes were replaced by the SBD-5 early in ‘44. He liked flying the OS2-U but REALLY loved the SBD-5 for obvious reasons!

[@seanhillman1016]

If recollection serves, a Kingfisher also managed to down a Zero during the war. Damn good plane.

[@KyriosMirage]

During the invasion of Iwo Jima. The Japanese were a bit strapped for good pilots at that point, but it's still a bit embarrassing...

[@notfeedynotlazy]

It's actually a pity that the Kingfisher's replacement, the Curtiss SC Seahawk, came too late in the war to have any chance of having a random one-on-one duel with a Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe". That kind of thing would have become the stuff of legends for floatplane pilots.

[@carlbillingham2670]

An RAAF Kingfisher also saw service aboard the ship the Wyatt Earp in Antarctica painted in hi viz yellow. Similarly an RAAF Walrus in bright yellow also visited Heard Island with one of the early ANARE expeditions where it was wrecked during a storm. This aircraft was later recovered and repaired before being put on display in the air museum at Point Cook.

[@hueyman624]

I remember first seeing the Kingfisher on the USS NC. There was a book sold in the gift shop that told the story of how it had crashed into a mountain in AK in the 40s and was lifted off in the 60s by an Army Helicopter. The retirees at Vought restored it, I think to flying condition and donated it to the USS NC. Its a shame it has been sitting outside for more than 50 years. I too had a model back in the early 70s.

[@CrusaderSports250]

I still have my model, (an Airfix one from the mid seventies), such a loverly little plane, painted with more enthusiasm than skill but that doesn't detract from the aircraft.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

I never knew how much I liked float planes / flying boats until Rex’s Hanger got me hooked … the Italian twin hull S55 it may be the most beautiful flying boat .. except for maybe the Boeing Clipper ..

[@kingleech16]

There is something cool about them. They always seem like something out of an alternate history.

[@natquesenberry6368]

I think the boeing 314, the Dorniers, and catalina are such classic aircraft. And the Sunderland.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

@@kingleech16 flying fish

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

@@natquesenberry6368 I hope Rex has a Walrus episode in the works …

[@TheAverageSushi]

Man. I always loved seeing Kingfishers on ships when I searched them on Wiki or images. Finally someone does it justice.

[@asnrobert]

I have a book, "Boys of the Battleship North Carolina", that I bought when I toured the battleship in 2007. It includes an account of Lt Burns's mission. The account concludes with the following sentence: "The Tang's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Richard H. O'Kane, encouraged Burns to follow the rest of the men below deck. He did not want him to watch the gunners sink the remarkable little plane that, unbeknownst to O'Kane, Burns had called obsolete just a few days earlier."

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Excellent. This aircraft deserves the admirable coverage you delivered. Note: in the early 70s I butchered a 1/35 scale model of this plane. I love this plane.

[@checkpointcharlie1788]

I was hoping you'd do a video on the Kingfisher! It's a perfect follow-up to your Grumman Duck and Curtiss Seagull profiles. Thanks for the excellent and very interesting videos: way better than anything on TV.

[@Battlemage15]

I have not forgotten this hero. The Kingfisher was a great plane. Seeing one as a downed, friendly aviator meant life. Seeing one as the enemy meant death (by battleship shells). The Humble Harbinger.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

I was hoping you would cover with some detail the rescue operations involving USS Tang and the kingfisher at Truk Lagoon. Thank you!

[@adrianrutterford762]

Superb News!!! A new video from The Hanger

[@AnonNomad]

I'd love to hear an account of pilots and maintanance crew planning midnight raids on dock warehouses haha

[@kevinkeith8622]

I always remember the Kingfisher with a smile. There was a print of the first float plane prototype in flight in my grandparents living room. You see my grandfather was one of the engineers who help develop this great plane. So for me it's family. Grandpa started in 1918 at Glen L Martin and then Great Lakes Aircraft. After the Vought Kingfisher he would go on to work for Bell on the P38 and then the B29 development. The stories I grew up with.

[@adamcooper8234]

I'm sure you have a lot on your list, but I was wondering whether you might do a video on the CAC Boomerang. It's a plane that I've always loved but know little about so it would be very interesting to learn about its development and combat history.

[@RexsHangar]

It will definitely be covered :)

[@bradcampbell7253]

Kermit Weeks has one being built up to fly again.

[@adamcooper8234]

@@bradcampbell7253 Oh really? Would be amazing to see one fly.

[@adamcooper8234]

@@RexsHangar I look forward to it. :)

[@bradcampbell7253]

@@adamcooper8234 I may have misspoke he may be gathering parts still but I'm not sure that it's under construction yet he's got a pretty good Facebook page with a ton of information on all kinds of aircraft you should check her out

[@bbrut3332]

An excellent synopsis of this warbird. Thank you for sharing your research on this fine aircraft.

[@martryan2060]

Love to see a video on the MitsubishiFM1 Pete surely one of the most underrated planes of world War 2

[@brendonbewersdorf986]

I second this request

[@FN_FAL_4_ever]

Yes!

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

And Rufe

[@whirving]

I had a model of this plane as a kid, always loved the less flashy planes like the Kingfisher, the Lysander, and others.

[@jameskruse537]

A man after my own heart. I’ve always like the good working aircraft over the flashy more historically covered types.

[@chuckswenson9089]

Love this! My mom worked at the NAF on this airplane, and had the privilege of knowing Igor Sikorsky.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

Such a tidy design that did everything asked and more.

[@nicholasroberts6954]

My dad piloted the shore-based version (OS2U-3) during RN Fleet Air Arm training at Barin Field, Pensacola and Opa Locka, Florida USA, June - July 1943. They had some unusual stall characteristics and apparently the undercarriage was not that robust if stalled at 50 feet and impacting a concrete runway whilst under instruction !

[@sergioleone3583]

Thank you, great video. The Kingfisher is a very cool plane and clearly did some outstanding work. Good looking bird, too.

[@timmy3822]

Thanks for this video. As you say, the Kingfisher is often neglected in history in favour of some of the more glamorous aircraft of the theatre. Good to see this aircraft getting some recognition after its feats, with many aircrew no doubt very thankful for it’s service. I look forward to the video on the Walrus!

[@iffracem]

First came across this plane when I were a wee lad, probably 45 years ago now, I was just getting into building plastic model kits. Saved up the cash and father took me off to the hobby shop to search for something to get stuck into. I saw and bought this over and above the Spitfire, Mustang, BF109 etc... my dad didn't understand.. but I said "it's just.. different...." An ethos that stuck with me through life... the just plain different is nearly always more interesting, and more worthy of attention than the aesthetically appealing, or otherwise famous. (esp so with people)

[@jamespfp]

Hey, excellent video Rex and might I add, it's very cool how the Kingfisher needs and gets a 30 minute video.

[@jamespfp]

^^ RE: Why? 22:00 -- "Kingfishers would take part in every major action of the Pacific war."

[@OldGeezer55]

I find its design very pleasing to the eye. Kinda like a big Buick or something. I bet the pilots loved it.

[@colvinator1611]

Excellent video! Clear, concise, plenty of detail. We'll done and thank you.

[@davidfifer4729]

Correction @23:43 The Kingfisher that rescued the Rickenbacker party did not taxi to an island with them. It taxied to a rendezvous with PT-26 to which the they were transferred and then taken to the island of Funafuti.

[@benjaminrush4443]

An enjoyable documentary on this unappreciated naval aircraft. Thank you.

[@maxsmodels]

I knew a radio airman who crewed them. he preferred the Grumman Duck. He was in Dutch harbor in an OS2U when the Japanese attacked. All they could do was hide. He said they were so anemic that on smooth water with a fully loaded plane, they needed a destroyer to cut a wake for them to 'hop' off of to get airborne.

[@darkhorse13golfgaming]

"Tactically acquiring" parts and equipment is military tradition as old as militaries themselves.

[@Oneshot8242]

We used to call it "Midnight requisition".

[@cameronnewton7053]

Ah yes the Strategically Transferring Equipment to Alternative Locations Method, truly a classic.

[@jedironin380]

I've known about the Kingfisher for a long time. I built many plastic models growing up, and one or two of my ship models included the Kingfisher with catapult system. I thought that was a pretty cool idea- how to carry an aircraft with no flight deck! I never thought about them having to water-taxi around so much while picking up sailors from the sea. I didn't know submarines were used so often in rescue missions. :)

[@msamov]

Thank you for these amazing details about a plane that gets little remembrance. My NEW favorite plane - GO Kingfisher!

[@thomasherbig]

Not only was it a useful plane, it was also a singularly pretty one. I love the round cowling, the gently sweeping curves of the fuselage, and the long glassed-in area. The only aesthetic disaster was the main float - the very core of its existence. But image what it would have looked like with retracted gear!

[@kevinjarchow5627]

I got a kick out of the still showing the OS2-U with the USS Mississippi on the side. My grandfather was a GM on the Mississippi during WWI, and my father was a ARM stationed with one of the training squadrons in Pensacola. I truly appreciated the video. BZ.

[@justinbane100]

Rex demonstrates one of the most under-appreciated planes of World War II, and the most under-appreciated t-shirt of any paid promotion.

[@phillipcowan1444]

Wilmington NC is my home town and as several have mentioned here the USS North Carolina is moored directly across the river from downtown. I have a photo of her restored Kingfisher taken looking astern with a nice view of the city in the background. I liked the picture so much it's the wallpaper of my phone,lol.

[@dziadekpunk]

One of the most interesting and important KZbin channels. Interesting, fascinating history of aviation.

[@waltappel9119]

Great rundown! My grandfather flew these some, though not as much as the PBY, and those not quite as much as the Grumman Goose. He spent most of his overseas time as part of the Panama Canal defense contingent, later becoming a multi-engine flight instructor for the last couple of war years.

[@charlestaylor253]

The Grumman Goose has been one of my favorite flying boats ever since watching 'Tales of the Gold Monkey' as a 13-year old back in 1982...😉👍

[@uingaeoc3905]

Like so many of these aircraft I remember my first acquaintance with these planes was making an Airfix kit of them, well over 50 years ago.

[@CrusaderSports250]

Same here, still have my little one half a century later.

[@nonamesplease6288]

There's a great story about Col. William Earickson and his Kingfisher at the invasion of Attu in the Aleutians. Earickson had helped plan the invasion to take back a piece of Alaska the Japanese took in 1942. Once the invasion started he acted as air liason officer for the 11th Airforce. He borrowed a Kingfisher from the Navy and he and his pilot flew all over Attu calling in targets for air strikes. The invasion of Attu was the 2nd bloodiest battle in the Pacific campaign after Iwo Jima, and the Japanese put every type of ordnance in the air they had to take down the pesky spotter plane. After each mission the Kingfisher returned so full of holes that they started keeping plugs on hand for the floats to make sure the plane didn't sink when it landed. The Kingfisher was so tough it took all of the punishment and kept going back for more.

[@DraftySatyr]

Thank you, I hadn't previously been aware of the scale of fighting in the Aleutians

[@Sniper5875]

i love these monoplane float planes, theyre goofy and lovable in some way; my favourite is the german duel floats but i do love these single large float designs too

[@MrLM002]

Monofloats are awesome. They wouldn't be awesome to park but they're very cool and they sadly fell out of fashion.

[@kerrypitt9789]

A beautiful functional craft to me. I wonder at the Hesitancy to go mono wing? That broad wing is exactly what the Doctor Ordered. I love Amphibious aircraft, I am Canadian and I used to get Goosebumps when Watching our Marten Waterbombers in action flying over our house before and after loading. I would love to see other styles like this, flying. Great video

[@kennedysingh3916]

Watched from Old Harbour Jamaica. In 1943 a squadron of Kingfisher,VS-60 was based at Vernam Field in my country and they conducted anti-submarine patrol and had clame to sink 2 subs while based their. One of it's plane was reported missing in action during their stay. 29th Sept. 1943 a Kingfisher piloted by Ensign Johni Priest along with Master Sgt. Bill P. Parwell of the Det 9th Airways Communication Squodran was flying along as radio man. They were towing a target for 3 other planes of their squadron to shoot at but during the mission Johni flew over the base and drop off the target then return to join the other planes of his squodran and was never seen again. I interviewed locals who remember the incident. I tried uptaining files on the history of the squadon but the navy could not find any but I've heard of locals who have pictures of members of the squadron. On another base on the island NAS Little Goat Island one was one Kingfisher was stationed their for use of the base commander(#01398).

[@millitary1075]

This plane is always over lookd when i play naval pacific games, im just glad someone shed some light on this beauty of an aircraft

[@SPavlo]

Lovely seabird - thank you for your thorough, never cocky and often humorous reviews.

[@davidbabcock5172]

Even after radar a scout plane was necessary. It could look over the horizon, a natural barrier to radar.

[@soupwizard]

22:28 Good couple of seconds of video of the smooth water for landing provided by the big ship's wake

[@lqr824]

One of your nicest episodes, thanks!

[@mikepette4422]

Had a 1/48 scale Monogram kit years ago of a Kingfisher. Really not the usual kind of kit I would buy since it wasn't a fighter or attack plane. And yet, there was always something special about float planes like this and the Grumman Duck, the PBY and the Arado 196. After getting to the end of the Video I was reminded that I also had a Supermarine Walrus too ! lol

[@joeschenk8400]

I had the Airfix 1/72 Kingfishter long ago

[@mikepette4422]

@@joeschenk8400 I don't recall seeing this in Airfix. very cool

[@joeschenk8400]

@@mikepette4422 According to Scalemates, the Airfix kit was originally released in 1973 and the most recent release was 2010. It was also released by MPC here in the US. I remember it as being very good for the time and I rescued many aircrew in my youth. I should get it again,

[@geegaw14]

In the 70s there used to be a series of comic strips about the USS Stephens and there were a few issues which contained stories of the Kingfisher and its crew on the destroyer. One that comes to mind is how during general quarters, the observer of the aircraft had to take his .30 cal machine gun and clamp it to the ships rail to add to the ships firepower - one time while wearing only a towel as he was in the shower when the alarm sounded. Great info on this plane, thanks for posting it.

[@13stalag13]

Wonderful job young man. Best video I have ever seen on the Kingfisher.❤

[@robertdragoff6909]

The Kingfisher wasn’t a glamorous plane, but it did it’s job and then some! I’m surprised Vought didn’t make a version with an integrated float similar to the Grumman Duck with a bigger engine.

[@jwenting]

That layout was a very specific Grumman thing, may even have been patented. Nobody else did it...

[@robertdragoff6909]

@@jwenting Good point

[@CrusaderSports250]

@@jwenting the Kingfisher could also be converted to wheels so that sort of float integration would have prevented that while also adding to weight and drag, your more powerful engine now cutting the range as well, seemed like a good idea but maybe not😁.

[@jamesbugbee6812]

When I was a middling larva, Rickenbacker was a big deal, & the Kingfisher rescue held high status w/ us little warmongers; nothing forgotten there, the a/c being quite appreciated 💜, & not just 4 her good looks.

[@kiniburk]

Phenomenal rescue stories. Why hasn't anyone made a movie about such heroism.

[@captlarry-3525]

My late friend Greg Greenwood's dad flew these in WWII, so I was glad to learn more about the Kingfisher... imagine the unique set of skills it took to fly these from naval ships, during the war. The 450 P&W engine is a real workhorse, a perfect fit for the airplane. Spot welding is almost unheard of in aircraft construction, so it was quite interesting to learn about it's use in the Vought. I hope I get to get inside one someday to see how they did it.

[@joeschenk8400]

Another great history of one of my favorite US Navy WWII a/c. I enjoyed the color film and many good photos. The story of the Tang and the destroyers with the Kingfisher is well told. The floats were most likely made in the EDO factory in my home town of College Point, NY. Factory has since move away but the factory building and float plane ramp into the river is still there. EDO later made minesweeper sleds for the US Navy to be towed by helicopter. EDO stands for the owner of the company Earl Dodge Osborn, and is pronounced here as E-Doh. Thanks for the post and well done.

[@searcaig]

Great video, really enjoyed it having built a model of this aircraft back in the 60s or early 70s. By the way, the Supermarine Walrus was a flying boat, not a floatplane.

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

It's interesting that there is no mention of the Grumman Duck. My father was a radioman in one for the NAVY in North Africa. The Duck carried two depth charges on the wings. My dad said they dropped them on a submarine once. I found a combat record that seems to confirm it.

[@randytaylor1258]

Tamiya could really do this aircraft justice in 1:48. A real unsung workhorse.

[@ChatNick]

Monogram did it, long time ago in 1/48. Great model , great as a real one is. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@TheWolfIsMine]

your channel first came to my attention when another video of yours concerning a small seaplane pop up on my recommend. hunted around looking for a video on the Kingfisher and now there is one! I only saw my first video on Tuesday :p

[@justforever96]

My favorite planes are the unsung, forgotten workhorses. They did crucial jobs, and encompassed as many thrilling stories, and many veterans memories as the more famous glamorous planes did.

[@MM22966]

This MIGHT be my favorite Hangar episode so far.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The Navy almost rejecting the weight figures reminds me of the story told in Combet Aircraft Designer (the biography of Ed Heinneman) about the Navy thi King that Heinemann was lying about the weight of his AD-4. They Navy had to back down then and apologise.

[@BlackHawkBallistic]

John Burns and the aviators he rescued that were taken aboard Tang basically joined the crew and took part in the rest of the war patrol that they were on, the submarine force during WWII was absolutely wild

[@maryclarafjare]

Excellent, really enjoyable! (We also liked the part about the downed pilots getting a "power wash" during rescue 😆).

[@bruceprickett9835]

Before the war my grandfather commanded a Kingfisher squadron at Cape May, but he moved to another job and was not flying during the war… worked on airborne radar and remote control aircraft

[@nicholasstilley2370]

I live in Wilmington so it's kinda neat being able to see one of the last kingfishers in existence on USS North Carolina

[@KnightDaylight]

Walter Cronkite flew in one of these off USS Texas during Operation Torch, and he raced a rival war correspondent to be first to report on it.

[@craigfazekas3923]

I am currently building a 1:700 scale replica of USS TEXAS in Nov. of '44. Repleat with 2 of the Kingfishers sitting atop the catapult on turret # 3. Lotta fun !!

[@Warrior_Pilgrim]

Rex, your videos are beyond excellent. Thank you for this especially unique video. I am humbly putting in a request for a video on the Aichi Jake Seaplane, a Japanese ship launched reconnaissance/bomber seaplane.

[@Straswa]

Awesome vid Rex! Thanks for covering this amazing aircraft.

[@Geoduck.]

Enjoying the floatplane coverage very much. Unsung heroes doing dangerous thankless tasks.

[@eucitizen78]

I had to smile as you said : "For those of us who use metric." You know that in this moment you were talking to engineers and technical interested people.

[@markmanwaring3823]

Great video , these were a great aircraft , not glamorous , but did the job and then some . I wonder just how many people owe their lives to these aircraft and crews !

[@jonathanhorne6503]

After the Battle of Tassafaronga a lot of cruiser aviators were displaced. My then Ensign father left the USS New Orleans the afternoon before the battle. Lessons learned from Savo island. Many of These aviators formed up to VS-48 and VS-50 in Noumea and Espiritu Santo flying inshore patrol and escort in Kingfishers. Dad never saw the New Orleans again.

[@peterm3964]

Excellent work . Particularly good with the sound off .