Vought OS2U Kingfisher launch and recovery operations from USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) in mid 1943

[@Festias]

Somehow that recovery seems way more insane than carrier landings.

[@bryantbridgewaters3977]

Damn, I had no idea it was that dangerous to recover a Kingfisher. Thanks for posting this video.

[@quelin1]

Watching it bounce in the waves adds another layer to the stories of the planes coming across several floating survivors, getting everyone up onto the wings, then 'boating' back to the fleet.

[@fabiohaddad2531]

Another fantastic document, thank you! Landing in open sea and all recovery maneuvers are something to consider! Really brave men.

[@N_Wheeler]

You can see the float hook at 1:00 which grabbed the towed net at 1:40 to keep the plane parallel to the ship.

[@bryantbridgewaters3977]

Awesome detail thanks for mentioning it.

[@NV..V]

Another video treasure - thank you!

[@erickent3557]

Wow, what a dangerous procedure... and the waves slamming the airframe, like one landing becomes one hundred landings.

[@Hoopaball]

The Kingfisher is the most underrated airplane of WWII. There are recorded incidents of these planes even downing japanese zeros, air to air, dogfighting. PBY is still #1 in my book.

[@JGCR59]

It's interesting that the Observer had to climb that far forward over the wing to attach the hoist. Not exactly convenient

[@gocirf3433]

My grandfather went down in a kingfisher along with the pilot and rescued downed pilot , uss indiana BB 58 kingfisher # 5445

[@fatcontrollerproductions9910]

Did he survive

[@gocirf3433]

@@fatcontrollerproductions9910 no he Peter John Cirafice and the pilot frank m Hass and downed hellcat pilot were lost , although about 8 years later 1952 they recovered my grandfather’s remains on a ryuku island, supposedly he drifted at sea for about 10 days and died of hypothermia on the Japanese island

[@dbaider9467]

Delightful. The towed landing mat/net I did not know about before. Brilliantly simple.

[@jonathanj.7344]

When I was a kid in the 1960s, reading "Paddy Payne, Warrior Of The Skies" in the Lion comic, then buying the pocket money Airfix kits, introduced us to these planes. He flew the Kingfisher in one story, so is great seeing this archive footage of it for real. One of my favourite war birds along with the Bristol Beaufighter and the Avro Anson.

[@mattrika4874]

Fascinating! Thanks👍

[@Rhino1277HotRails]

Great footage. Those guys had balls

[@TumbleTrashOfficial]

Never knew they did this while moving still, this is really cool! EDIT: I never knew they did recovery while moving.

[@ckfacebook62]

Standing outside of the plane with the propeller still turning? Those guys had stones of steel!

[@justasuggestion8216]

Can't believe the wing floats don't snap off.

[@verysurvival]

how did they fit their brass balls in that little cockpit?

[@Rhino1277HotRails]

Someone will probably beat me to it... Kingfisher recovered downed airmen too, great picture out there of multiple airmen aboard I think it was 19... PLUS the vital role it played putting naval rifle rounds on target....

[@rickden8362]

What other duties did the pilot and observer have on board ship?

[@antonrudenham3259]

Good question because as you already know everybody has multiple duties pending circumstance. I'd guess that they'd assist aircraft maintenance and when at action stations standby their aircraft and during damage control join an aircraft fire fighting team and be ready to jettison it if needed.

[@raymondyee2008]

Ah yes this. Only got to use her in “Battlestations Pacific”.

[@Rhino1277HotRails]

hw97karbine strikes again!

[@piloto5248]

Wow not easy task.....

[@KM-gz1ib]

射出する場面は時々見るが、収容する際の動画は初めて見た。 主翼から甲板までかなり高いが、どうやって降りるのか、見たかったよ。

[@tomsvircev1716]

OSHA would not approve. ;-)