Carrier operations.....

Lucky13 · 06-17-2007, 02:09 PM

I didn't know that Rich... What else can you tell?

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 07:47 AM

I know that it's not exactly carrier operations, but it's still naval aviation, right?

and I've always liked the Kingfisher.

Carrier Raids on Truk, 17-18 February 1944 Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher is recovered USS Baltimore (CA-68.) after she had rescued Lieutenant (Junior Grade) George M. Blair from Truk Lagoon, 18 February 1944. Plane's pilot is Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Denver F. Baxter. His radioman, ARMC Reuben F. Hickman, is on the wing, preparing to attach the plane so it can be hoisted on board. Blair's F6F Hellcat, of Fighting Squadron Nine from USS Essex (CV-9), had been shot down during the dawn fighter sweep over Truk.

Carrier Raids on Truk, 17-18 February 1944 Lieutenant (Junior Grade) George M. Blair (left) on board USS Baltimore (CA-68.) after he had been rescued from Truk Lagoon by one of the cruiser's floatplanes, 18 February 1944. His rescuers, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Denver F. Baxter (center) and ARMC Reuben F. Hickman, pose with him soon after their OS2U "Kingfisher" was hoisted on board. Blair's F6F Hellcat, from USS Essex (CV-9), had been shot down during the dawn fighter sweep over Truk.

Carrier Raids on Western New Guinea, April 1944. A USS Boston (CA-69) OS2U Kingfisher floatplane returns to the cruiser after rescuing a crewman of a downed TBF bomber, during raids on Japanese targets in the Hollandia Area, 21 April 1944. ARM2c W.R. Kesey is on the wing. AOM3c B.A. Kanitcer is in the rear cockpit. The OS2U's pilot is not identified.

Iwo Jima Operation, 1945 USS Texas (BB-35) recovers a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane in a light rain at 1700 Hrs. on 16 February 1945, the first day of the Iwo Jima pre-invasion bombardment. The OS2U's radioman is riding the wing after hooking the plane to the recovery crane. Note details of the crane, aircraft recovery mat and net, 40mm quad gun mounting and the plane's color scheme and markings.

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane, of Observation Squadron One (VO-1) on a seaplane mat towed by USS Arizona (BB-39), while being recovered after a flight in the Hawaiian Operating area on the morning of 6 September 1941. The plane flown by Ensign Lawrence A. Williams. Rear-seat man was Radioman 3rd Class G.H. Lane, who is preparing to hook up the aircraft to the ship's crane for recovery. Note the plane's side number "1-O-3", with the ship's name below it.

Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, of Observation Squadron One (VO-1) taxiis alongside USS Arizona (BB-39), after a flight in the Hawaiian Operating area, 6 September 1941. Pilot is Lieutenant-Commander Welton D. Rowley, Commanding Officer of VO-1. Rear-seat man, Radioman 2nd Class E.L. Higley, is preparing to go out on the plane's wing to hook up the aircraft to the battleship's crane for recovery. The plane is numbered "1-O-1".

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane, from USS North Carolina (BB-55) off Truk with nine aviators on board, awaiting rescue by USS Tang (SS-306), 1 May 1944. The plane had landed inside Truk lagoon to recover downed airmen. Unable to take off with such a load, it then taxiied out to Tang, which was serving as lifeguard submarine during the 29 April-1 May carrier strikes on Truk.

Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplane, from USS North Carolina (BB-55) afire after it was hit by gunfire from USS Tang (SS-306), off Truk, 1 May 1944. The plane had landed inside Truk lagoon to recover downed airmen. Unable to take off with a load of nine men, it then taxiied out to Tang, which was serving as lifeguard submarine during the 29 April-1 May carrier strikes on Truk. The plane was destroyed after its crew and passengers were removed.

Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane is lowered onto the after catapult of USS Arizona (BB-39), in the Hawaiian Operating area, 6 September 1941. Note details of the plane's float, the catapult and crew uniforms.

USS Quincy (CA-71) two Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes warming up on the cruiser's fantail prior to catapult launching, probably at the time of the Invasion of Southern France, August 1944. Note barrels of Quincy's after eight-inch guns in the foreground, hangar hatch cover and twin aircraft cranes at the ship's stern.

USS Missouri (BB-63) rRecovering a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, during the ship's shakedown cruise, circa August 1944.

USS Missouri (BB-63) hoists aboard a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, during the ship's shakedown cruise, circa August 1944.

USS Mobile (CL-63) preparing to launch a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane from her port catapult, during the October 1943 raid on Marcus Island. Note the 40mm twin gun mount in the foreground, with a man in the gun tub holding a red flag.

USS Quincy (CA-71) Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane is catapulted from the cruiser's stern, probably at the time of the Invasion of Southern France, August 1944.

USS Mobile (CL-63) view on the ship's fantail, looking across her open aircraft hangar hatch toward the starboard quarter, during the October 1943 raid on Marcus Island. Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes are on her catapults. The plane on the starboard catapult has a small bomb under its wing.
USS Yorktown (CV-10) is in the center distance.

Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia scene in the control tower, overlooking a seaplane ramp, circa 1944-45. One of those present is a WAVE. Planes on the ramp are Vought OS2U "Kingfisher" floatplanes.

FLYBOYJ · 06-18-2007, 11:00 AM

Very cool Lucky!

syscom3 · 06-18-2007, 11:59 AM

Interesting pics.

R Leonard · 06-18-2007, 02:00 PM

I always liked this one, this is Art Hinkman from USS Santa Fe, the only OS2U rear gunner to shoot down a Zeke in the course of the war. Not in the plane pictured, though, the one in which the deed was done had its floats so perforated that when they landed, it sank. Shoot down of the Zeke was confirmed as it occurred in plain sight of the ship.

Rich

Lucky13 · 06-18-2007, 02:10 PM

WOW! Any idea of plane and bureau no?

Lucky13 · 06-19-2007, 07:32 AM

Vought O3U-3 Observation Plane (Bureau # 9329) on the midships elevator of USS Yorktown (CV-5), 2 November 1937. This aircraft is painted in blue and silver "command colors" for the use of the ship's Commanding Officer. On 9 November 1937, it became the first plane to be launched from Yorktown's hangar deck catapult. Aircraft in the right background are Grumman J2F-1 utility planes (Bureau #s 0169 and 0170).

Grumman J2F-1 Utility Plane (Bureau # 0169) on the midships elevator of USS Yorktown (CV-5), 2 November 1937. This aircraft is plane # 4 of the ship's utility unit.

R Leonard · 06-19-2007, 11:15 AM

From VCS-13 report:

START:

At 1420 K, 4 July 1944, OS2U-3 (Bu.#5363) was catapulted from the U.S.S. SANTA FE for a primary mission of spotting gunfire for the SANTA FE. The plane was piloted by Lt. (jg) R.W. Hendershott, USNR, and Hickman, A.E. ARM2c, USNR was the gunner. The SANTA FE was a part of a bombardment group composed of CruDiv 13 plus the U.S.S. DENVER and escorting destroyers. The mission of this group was the bombardment of the airstrip and installations on Iwo Jima.

We arrived on spotting station at approximately 1435 K, at an altitude of 3500 feet and 3 miles east of Iwo Jima. At this altitude, I was just above the cloud cover and had an excellent view of Iwo Jima. During this time, I was accompanied by a Kingfisher from the U.S.S. BILOXI.

At 1445 K, two F6F’s from our combat air patrol flew down close to us from above, apparently letting us know that they were covering us. The knowledge that these F6F’s were giving us supposedly close cover nearly proved fatal for my gunner and myself a few minutes later.

The radio operator on the ship notified me that firing would commence in eight minutes, and I carefully noted the time. It was 1450. Almost at the same instant, enemy anti-aircraft batteries commenced shooting at my plane and I moved away from the area to the eastward for a few minutes to get out of range. As I turned my plane away, Hickman informed me on ICS that three Jap fighters were taking off from the southern runway on Iwo Jima. I told Hickman to keep me informed as to their position. The SANTA FE opened fire on the southern end of the runway, with the main battery, at approximately 1500 K. The cloud cover was between me and the Island; consequently, I could give no observation. Hickman informed me that the Jap fighters were below us spiraling up, The SANTA FE fired its second main battery salvo and I was still not in position for observation. All this time, I was assuming that our CAP would take care of the Jap fighters. The third main battery salvo. was in the air when the three Jap fighters hit me. The BILOXI plane was nowhere in sight, probably maneuvering into a cloud as soon as he observed the Jap fighters taking off from Iwo Jima.

All the runs made by the Zero's were from directly astern or from below and astern. Their recoveries from each run consisted of passing below me, then zooming up ahead of me as they regained their altitude. Things happened so fast that I don't remember the exact sequence of the fighters' runs. Each fighter made two or three runs apiece. One of the fighters made a direct stern approach and, as the range closed, Hickman fired 100 rounds of 30 Cal. directly into the engine, firing between the horizontal stabilizer and the vertical stabilizer on the starboard side. Hickman's fire evidently killed the Jap pilot instantly, because, as the "Zeke" passed my plane his port wing hit my starboard wing and ripped about a foot and a half of the' wing tip completely off of my aircraft. The Jap fighter did not again appear in view above my cowling and was observed by Hickman to crash into the sea out of control. This was also observed by lookouts and gunnery control officers on the SANTA FE. On one run, one of the fighters was coming up from below and astern. His fire went around and between my legs, into the fire wall, through the oil tank, and out the cowling. The oil spurted over the entire windshield, cockpit and fuselage. The oil that came into the cockpit was blown over me by the floor vent draft and I was completely drenched from head to foot with oil. The heat of the oil and smoke led me to believe that we were on fire, and in desperation I shouted at Hickman, over the radio, to bail out. Luckily his head phones had blown off his head and he didn't hear my order. This was the one time that I had noted my altitude; we were at 1800 feet. I was kicking the rudder pedals and pumping the stick as fast as my arms and legs would work. The fighters made a couple more runs on me, but broke off the engagement, as I was close to the destroyer screen and about fifty feet off the water. As soon as I was inside the destroyer screen I was amazed to see that the plane was completely riddled by machine gun fire and that the only place we had not been hit was in the fore and after cockpits. All my oil was gone and the oil pressure read zero. My fuel pressure also read zero. The forward end of the port wing tip float was cut completely off and a gaping hole was the only thing that remained. The starboard wing tip was entirely gone, but I still had good aileron control throughout. The empennage was full of holes and the fabric surfaces on the wings and tail controls were nothing but a mass of "Irish pennants," fluttering in the wind.

I proceeded down the port side of the cruiser column, one thousand yards abeam. Directly opposite the third ship in column I made a slow turn to the right. Just as I straightened out into the wind, the motor froze, and I made a fairly normal full stall landing. The plane remained afloat about 20 seconds, until the port wing tip float filled with water. The plane turned over and Hickman and I were able to scramble up on the main float. There were still enough undamaged compartments in the main float to keep it about ten inches above the surface. We were only on the float for a few minutes, when the destroyer BURNS approached and took us aboard. The plane was later sunk when the BURNS rammed the wreckage

Conclusions

1. CAP should be placed about 1 or 2 thousand feet above spotting planes, with a high cover over them.

2. Neither Hickman nor myself was injured, except that I had some very small pieces of metal or shrapnel in my legs.

3. The OS2U-3 is a plane that can take almost anything that the Japs can dish out.

4. The radio worked excellently throughout the entire engagement and practically everything I said was copied by the radio operator on the ship.

5. Almost everyone topside of the SANTA FE and destroyer screen was an eyewitness to the engagement.

6. I would be extremely pleased to see more suitable aircraft placed at the disposal of the cruiser and battleship aviators - a plane that can take it and dish it out like a fighter.

7. At no time during the engagement did the Jap Zeros attempt any runs from abeam, ahead, or above. All the Zeros approached from below and astern except the one that Hickman shot down; he approached from directly astern, at the same altitude.

R.W. Hendershott.

ENDS

Santa Fe carried one OS2N-1 (Naval Airplane Factory version of the OS2U-3) and one OS2U-3 at the time of this action.

Also please note my crappy typing fingers, that was Arthur Edward Hickman, not, Hinkman.

USS Santa Fe 1942-1946 is a well done little tribute site which tells of this adventure and others; also some nice, on the scene, photos.

ARM2c AE Hickman, top, Lt(jg) RW Hendershott, bottom

FLYBOYJ · 06-19-2007, 11:19 AM

Great stuff!!!!

R Leonard · 06-19-2007, 12:12 PM

Yeah, thanks, but you should have watched me try to screw my eyeballs back in last night at about midnight after going through about 150 photos of VF-17A/VF-171 from 1948 to 1950 aboard FD Roosevelt and Coral Sea. Lots of good shots, but some were just repeats of the same type of shots, the only difference be side numbers, or 6-8 shots of the same flight with the same clouds in the background, but small changes in formation position. Makes it kind of hard to spot duplicates, especially if nobody bothered to put an "Official Photograph" stamp on the back with a photo number . . . argggghhh!

Rich