Vought OS2U Kingfisher, part six

The first batch of 54 Kingfisher were delivered to the US Navy in August 1940 and six of them were assigned to the Pearl-Harbor based Battle Force before the end of that year.
Many of the next 158 OS2U-2 were used for flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in Florida, with 53 of them being assigned to equip the newly established Inshore Patrol Squadrons, which were based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, in Florida too. In 1942 nine more Inshore Patrol Squadrons were established, equipped all of them with OS2N-1, all of them manufactured exclusively by the Naval Aircraft Factory.
The Kingfisher was widely used during the war as a shipboard, catapult-launched scout plane on many US Navy battleships, heavy cruisers and light cruisers. They also played a major role supporting shore bombardments and air-sea rescue. The type became famous when it showed its rescue capabilities in November 1942 when World War I American ace Eddie Rickenbacker and his crew, were rescued by a Kingfisher. It was also made famous when Lt. John A. Burns, on 30th April 1944 taxied airmen on the wings rescued from Truk lagoon to the submarine USS-Tang (SS-306) which was performing rescue duties near the lagoon. Lt. Burns rescued 10 survivors on two trips and was awarded the Navy Cross for his efforts.
Throughout its service with the US Navy both the Kingfisher and its predecessor, the Curtiss SOC Seagull, served much longer than expected, because their planned successor, the Curtiss SO3C Seamew suffered from am insufficiently powerful engine which rendered the type as a failure. The Kingfisher was slowly replaced in the later stages of the war by the Curtiss SC Seahawk, the first exemplars of which arrived to the US Navy in October 1944.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_OS2U_Kingfisher
2. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 119 - OS2U Kingfisher in Action
3. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/141347/Vought-OS2U-1-Kingfisher
4. https://www.valka.cz//topic/view/1179