I’m trying to find a list of markings/codes used by Kingfishers stationed aboard the U.S.S. MISSISSIPPI BB-41. I’ve checked ARC and some other places so if anyone has any photos are suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them. Thanks!
Here is a photo from Bill Larkin’s book on USN aircraft to 1941. Caption says it isd an OS2U-2 but the tail says OS2U-1. It is on wheels but I think they were all interchangeable with floats. 1941 is the section of the book it was in.
Those wheels don’t look too sturdy. I may have to build one like that.
What time period are you planning on modeling the Kingfisher from? The Golden Wings, Neutrality Patrol, Early-, Mid-, or Late- war time periods?
Mississippi was apparently in Battleship Division 3, probably the second ship in the division. If you are doing pre-war, as in the picture, this is the information I have come up with. Battleship observation squadrons had the same number as the division they were assigned to. Division 3 had True Blue tails. The fuselage markings were squadron (3), type of squadron, observation (O), and plane number in squadron. Mississippi being the second ship, the markings were a white band around the fuselage and nubers 4, 5, and 6. 4 had a full white cowl ring. 5 had the upper part of the cowl ring painted white. 6 had the lower part of the cowl ring painted white. Fuselage is aluminum. The top of the wings is yellow with white diagonal stripes. The squadron logo is on both sides of the a/c, just behind the pilot’s canopy.
Thanks guys! I want to do her up in a mid-war period. So, I’m still lookin.
Mid war would be in the tri color scheme, Flat Sea Blue upper surfaces, Flat Intermediate Blue sides, and Flat White lower surfaces. National Insignia would be the white star and bar, possibly w/red outline for a brief period in Summer 1943. Squadron codes are no longer carried, but sometimes squadron badges are carried near the windscreen. Plane in Squadron numbers are carried in Flat White on fuselage sides and possibly also on rudder/vertical stabilizer. Markings are very generic by this point in the war witht he exception of squadron insignia.
Not the Mississippi, but probably representitive of battleships in the period.
http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/data/710/k04562.jpeg