The OS2U Kingfisher was designed by the Vought Corporation as an observation aircraft for the long range guns of battleships and heavy cruisers. The little catapult float plane was found serving other roles as well, prominently as a rescue aircraft for pilots downed during combat missions. In one instance Lt. John Burns recovered nine Navy pilots brought down during the engagement at Truk Lagoon in April of 1944; unable to take off the aircraft was taxied away from enemy shore defenses and to the safety of a waiting submarine. A role it was not intended for was that of fighter though amazingly it performed this task on February 16, 1945 over Iwo Jima when a Kingfisher flow by Lt. (JG) D.W. Gandy on fire direction duties was set upon by an enemy aircraft. In a brief moment of opportunity as the float plane took evasion action the enemy fighter passed in front of the wing mounted .30 caliber machine gun of the OS2U. Lt. Gandy found his plane on the tail of his attacker at about 550 yards distant and fired a burst that managed to bring his opponent down. Land based wheeled version of the Kingfisher served in the role of bomber in the Aleutian Islands and in the capacity of anti submarine patrols wearing the colors of the Navy as well as the Coast Guard for these duties. The OS2U flew in the service of Great Britain, Australia, Mexico, Chile, Cuba and Uruguay often long after the hostilities of World War 2 ended. I have to say that this is my first completed aircraft project and most likely will be my last, although the wheeled version of the Kingfisher beckons. Building then mapping this model has given me a greater appreciation and respect for those who do this frequently and you know who you are. The rendering of this model revealed many flaws in the construction process which were repaired in a photo editing program so it looks a bit better than it actually is. The models, aircraft and raft were built in Wings 3D, the personnel are Poser low resolution figures with a bit of modification. The scene was rendered in Vue d’esprit 4.