The Armory Life Forum

Part 1

Because most photos of battleships (and cruisers) concentrate on the inter-war and WWII era, it’s generally assumed that catapults and seaplanes were always a fixture on them, but this isn’t accurate.

During the US Navy’s grand Fleet Problem I – XXI wargames between 1923-1940, a fine-tuned set of missions was envisioned for battleship seaplanes. They were”scout”, “bomber”, and “fighter” which did not match traditional definitions.

1 ) “Scout”s were to localize an enemy’s battleship line and determine an optimal course for friendly battleships to “cross the T”.

2) The “bomber”s were not intended for traditional attacks, but rather to sink weak ships so battleships did not have to waste time breaking formation, or expend ammunition.

3) Finally, “fighter” missions were not to defend the fleet, but rather to chase down and eliminate enemy scouts before they could report, as aircraft radios were not yet universal.


LAST OF THEIR KIND: The US Navy’s final catapult seaplanes during and after WWII

The Curtiss SOC Seagull


The Vought OS2U Kingfisher


The Curtiss SO3C Seamew


The Curtiss SC-1 Seahawk


Part 2

As catapult aviation met it’s demise in the USA, now-surplus Kingfishers were available for transfer to Allied navies for non-shipboard use. Additionally, on some WWII-vintage warships transferred abroad after the war, the seaplane crane was retained as a useful asset even with the catapults gone.