This model is in 1/5 scale which is every bit as complete as his Turbulent right down to the color and brand of paint to finish it with.

The "Spec Sheet" for the "Kingfisher" has the wing span at 86 inches, wing area at 1470 squares and wing loading on wheels at 32.9 ounces and on floats at 39.8 ounces. The complete Plans package, including four sheets of professional drawings, 21 page instruction manual, with 40 construction photos and an 8" x 10" photo of the full size bird, rolled in a tube for $43.00. For another $7.00 he has a set of 13 color shots of the full size bird on wheels.

I hope to build this some day. It brings back memories of the Pacific during WWII. In my mind I can still see a "Kingfisher" taxiing through heavy swells with guys hanging all over it who had been rescued and made such a load that it could not get off the water. The engine was shot, but that's a small price to pay for eight lives. There are few WWII airplanes that turn me on, as I've seen most in action in the original show, but believe me this one does!

Doug originally flew his "Kingfisher" on the Quadra Q35 and later switched to the Q50, and says the performance on floats was spectacular. Now, to the plans: this set comes in four sheets.

Sheet Number One:

This sheet shows left fuselage side view and is constructed of sheet sides and formers. The spec sheet says this one weighs 31 pounds on wheels and 25 pounds on its' sea legs. Fin and rudder construction are shown, along with engine mounting layout, landing gear construction and main float strut location. Landing gear uses the same shock strut arrangement as the Turbulent and is scale. Doug lists several sources in documentation also. Greenhouse canopy construction is shown.

SHeet Number Two:

This sheet shows fuselage top view and stab and elevator construction. Canopy bow is shown, along with the latch for the front cockpit canopy which slides. Wing tip float construction is shown along with its mounting, and beaching wheels are shown, also a cradle is shown for display on floats.

Sheet Number Three:

This plan sheet has the wing on it. Root cord is 21 inches tapering to 16 inches at the tip. The center section is flat with eight degrees dihedral in each outer panel. This translates to four and three quarter inches at the tip. The main spar has the same construction as the Turbulent, that is... quarter by half spruce top and bottom with shear webbing. However there are three auxillary spars of quarter square spruce, plus two dihedral joiners of 3/32 ply. Ribs are 1/8 inch balsa, and the entire wing is sheeted with 3/32 inch balsa. Again a heavy duty aileron servo is located in the center section with bellcranks in the wing to operate the ailerons, and the bellcranks are connected to the servo with cables. Ailerons are of 1/8 inch balsa sheet center with tapered ribs on each side.

Sheet Number Four:

This sheet contains the main float construction. To give you some idea of the main float size, it has a ten inch beam, is eight and three quarters inches deep and from the front block to the trailing edge of the water rudder is 67 inches long. Construction is a built up center keel with formers and sheeting.

Main strut attachment is by a novel way of five thirty- second music wire faired over with streamlined built up fairing, the rear, I mean the extreme aft strut also acts as an auxilliary sub fin to aid stability.

Just to study Dougs' plans of the Vought OS-2u "Kingfisher" and read his notes plus instructions on building and flying is enough to send you to the dungeon and start whittling. My impression is this is a very well engineered set of plans. Built and flown by the designer, many hours, so he has passed on to you his efforts and made the corrections he found necessary to have a good performing BIG BIRD. I don't believe I mentioned it but the change from floats to wheels can be made in ten minutes. A very well engineered and simple way to change from one to the other.