Hi Guys. I have around 30 years of Air Classics, Airpower, Wings, Air International and Fine Scale Modeler and some others.
I have been going back through some of these and in one I found an article on the Vought Kingfisher. I have a special relationship with this little plane. I was lucky enough to spend WW2 on Pensacola Naval Air Station. My Dad was a Navy Captain who was head of Advanced Air Training. Needless to say those were great times. My Dad was very busy and we hardly saw him except at dinner most of the time. However, the war ended in August of 1945 and the Navy immediately began downsizing as fast as possible. One Friday night in October my Dad told me to get ready, we are going flying tomorrow. Early Saturday morning we were off. First stop was the ramp where they Kingfishers were. One was ready to go. There was an airman there who took charge of me. Up the ladder into the back seat. I was strapped in, sitting in his lap. My Dad flew around for about an hour and a half. Over Pensacola Bay and out over the Gulf. They had rigged up a flight helmet and goggles (way too big) on me. Finally landed and they rigged the beaching gear and we ran up the ramp and shut down. Awesome. After that rode in Stearman, SNJ, SBD, PBY, and my Dad's favorite TBM. A long but totally memorial day. Only model of the kingfisher that I know of was the 1/48 Monogram. I built five or six of them in all different colors and FAA markings. Here is the magazine and article. At 87, I expect when I kick, all these magazines will go to the shredder.
Sorry to be so long winded.