ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 204022
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| Date: | Saturday 4 August 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher |
| Owner/operator: | USS AVP-23 Absecon, US Navy |
| Registration: | 09451 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: |
| Aircraft damage: | Unknown |
| Location: | Gulf of Mexico, off Pensacola, Florida (by 29.59°N 87.11°W) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | |
The small seaplane tender AVP-23 USS Absecon was unique among her Barnegat-class sisters in that she was the only one to be fitted with a catapult and cranes. Her redesign from the standard configuration resulted from the Navy’s need for pilots to qualify for catapult operations in the battleship and cruiser-based aviation units. The ship was converted prior to her commissioning progress well underway by June of 1942. Absecon - assigned tee duty of providing training for catapulting and sled net recovery while underway - completed her fitting out period on 14 February 1943 and commenced her shakedown the following day, her embarked "aviation unit" consisting of one Curtiss S03C-1 "Seamew" and a pair of Vought OS2U-3 "Kingfishers."
It then carried training activities first from Mayport, then from Port Everglades, both in Floride. During 1944, Absecon maintained a relentless pace off Port Everglades, conducting daily flight operations. She conducted 1,394 catapult launchings and a corresponding number of recoveries and qualified 211 pilots - thus averaging approximately 116 launches per month with 18 pilots a month qualifying for the operation of cruiser and battleship-based Float planes such as the S03C, the OS2U, the Curtiss SOC "Seagull" and the Curtiss SC "Seahawk." Her peak month of operations was November 1944, when she conducted 279 launchings and qualified 58 aviators. In addition to this duty, she also served as a mobile target for torpedo planes operating out of NAS, Fort Lauderdale, and NAS, Miami.
On five occasions during 1945, aircraft capsized during recovery operations, all except the last, on 4 August 1945, resulting in the salvage of the aircraft involved. On that occasion, the OS2U-3 Kingfisher Buno 09451, apparently damaged beyond repair during a Charlie Recovery Qualification training, was shelled and sunk by 29.59°N 87.11°W after the pilot, Donald E. Fitzgearld, had been picked up.
Sources:
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/avp23.htm
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/OS2U.htm
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=29.590000&lon=-87.110000&z=8&m=b&search=29.59N%2087.11W
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jan-2018 15:58 | Laurent Rizzotti | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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