First of two Kingfisher observation floatplanes is completed and mounted on catapult on top of number 3 turret. Simply turning turret for launch, either port or stbd. They say the launch was brutal. A gunpower charge in an 8" casing was used to fire the cat. By the time the aircraft was at the end of the catapult, it was doing about 70mph. Pilot and radioman had to really brace themselves for takeoff, like being shot out of a cannon. Probably really got ones pulse going
. I took some liberty, it is documented that typically the vertical tail fin was painted the color(s) of the ships squadran, in this case, the Arizona was red, as were turret tops on numbers 1,2,4 were painted red. I suspect that at some point, maybe before Pearl attack, the fins were painted dark blue. I can't find that to be fact, so I went ahead and painted it red, because it was done that way and is cool. Before Pearl, the aircraft were painted grey on body, with wings yellow and vertical stab, red. that color was changed at Pearl to dark blue on body and top of wings and light grey on bottom half of body and under wings and floats. I also added wing tip float stabilizing rods as was proper. Dennis