Monogram 85-0135 Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher — 1:48 Plastic model aircraft kit

Manufacturer: Monogram
Kit number: 85-0135
Aircraft: Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher
Scale: 1:48
Barcode / UPC: 031445001352
Kit type: Injection-moulded plastic aircraft kit
Status: Vintage/discontinued tooling
Original tooling: 1967
Manufacturer and kit history

Monogram was one of the major American plastic-model manufacturers and became particularly well known for its extensive range of aircraft, cars and military subjects. The OS2U-3 Kingfisher is an especially old and interesting example of the company's aircraft tooling: the original kit was released in 1967, making it a genuine vintage Monogram mould. A modern modeller who recently built the kit confirms that it dates to 1967 and describes it as a relatively simple kit with good basic fit.

The 85-0135 number is also used in later catalogue and retail records for the kit. Specialist catalogue listings identify it as a 1:48 plastic kit, while Rare Plane Detective records the kit as “Monogram #85-0135 1/48 OS2U-3 Kingfisher.”

This is therefore not a modern re-tool: if you have an 85-0135 box, you're dealing with a kit descended from Monogram's 1960s Kingfisher tooling.
Kit contents and features

The kit represents the OS2U-3, the principal wartime production version of the Kingfisher.

The basic kit provides:

Injection-moulded plastic airframe

Two-seat cockpit

Separate cockpit components

Pilot/crew representation

Radial engine and cowling

Fixed main float

Wingtip floats

Undercarriage components

Propeller

Machine-gun armament

Clear canopy/windows

Decals

Instructions

Catapult-related equipment

One particularly interesting feature is the aircraft's large central float, which gives the completed model its distinctive maritime reconnaissance appearance.

The moulding is very much of its period. The kit is comparatively simple by current 1:48 standards, but this also makes it attractive to modellers who enjoy vintage Monogram kits and restoration builds.

A recent detailed build of the 85-0135 describes the kit as “very simple and fits well”, despite its 1967 origins.
Catapult equipment

The Kingfisher was normally launched from naval ships using a catapult, and the Monogram kit has a particularly interesting connection with this aspect of the aircraft.

Current collector listings describe the kit as the “Navy Catapult Plan” version and identify the subject as the 1:48 OS2U-3.

This is worth checking in a second-hand example because the catapult-related parts/accessories can affect completeness and collector interest.
Detail level

Being a 1967 design, the kit does not have the fine recessed surface detail found on modern 1:48 releases.

You can expect:

Raised surface detail

Simplified cockpit

Simplified wheel/float detail

Basic engine representation

Relatively thick clear parts

Straightforward construction

However, the fundamental attraction is the unusual subject and vintage tooling, rather than modern surface-detail standards.

The kit has also been used as the basis for aftermarket detailing. A modern build of the Monogram 85-0135 used a Flightline Engineering OS2U update set, Eduard Brassin depth charges, Yellowhammer decals and canopy masks, illustrating how much additional detail can be added to the old tooling.
The full-size OS2U-3 Kingfisher

The Vought OS2U Kingfisher was an American observation and reconnaissance aircraft designed primarily for the US Navy.

It was a relatively slow aircraft, but its ability to operate from both ships and land bases made it extremely useful.

The OS2U-3 was the final major production version and incorporated wartime improvements including self-sealing fuel tanks and crew armour. It used an improved version of the Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engine.

The Kingfisher served aboard numerous US Navy battleships and cruisers, where it was used for:

Gunnery spotting

Reconnaissance

Communications

Search and rescue

Liaison

Air-sea rescue

The aircraft's relatively slow speed was actually useful for observation work, although it made the Kingfisher vulnerable when operating near enemy fighters.

More than 1,500 Kingfishers of all variants were produced, and several survive today. A modern historical/build reference gives the total as more than 1,500, with eight surviving aircraft noted at the time of writing.
OS2U-3 operational history

The Kingfisher was heavily used during the Pacific War.

Its most important naval role was spotting the fall of shells from battleship and cruiser guns. The observer could communicate corrections to the ship, allowing the main battery to progressively bracket a target.

The aircraft also performed reconnaissance and rescue duties. Its float-equipped configuration meant it could land on water and recover personnel who had come down at sea.

As the war progressed, improved radar, shipboard aircraft and dedicated rescue aircraft reduced some of the Kingfisher's importance, but it continued operating because of its versatility.

The OS2U-3's ruggedness and relatively low operating requirements also helped it remain useful despite being outclassed in speed and performance by many later aircraft.
Aircraft specifications

The full-size OS2U-3 was approximately:

Length: 10.3 m

Wingspan: 10.95 m

Crew: 2

Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior

Role: observation/reconnaissance

Configuration: floatplane or land-based aircraft

Typical armament: .30-calibre machine guns, with provision for light bombs/depth charges depending upon mission

At 1:48 scale, the finished aircraft is roughly:

Length: 21.5 cm

Wingspan: 22.8 cm

The float arrangement makes it particularly distinctive in a 1:48 collection.