[ARC5] Navy Aircraft Identification

[Robert Eleazer]

That aircraft is a Curtiss SOC Seagull.  It was normally equipped with floats and catapulted from cruisers and battleships  It first flew in 1933 and was used in the 1930's and in WWII, although they were replaced with more modern aircraft late in the war.

The specific version shown in the photo is the SON version, which was the same design built by the Naval Aircraft Factory.

Given that the SOC's purpose was scouting and fire direction, it needed a pretty good radio.  I would guess it would use something more capable than an RU and it probably never got the ARA, ATA, or ARC-5. 

The example in the picture is in prewar markings and the name Mississippi on eth side presumably indicates the ship it was assigned to

I have a short book on the Seagull I can e-mail to anyone who wishes to see it. It is about 4MB in PDF.

Wayne