08/31/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "In 1937 the US Navy invited proposals for the design of a scout monoplane which would offer improved performance over the Curtiss SOC Seagull then in operational service. It was required for operation from either ships at sea or land bases, which meant that easily interchangeable float/wheel landing gear was essential. From the proposals received both Curtiss and Vought were awarded prototype contracts in May 1938 under the respective designation XSO3C-1 and XSO2U-1.

The single XSO2U-1 was built in 1939 and many of the features of the OS2U-1 were used, while it was powered by a 550 hp Ranger XV-770-4 twelve-cylinder air-cooled inverted V-engine as specified by the Navy. Duly flown in competition to the Curtiss Model 82 XSO3C-1, the Curtiss design was declared winner and was ordered into production as the SO3C-1."

Span: 38 ft 2 in (11.63 m)
Length: 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m)
Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)
Gross weight: 5,186 lb (2,352 kg)
Max speed: 201 mph (323 kmh)
Service ceiling: 22,200 ft (6,767 m)