The SOC Seagull supplemented carrier reconnaissance, and many American cruisers lacked hangars for their aircraft. New Orleans-class cruisers nevertheless had two catapults and could carry four floatplanes when required. When the intended Curtiss SO3C Seamew replacement proved unsatisfactory, the reliable Seagull stayed in service, although the secondary scouting mission attracted limited attention. Wartime carriers, land-based aircraft, and PBY Catalinas increasingly supplied longer-ranged reconnaissance. Cruiser floatplanes retained a purpose during independent operations, and 1920s doctrine had expected them to be airborne when a ship operated alone. As ships stopped using them routinely for one task, crews also lost the habit of using them for other tasks.
Notable Point · 1:02:40-1:05:23
The SOC Seagull's usefulness fades beside carriers and patrol aircraft
Two catapults and as many as four Seagulls gave a New Orleans-class cruiser its own scouts, but wartime reliance on other aircraft weakened the habit of using them.