the origins of the oj stemmed from a  bureau of aeronautics buaer requirement calling for an observation ﬂoatplane intended for service aboard omaha class light cruisers readily convertible to wheels or ﬂoats and light enough to operate from the cruiser-type catapult prototypes were ordered from keystone-loening then a subsidiary of curtiss-wright berliner-joyce and vought and designated as the xok- xoj- and xou- respectively