[twocee]

Munda did not come under artillery bombardment until guns had been emplaced at Rendova in early July and it seems rather strange if spotting for the guns was then undertaken by PBYs flying from Guadalcanal.

Perhaps he was spotting for naval gunfire earlier in the year, possibly for the night bombardments of the Central Solomons. Presumably the cruisers' own floatplanes did not operate at night, as recoveries would have been very hazardous, and so Black Cats from Guadalcanal were used instead?