Army Bird Dog

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog

Aircraft of the Royal Thai Army

Entwicklung

The Cessna 305A Bird Dog was a liaison and observation aircraft. It was the first all-metal fixed-wing aircraft ordered by the United States Army. The Bird Dog had a lengthy career in the U.S. military, as well as in other countries. The U.S. Army was searching for an aircraft that could adjust artillery fire, as well as perform liaison duties, and preferably be constructed of all metal, as the fabric-covered liaison aircraft used during World War II (primarily Stinson and Piper products) had short service lives.

The Cessna Model 305A was a development of the Cessna 170. The Cessna 305A was a single-engined, lightweight, strut-braced, high-wing monoplane with a tailwheel landing gear. The greatest difference from the Cessna 170 was that the 305A had only two seats, in tandem configuration, with angled side windows to improve ground observation.

Der Cessna 305A Bird Dog war ein Verbindungs- und Beobachtungsflugzeug. Es war das erste Ganzmetallflugzeug, das von der United States Army bestellt wurde. Der Bird Dog hatte eine lange Karriere in den USA, sowie in anderen Ländern. Die US-Armee suchte nach einem Flugzeug, das Artilleriefeuer beobachten sowie Verbindungs-aufgaben erfüllen konnte und vorzugsweise aus ganzem Metall gebaut war, da die im Zweiten Weltkrieg verwendete mit Stoff überzogenen Verbindungsflugzeuge (hauptsächlich Stinson- und Piper-Produkte) eine kurze Lebensdauer hatten.

Die Cessna Model 305A war eine Weiter-entwicklung der Cessna 170. Der größte Unterschied zur Cessna 170 war, dass die 305A nur zwei Sitze in Tandemkonfiguration hatte, mit angewinkelten Seitenfenstern zur Verbesserung der Bodenbeobachtung.

Variants

Versionen

O-1A

Initial production version for U.S. Army, 2,486 built

O-1A

Erste Serienversion für die U.S. Army, 2.486 gebaut

O-1E

Improved version of the O-1A with equipment changes and higher gross weight, 469 built

O-1E

Verbesserte Version der O-1A mit Ausrüstungsänderungen und höherem Gewicht, 469 gebaut

Operational history

Einsatzgeschichte

Die Cessna O-1 wird als บต.๑๙ BTh-19 also Aufklärungsmaschine Nr. 19 in der RTA geführt. Die Bezeichnung ist von der früheren US Kennung der Bird Dog L-19 abgeleitet.

Royal Thai Army

Specifications		Cessna O-1E
Wingspan	Spannweite	10.97 m
Length	Länge	7.85 m
Height	Höhe	2.22 m
Wing area	Flügelfläche	16.16 m2
Engine	Motor	Continental O-470-11 213 Hp
Maximum speed	Höchstgeschwindigkeit	209 Km/h
Empty weight	Leergewicht	732 Kg
Loaded weight	Startgewicht	1'089 Kg
Climb Rate	Steigrate	?
Service ceiling	Gipfelhöhe	6,187 m
Range	Reichweite	853 Km
Armament	Bewaffnung	Misc.
Capacity	Zuladung	1 Pilot

Serial, Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Type	US Serial	Reg.	s/n	Delivered	Withdrawn	Remarks
AW139	Racine	31520	31520	Jan. 2014	?	-

Pictures

Bilder

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #4952 (Photo courtesy Tangkijjarak Phakphum)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #1510 (50-1501) (Photo cortesy www.thai-aviation.net)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #1601 (50-1601) (Photo courtesy www.thai-aviation.net)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #7415 (51-7415) (Photo courtesy www.thai-aviation.net)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #4759 (Photo courtesy Tangkijjarak Phakphum)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2088 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Insigna of an Cessna O-1A Bird Dog at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2190 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2086 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2792 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #1582 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #1590 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2086 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2293 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2547 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2557 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #2562 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #4837 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #5026 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog #7235 at Saraburi Aero Park (Photo courtesy Dean Milner)

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