O-2 Skymaster

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The O-2 Skymaster (also known as the "Oscar Deuce" or "The Duck") is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster. The United States Air Force commissioned Cessna to build a military variant to replace the O-1 Bird Dog in 1966.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Versions 4 Operators 5 Specifications (O-2) 6 In popular culture 7 External links 8 REFERENCE

[edit] Design and development

As with the civilian version, the Skymaster was a low cost twin-engine piston powered aircraft, with one engine in the nose of the aircraft and a second engine in the rear of the fuselage. The "push-me pull-you", or as affectionately known by the pilots who flew it in Vietnam as the "suck-me blow-me", arrangement meant a simpler one-engine operating procedure compared to the common low-wing mounting of most twin engine light planes, and also allowed for a high wing, that was judged to be useful for clear observation below and behind the aircraft. The Skymaster would be replaced in FAC missions by the OV-10 Bronco and the A-37 Dragonfly.

[edit] Operational history

The first O-2 flew in January 1967 and the plane went into production shortly thereafter, with the USAF taking delivery in March. A total of 532 O-2s were built for the USAF by 1970. The O-2 was also operated by the VNAF South Vietnamese Air Force. A total of 178 USAF 0-2 Skymasters were lost in the Vietnam War, to all causes. [1]

While the O-2 fleet was retired and mothballed to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, as recently as 2005, O-2s were spotted operating out of the military side of Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.

[edit] Versions

• O-2A

Version designed for use in forward air control missions, features ordnance hard points underneath the wings to hold rockets, gunpods or flares.

• O-2B

Version designed for psychological warfare, and was equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispenser, but otherwise carried no weapons.

[edit] Operators

•  South Vietnam
•  United States

[edit] Specifications (O-2)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 - pilot and observer
• Length: 29.75 ft (9.07 m)
• Wingspan: 38.17 ft (11.63 m)
• Height: 9.17 ft (2.79 m)
• Wing area: 202.5 ft² (18.8 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,848 lb (1,292 kg)
• Loaded weight: 5,400 lb (2,448 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Continental IO-360C six-cylinder flat engines, 210 hp (157 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 200 mph (322 km/h)
• Range: 1,325 mi (2,132 km) combat
• Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,490 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,180 ft/min (6 m/s)

[edit] In popular culture

In the movie Bat*21, Danny Glover's character flies an O-2 Skymaster. Listen for the realistic sound effects for this unique-sounding aircraft.

[edit] External links

• Global Security: O-2 Skymaster

 

 

Designation sequence

• Post-1962 US DoD: O-1 Bird Dog - O-2 Skymaster - OV-10 Bronco- YO-3 - ZO-4 Wren - EO-5 - (End)

[edit] REFERENCE

1. Hobson, Chris. Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC/ Fixed-Wing Southeast Asia 1961-1973. 2001. ISBN 1-8578-011-56

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