Cessna O-2 Skymaster

The Cessna O-2 Skymaster was a forward air control, observation aircraft, which was used by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. It was developed from the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, which was a private aircraft design. It was a reliable and maneuverable plane flying at low altitudes, and it was also cheap and easy to maintain. In 1967, it was sent to South Vietnam where it would also carry out ground-attack missions; to fulfill that role, it was fitted with four hardpoints for a wide variety of light air-to-ground weaponry. In Southeast Asia, it replaced the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog. The USAF would receive a total of 531 O-2s during the Vietnam War years. In the 1970s, it was also used in action in Rhodesia, Africa, in low-intensity warfare against leftist guerrillas.

The prototype of the Cessna O-2 Skymaster performed its maiden flight on January 27, 1967, and it would be introduced into service with the US Air Force only two months later, on March 28, 1967. Its unusual power arrangement, with both engines on the centerline of the aircraft, made it easier for the pilot to keep control of plane if one engine was lost. Cessna built this military aircraft in two versions: the O-2A, which was designed to be used in forward air control and observation missions; and the O-2B, which was conceived for psychological warfare as it was equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispensers. In observation and forward air control missions, the O-2A flew low and close to targets to identify and indicate position of enemy troops or command post for friendly bombers and artillery units to attack and destroy enemy targets.

Technical Characteristics

The Cessna O-2 Skymaster was a two-seat, twin-twin engine monoplane. Its short, monocoque fuselage was of all-metal construction. The aircraft had straight, high wing, with the trailing edge tapering towards the wing tip. Th wing was mounted with a slight dihedral angle and was supported and reinforced at the root by two lateral struts. The plane had a twin-boom configuration, with twin vertical fin and rudder. It had a comfortable, pressurized cockpit with two seats for pilot and observer. It was powered by two Teledyne Continental IO-360-C/D, air-cooled, piston engines, which were mounted in tandem along the centerline, with one in front of cockpit and the other behind it. The aircraft had retractable, tricycle-type landing gear.

Specifications

Type: observation aircraft

Length: 9 m (29 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Span: 11.58 m (38 feet)

Wing Area: 18.81 m2 (202 square feet)

Height: 2.84 m (9 feet, 4 inches)

Power Plant: two, in-tandem, 210-HP, Teledyne Continental IO-360-C/D, flat-sexi piston engines.

Maximum Speed: 320 km/h (198 mph)

Range: 1,706 km (1,060 miles)

Service Ceiling: 6,000 m (19,800 feet)

Crew: two

Armament: 70-mm marker rockets and light bombs and machine guns.

The Skymaster had two in-tandem piston engines and was equipped with two rocket pods.

View of belly of aircraft as it banks left. Notice the bombs it carries on the four hardpoints.

The O-2 flying over Vietnam in the early 1970s.

Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio

The Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio was a reconnaissance aircraft used by the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) during World War II. Being a reliable and efficient flying machine, this airplane was highly impressive in the pre-war years, attracting significant foreign orders, including 300 from the United Kingdom and 200 from France. It was developed from the Ca.309, featuring retractable landing gear and more powerful engines. In the Mediterranean theater of the war, it would also be used as a light bomber to provide fire support to the Italian Army units in North Africa. Thus, it was one of Italy's most versatile military aircraft of WW II.

The prototype of the Caproni Ca.310 performed its maiden flight on February 20, 1937. It would enter service with the Royal Italian Air Force in March 1938. In July 1938, 16 Libeccio aircraft were sent to Spain to reinforce Francisco Franco's nationalist air force, thus taking part in the Spanish Civil War. In its original version, the Ca.310 flew with the air forces of Norway, Peru, Yugoslavia, and Italy. It was also tested as a transport plane with twin floats. By the outbreak of World War II, it had been developed into a number of improved variants. The Ca.311 had an extensively glazed nose for bomb aiming and reconnaissance. This version would be followed by the Ca.312, which had more powerful Piaggio engines. French and British interests, however, centered on the Ca.313, which also served with Sweden as transport and torpedo-bomber.

Technical Description

The Caproni Ca.310 was a medium-size, twin-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. The airframe consisted of welded steel tubes, while its monocoque fuselage was made of light alloy metal panels. The movable surfaces, like tail elevator and ailerons, were covered with fabric. The Ca.310 was fitted with all-metal low wing, with both leading and trailing edge tapering towards the tip. On the dorsal side of fuselage, there was a turret housing a 7.7-mm machine gun. The aircraft was powered by two Piaggio Stella P.VII C.35 radial piston engines, each one being able to deliver 470 horsepower. All in all, it was a sturdy aircraft that could take a tremendous amount of punishment.

Specifications

Type: reconnaissance/light bomber

Length: 12.2 m (40 feet)

Wing Span: 16.2 m (53 feet, 2 inches)

Wing Area: 38.7 m2 (417 square feet)

Height: 3.52 m (11 feet, 7 inches)

Power Plant: two 470-HP, Piaggio Stella P.VII radial engines

Maximum Speed: 365 km/h (227 mph)

Range: 1,690 km (1,050 miles)

Service Ceiling: 7,000 m (23,000 feet)

Crew: 3

Armament: three 7.7-mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns; 450-kg (1,000-lb) of bombs.

Above, the Ca.310 in 1939. It would see extensive combat service in Mediterranean Theater.

The prototype of the Libeccio in early 1938. As soon as it was approved for service, 16 would be sent to Spain.

The Ca.310 in flight

Curtiss SOC Seagull

The Curtiss SOC Seagull was an American, scout and observation aircraft used by the US Navy during World War II. In this armed conflict, it flew extensively from battleships and cruisers, especially in the Pacific Theater. The pilot and observer were expected to spot targets and direct the big naval guns of the huge warships. Although it was fitted with a long float to land on water, the SOC-2 version was equipped with wheels to take off from runways on land airbases. Being the last of the Curtiss biplane to be used operationally, the Seagull flew combat sorties until 1945, when it was fully replaced by the Vought OS2U Kingfisher, which was a floatplane.

The prototype of the Curtiss SOC Seagull firs flew on April 20, 1934, and it was introduced into service with the US Navy the following year, on November 12, 1945. Except for carrier operations, all SOCs operated with a single float, being launched by a shipboard catapult while at sea. Take-offs were made at full power with flaps full down. Having completed its mission, the pilot landed on water alongside the ship and onto a sort of sea sled, which was called the plane trap that was towed by the ship. Once the plane was firmly secured in this platform, a hook was lowered from the ship deck to lift it off the water and onto the deck, using a crane. Being a biplane, this aircraft was blessed with remarkable agility and, in wheel configuration, it could out-turn many faster monoplanes.

Technical Description

The Curtis SOC Seagull was a two-seat, single-engine biplane adapted for sea operations. It had folding wings that bent backwards. Both the upper and lower plane of wings were fitted with flaps, aside from the ailerons. The fuselage was made of welded steel tubes covered by thin metal sheet and fabric, while the tail structure was made of fabric-covered light metal alloy. The wings were built with aluminum, while both planes were secured by struts and wire. In seaplane configuration, the aircraft was fitted with a single, large, centerline float. A pair of small outrigger floats was fitted to the lower plane of wing to provide stability while on water. The SOC-3 version was powered by one Pratt & Whitney R-1340 piston engine, which delivered 600 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: scout and observation naval biplane

Length: 9.47 m (31 feet, 1 inch)

Wing Span: 10.97 m (36 feet)

Wing Area: 31.77 m2 (328 square feet)

Height: 4.44 m (14 feet, 7 inches)

Power Plant: one 600-HP, Pratt & Whitney R-1340 piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 266 km/h (165 mph)

Range: 1,086 km (673 miles)

Service Ceiling: 4,540 m (14,900 feet)

Crew: two (pilot - observer)

Armament: two 7.62-mm (.30-cal) machine guns; two 147-kg (325-lb) bombs.

Seagulls flying over the Pacific in early 1942.

Above, an SOC-2 variant, in wheel configuration, about to land at a shore station.

Martin P4M Mercator

The Martin P4M Mercator was a maritime patrol and radar-reconnaissance aircraft in service with the US Navy during the Cold War. It was designed from the outset for speed and range, like the Consolidated PB4Y which it replaced. It had a long, thin wing to provide fuel capacity and a long range. Thus, it also resembled the Lockheed P-2 Neptune from the outside, but it was very different on the inside. Production totaled only 21 Mercators, with two prototypes and nineteen maritime and reconnaissance aircraft. During its 10-year career, it flew electronic surveillance missions along the coast of North Korea, China, and Vietnam, flying over the South China Sea. It also carried out information-gathering missions cruising over the Soviet Far East coastal territory in the 1950's. On August 22, 1956, one Mercator was shot down by Chinese fighters during a night radar intelligence mission 32 miles off the Chinese coast.

The Martin P4M prototype, the XP4M-1, performed its maiden flight on September 20, 1946. The flight test phase lasted four years as it was introduced into service in July 1950 as the P4M-1 Mercator. The power plant provision in this aircraft was unique. It had two engines on each side of wing; one piston and one jet engine. These two different types of engines were mounted in tandem, with the piston engine in front and the jet machine behind it, both sharing the same nacelle. This is the reason why, on the outside, it looked like a twin-engine plane, when, actually, the aircraft was powered by four engines. It was the only maritime patrol plane in which a crew member could stand fully erect inside the fuselage. All P4M-1 aircraft would be converted into the P4M-1Q 'Ferret' version, which would be used in the electronic surveillance role.

Above, ventral view of P4M-1Q variant as it flies over.

Technical Description

The Martin P4M Mercator was a four-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It was fitted with cantilever, high wing, with a straight leading edge and a trailing edge that tapered toward the distal portion of wing, whose outer panel had a slight dihedral angle. Its long fuselage was strong and heavy. The fore fuselage section consisted of the nose gun turret, the bomber navigator's station, the cockpit, and, behind it, the radar operator station. The aft fuselage portion, on the other hand, comprised the food galley, the power-operated deck turret, camera station, and the power-operated tail turret.

The Mercator was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-4360-20 reciprocating piston engine, and two Allison J33-A-10A jet engines. Each of the piston engine was rated at 3,250 horsepower, while the jet engines generated 4,600 pounds of thrust each. The P4M was equipped with strong retractable landing gear, with the main wheel folding up outwardly into the outer wing panel and the front wheel retracting into the nose fuselage.

Specifications

Type: maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft

Length: 25.60 m (198 feet)

Wing Span: 34.75 m(114 feet)

Wing Area: 121.79 m2 (1,310 square feet)

Height: 7.95 m (26 feet)

Power Plant: two Pratt & Whitney R-4360-20A Wasp Major piston engines; two Allison J33-A-10A jet engines.

Maximum Speed: 660 km/h (409 mph)

Range: 4,570 km (2,833 miles)

Service Ceiling: 7,666 m (25,145 feet)

Armament: four 20-mm guns, set up in the nose twin turret and in the tail twin turret; four 12.7-mm (.50-cal) machine guns.

The third production P4M-1 in flight

A Mercator banks as it turns to port.

Above, the P4M-1Q variant for surveillance/reconnaissance missions.

The cockpit and instrument panel of the Mercator.

Rockwell OV-10 Bronco

The Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was a forward air control aircraft, which was designed and manufactured during the Cold War for the US Air Force and Navy. It was also used as a light ground-attack aircraft in counter-insurgency operations. It saw combat action during the Vietnam War, in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and in Iraq and Syria flying ground-attack sorties. All in all, the OV-10 was a maneuverable and reliable combat plane, which performed satisfactorily both in observation and combat missions. Forward air control is a demanding mission, in which pilots must call in strikes while they are exposed to gun fire.

The prototype of the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco first flew on July 16, 1965. It would be introduced into service with the US Air Force on October 20, 1969, and with the US Navy in early 1970. A total of 360 OV-10 aircraft would be produced in four main versions; OV-10A, OV-10B, OV-10C, and OV-10D, with the last variant being built for the US Marine Corps and used as a night observation plane. The OV-10B was employed by the German Air Force. Thailand and Colombia also bought this aircraft. After several decades of soldiering, seeing combat action from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf, the Bronco is no longer seeing in military service, except perhaps in Latin America. Up until ten years ago, you could still see it in Montana working for the US Forest Service, or in Virginia, flying law enforcement missions.

Technical Description

The Rockwell OV-10 Bronco was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane, with an all-metal, twin-boom fuselage. It was fitted with straight, shoulder-wing. The tailplane was a fixed incident unit, with an inset elevator, which provided excellent control at low speeds. The broad straight wing also gave the aircraft great low speed handling and short take-off capability. The cockpit was spacious, with a bulged canopy, which provided the pilot with excellent view. The Bronco was powered by two Garrett T76-G-420/421 turboprop engines, each of which delivering 715 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: forward air control/observation and ground-attack aircraft.

Length: 13.41 m (42 feet)

Wing Span: 12.67 m (40 feet)

Wing Area: 27 m2 (291 square feet)

Height: 4.62 m (15 feet)

Power Plant: two 715-HP, Garret T76-G-420 turboprop engines.

Maximum Speed: 452 km/h (280 mph)

Range: 2,300 km (1,426 miles)

Service Ceiling: 7,315 m (24,000 feet)

Crew: two

Armament: one 20-mm, three-barrel M197 cannon. Rocket pods for 127-mm rockets.

A US Navy's OV-10 in flight.

A US Air Force's Bronco flying over Vietnam.

The Rockwell OV-10 observation and attack aircraft in action (video)

Messerschmitt Me 261

The Messerschmitt Me 261 was a German long-range reconnaissance aircraft. Although it never entered the mass production phase, one of its prototype did undertake several long-range reconnaissance missions over Soviet territory. Indeed, the V3, which was the third prototype to be built, entered service with the Aufklärungsgruppe des Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe, carrying out more than 20 sorties from 1943 to early 1945.

Technical Description

The Messerschmitt Me 261 ¨Adolfine¨ had been designed in 1937 under the project P-1064. Based on this design, they built the first prototype, the V1, in 1939. It was a two-engine, mid-wing monoplane, with a huge wing span. Although it was of conventional construction, the wing was sealed in such a way to form an integral fuel tank, which at the time was a novel feature in aviation. The narrow, all-metal fuselage housed two pilots seated side by side, and a radio operator behind them in the forward compartment, while the flight engineer and navigator sat in the rear compartment.

The prototype of the Me 261 was powered by two Daimler-Benz 606A-1/B-1, 24-cylinder, piston engines, each of which being able to deliver 3,100 horsepower. They had large radiator intakes, which were mounted under the wing outboard of each nacelle. Actually, the DB 606A-1 was a coupled engine, which means it was made up of two Daimler-Benz 601 engines mounted tightly side-by-side into one, driving a four-blade propeller through a common gearbox. The landing gear retracted rearward into the nacelles, rotating through 90° to lie flat.

The construction of three prototypes was authorized in early 1939, the first of which, the V1, made its maiden flight on December 23, 1940. Meanwhile, the V2 flew for the first time in the Spring of 1941. The V2 differed from the first prototype by featuring smoother rear fuselage contour and the stepped glazed portion was replaced by a smaller glazed blister. The first two prototypes would be used for calibration work and they would later be damaged by Allied bombing, while the third one, the V3 was delivered to a Luftwaffe's squadron unit to carry out reconnaissance sorties.

Specifications

Type: ultra-long-range reconnaissance aircraft.

Length: 16.68 m (54 feet, 8 inches)

Wing Span: 26.87 m (88 feet, 2 inches)

Height: 4.72 m (15 feet, 6 inches)

Power Plant: two 3,100-HP, Daimler-Benz 606A-1, 24-cylinder piston engines.

Maximum Speed: 620 km/h (385 mph)

Range: 11,025 km (6,850 miles)

Service Ceiling: 8,260 m (27,100 feet)

Crew: 4

Below, the Messerschmitt Me 261, V2, in the Summer of 1944.

A drawing of the first prototype, the V1.

Junkers Ju 290

The Junkers Ju 290 was a long-range, maritime patrol aircraft, which was used by Germany during World War II. It rendered an excellent service to the Luftwaffe at a time when the force capacity was stretched to the limit. It was also employed as a transport and missile launcher aircraft, being the flying platform for the Fritz X missile. It was the first German military plane to be fitted with the Hohentwiel radar.

The Junkers Ju 290 was developed from the Lufthansa´s commercial airliner Ju 90, which in turn used the wings of the Ju 89 bomber. The prototype Ju-290-V1 made its maiden flight on July 16, 1942; it was in fact the Ju 90-B1 model, which had been modified. It would enter service with the Luftwaffe on August 20, 1942, with the designation Ju 290A-0, the first version. The 290A-2 and A-5 were maritime reconnaissance variants and they were the most widely used, while the A-1 was a transport aircraft and the A-7 was a bomber, specially designed to launch the Fritz X missile.

Technical Description

The Junkers Ju 290 was a four-engine, large monoplane built with an all-metal fuselage. It was fitted with straight, cantilever, low wing. Both the leading and trailing edge of wing inner portion were straight, but they both tapered towards the tip on the outer portion, which had 7 degree dihedral angle. The 290A-5 version was powered by four BMW 801D, 14-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engines, each one being able to deliver 1,700 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: long-range, maritime reconnaissance/transport aircraft.

Length: 28.64 m (93 feet, 11 inches)

Wing Span: 42 m (137 feet, 8 inches)

Wing Area: 203.6 m2 (2,213 square feet)

Height: 6.83 m (22 feet, 5 inches)

Power Plant: four 1,700-HP, BMW 801D, 14-cyl., air-cooled, radial engines.

Maximum Speed: 440 km/h (273 mph)

Range: 6,150 km (3,813 miles)

Service Ceiling: 6,000 m (19,700 feet)

Crew: 9

Armament: two 20-mm, MG-151 cannons mounted on dorsal turrets; one 13-mm machine gun set up in tail.

Below, ventral view of the prototype Ju 290 V1 in flight.

The Ju 290A-5 version flying over Tunisia in 1943.

Below, the Ju 290A-7 variant in 1944.

The Junkers Ju-90 Lufthansa airliner, from which the 290 was developed.

North American RA-5C Vigilante

The North American RA-5C Vigilante was a long-range, carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft used by the US Navy during the Cold War years. It was developed from the A-5 Vigilante strategic bomber, which had entered service in June 1961. The conversion into the RA-5C from the A-5B version of the bomber took place in 1963, with the US Navy receiving a first batch of eighteen reconnaissance aircraft in December that year. In this role, it began flying sorties over North Vietnam in 1967.

During the Vietnam War, the North American RA-5C was the eye and ear of the US Navy. It took off from the American carriers sailing in the Gulf of Tonkin to fly intelligence-gathering sorties over North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. To carry out the task of collecting information, the aircraft was fitted with a special reconnaissance equipment, which included frame and panoramic cameras, side-looking airborne radar (SLAR), and a compliment of electronic countermeasures equipment, which was fully capable of dealing with advanced electronic warfare scenarios. This equipment was located in a specially-designed ventral canoe (on the belly of aircraft), and it was precisely this feature which differentiated the reconnaissance from the original bomber model.

The RA-5C Vigilante proved to be remarkable successful in its reconnaissance role as the Navy had no other available aircraft at that moment to fly these types of sorties. One of the advantages it had was its supersonic speed, as it flew at the constant speed of Mach 1.3, with afterburner, at high altitudes. It also had good handling characteristics flying at low altitudes. The RVAH-5 was the first squadron to be equipped with this aircraft. In all, 156 RA-5Cs were built and they were retired from active service in 1979. The word 'vigilante' is Spanish and it means 'watchful' or 'alert'.

Below, the efficient reconnaissance aircraft about to take off from the flight deck of USS Constallation (CVA-64).

Technical Description

The North American RA-5C was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It was a reconnaissance platform of the A-5 attack bomber. Like the original combat version, it had shoulder-mounted, swept wing, which was made of aluminum-lithium alloy. The tail assembly consisted of movable horizontal stabilizers, which acted as elevators and a single-piece slab-type vertical stabilizer (fin). The aircraft was powered by two General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojet engines, each of which could develop 16,500 pounds of thrust.

Photographic Equipment and Avionics

The aerial photographic systems installed in the North American RA-5C Vigilante endowed the aircraft with a capability of obtaining day and night high-resolution aerial photographs over a broad range of altitudes, speed, and atmospheric conditions. Thus, it was fitted with one forward oblique KA-51A or KA-51B, with a 6-inch focal length, serial frame (S/F) camera, as well as with one azimuth/vertical (Az/V) S/F camera. These cameras were controlled from a control panel in the systems operator/navigator compartment, which was located behind the pilot seat. High-altitude photography required cameras with longer focal lengths and higher-resolution lenses to maintain a scale that would provide a sufficient image size to produce enough resolution for detailed study.

The RA-5C was also equipped with one Westinghouse side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) system, which was designated AN/APD-7. It also had an AN/AAS-21 infrared detector set, which was referred to as the IR mapping system, which detected, recorded, and photographed surface infrared (heat) radiation. The aircraft was also fitted with a passive electronic countermeasures system designated AN/ALQ-61.

Specifications

Type: long-range reconnaissance

Length: 23.32 m (76 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Span: 16.15 m (53 feet)

Height: 5.91 m (19 feet, 5 inches)

Power Plant: two General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojet engines

Maximum Speed: Mach 2.1

Range: 4,800 km (2,983 miles)

Service Ceiling: 19,500 m (63,976 feet)

Crew: two

Below, the second RA-5C aircraft, BuNo 150824, flying over the USA's territory in 1963.

A watchful Vigilante in flight as it is about to bank left, showing its underside, which features the underbelly canoe containing the photographic and sensor equipment.

Below, the aircraft, with BuNo 150823, during low-speed flight, with leading and trailing edge flaps and landing gear extended. You can notice it carries four external tanks, for extra range (3,500 miles).

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog

The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog was an observation aircraft in service with the US Army during the Cold War. It was extensively used in the Korean and the Vietnam War as a liaison, observation, even ground-attack and light cargo plane to supply isolated American Special Forces troops who were deep in the jungle of Southeast Asia. Originally known as the L-19, it was developed from the Cessna 170 of the 1940s. It would enjoy a long and successful career both with the Army and US Air Force. It was also used by the French and other European and Latin American armies.

The O-1 Bird Dog had been designed in 1949 by the Cessna Engineering Department, using the wings from the Model 170 and the tail assembly from the Model 195. The prototype, Model 305, first flew on December 14, 1949, beginning the flight test period. It was powered by one Continental E-190, six-cylinder piston engine, which delivered 213 horsepower and drove a metal, two-bladed, McCauley propeller. The excellent power to weight ratio of the Continental power plant allowed the prototype to have a high cruising speed yet retain enough power reserves for emergencies. On May 29, 1950, the US Army granted Cessna the production contract, ordering a first batch of 418 aircraft, which entered service under the designation L-19. That year, on June 25, the Korean War would break out, and the Army would use it right away.

The Cessna L-19 Bird Dog would go on to be built in five different models and became known under two different designations; in the US Army service it was known as the L-19, and as the OE-1 by the US Navy/Marine Corps. However, the Department of Defense would later standardize aircraft designations and all Bird Dogs were redesignated O-1 regardless of service. This versatile aircraft produced a number of 'firsts'. It was the first all-metal, high-wing aircraft in service with Army Aviation; the first turboprop light aircraft to fly over 35,000 feet (experimental); and the first military aircraft built by Cessna to the US Army, which would eventually accept a total of 3,105 L-19s.

Below, the first production L-19A (O-1A), No 14829, parked on an airfield.

Technical Characteristics

The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog was a two-seat, single-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It had a high-wing configuration. Wings were propped up by two oblique struts attached to the plane airframe. The fuselage assembly was of semi-monocoque riveted metal construction, employing aluminum alloy bulkheads and stringers, as well as an aluminum alclad skin covering. Using aluminum for its construction made this versatile military plane both a rugged and a light aircraft at the same time.

The Bird Dog was fitted with a conventional, fixed landing gear, with two main wheels anchored to the belly of the fore portion of airframe/fuselage, and a small tail wheel. However, many aircraft were equipped with reinforced tandem landing gear, with four front wheels, to land on rough unprepared terrain during special operations. The cockpit had two side-by-side seats, plus two passanger seats behind. The cockpit also had a canopy which allowed an all-around vision capability. It was powered by one Continental O-470-11 air-cooled piston engine, which produced 213 HP.

Specifications (O-1E)

Type: light observation/liaison aircraft

Length: 7.85 m (25 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Span: 10.97 m (35 feet)

Wing Area: 16.16 m2 (170 square fee)

Height: 2.22 m (7 feet, 3 inches)

Power Plant: one 213-HP, Continental O-470, six-cylinder, piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 205 km/h (146 mph)

Range: 853 km (530 miles)

Service Ceiling: 5,640 m (18,500 feet)

Armament: four target marking rockets

Crew: two.

Below, the Bird Dog flies over the jungle of Vietnam.

An L-19A makes a low pass to snatch the line stretched out on the ground by two soldiers during an aerial message pick-up. Aerial message deliveries were made in areas where radio silence was enforced.

Below, an O-1 Bird Dog in service with the French Army (Armée de Terre).

The L-19B (O-1B) in flight over Kansas in the 1950s.

Below, six O-1s perform a formation aerial re-supply drop to ground troops.

A L-19A with a special tandem landing gear, which allowed operations from unprepared landing strips.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was a long-range, supersonic spy plane, which was in service with the US Air Force from 1966 to 1989. During the Cold War, it flew hundreds of sorties in the skies over Vietnam, Cambodia, North Korea, China, Cuba, and Siberia, with an average of one flight per week. It was equipped with a long-range radar, infrared search sensors, an infrared tracking system, and an Itek 102A 910-1,220-mm reconnaissance camera.

The SR-71's main feature was its speed as it could fly at Mach 3+ at high altitude. It also had a very small radar cross-section design and radar counter-measures to provide it with stealth characteristics and to avoid being detected. The only Soviet combat aircraft which posed a real threat to the Blackbird were the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat and the MiG-31 Foxhound, both of which could reach speeds of Mach 2.9 at high altitudes and were fitted with powerful long-range radars and air-to-air missiles.

The prototype of the SR-71 Blackbird, the YF-12A (No. 06937), made its maiden flight on December 22, 1964. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D-20) turbojet engines, with afterburner. After more than a year of flight tests, it was introduced into service with the US Air Force in January 1966 and it was assigned to the 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing based in California. A total of 32 aircraft would be produced by Lockheed in the SR-71A, SR-71B, and SR-71C versions.

For more than two decades, the Blackbird was a top-secret aircraft, which had been designed to replace the Lockheed U-2; this spy plane had been shot down by Soviet SAMs in 1960 while it flew a secret sortie over Soviet territory. This U-2 was flown by Francis Gary Powers, who was taken prisoner and exposed to the international press in Moscow. It was a great scandal for president Dwight Eisenhower.

Below, photograph of the Blackbird in flight about to plug into a KC-135Q tanker aircraft.

Technical Description

The Lockheed SR-71 was a two-seat, twin-engine high-tech aircraft. The design configuration of this advanced plane consisted of a very long tailless fuselage, which was made of titanium alloy, and broad delta wing. The wing was mounted on rear portion of fuselage. It was equipped with two vertical fins and rudders, which were set up on top of each of engine nacelles. The front section of fuselage was fitted with blended forward wing, which was called 'chine'. The chine acted as a fixed canard that provided stability and decreased drag.

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was made of titanium alloy to withstand the kinetic heating of prolonged Mach 3 cruise speed. Most of the fuselage and wing internal volume was taken up by fuel tanks. To endow it with stealth capability, the SR-71 was painted overall in a black radar-absorbent paint, which contained microscopic ferrous balls, with markings kept to the minimum. The cockpit had two seats arranged in tandem. Both pilot and reconnaissance system officer wore pressurized suits as they breathed pure oxygen for about half an hour before take-off to eliminate the nitrogen in their bloodstream to avoid decompression sickness.

Specifications

Type: long-range, strategic, reconnaissance aircraft.

Length: 32.74 m (107 feet, 5 inches)

Wing Span: 16.95 m (55 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Area: 167.23 m2 (1,800 square feet)

Height: 5.64 m (18 feet, 6 inches)

Power Plant: two 32,528-lb-thrust, Pratt & Whitney J58-1 afterburning turboramjet engines.

Maximum Speed: Mach 3.3

Range: 5,230 km (3,250 miles)

Service Ceiling: 25,900 m (84,974 feet)

Below, the prototype of the Blackbird, the YF-12A in 1964.

The SR-71B version on runway ready for take-off.

Below, the SR-71B variant in flight around 1982.

Grumman OV-1 Mohawk

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was an American reconnaissance and liaison aircraft used by the US Army during the Vietnam War. However, in this armed conflict, this reliable airplane flew also ground-attack missions as it had underwing pylons to carry rockets and bombs. Although it was relatively slow, it was a light and very maneuverable aircraft. It was the first turboprop-powered airplane to enter the US Army inventory.

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk had been designed in 1957 in answer to an US Army's requirement, which called for an aircraft that was capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) from rough airfields. This new plane also had to be able to carry observation equipment of different characteristics. The prototype, the YOV-1A, made its maiden flight on April 14, 1959, and it was introduced into US Army service in October 1959 as the OV-1A. The original company designation of this aircraft was G-134.

Below, the YOV-1A prototype in flight during tests.

Technical Characteristics

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane. It was fitted with straight, cantilever mid-wing, with full-span leading-edge slats and large trailing-edge flaps. The tailplane assembly was composed of a swept-back horizontal stabilizer, with a 25 degrees sweepback, and triple fin, with three rudders.

The Mohawk had an all-metal fuselage, which was equipped with two airbrakes, one on each side of tail fuselage. The cockpit was large and comfortable, with the pilot and observer seated side by side. The OV-1A variant was fitted with cameras for photo reconnaissance, while the OV-1B version was equipped for radar reconnaissance, using a sideways-looking airborne radar. The OV-1C had a camera and infrared sensors, while the OV-1D combined the equipment of all the earlier versions.

Specifications (OV-1D)

Type: two-seat reconnaissance and liaison aircraft

Length: 12.50 m (41 feet)

Wing Span: 14.63 m (48 feet)

Wing Area: 33.45 m2 (360 square feet)

Height: 3.86 m (12 feet, 8 inches)

Power Plant: two Textron Lycoming T53-L-15 turboprop engines, each one delivering 1,100 horsepower.

Maximum Speed: 507 km/h (315 mph)

Range: 1,642 km (1,020 miles)

Rate of Climb: 716 m/min (2,350 feet per minute)

Armament: rockets; bombs

Crew: 2

Below, the US Army Mohawk flying over California.

The OV-1C in flight over the West Coast.

Below, the OV-1B on a military base in Vietnam in 1966. The pod under the fuselage houses a side-looking radar.

Blackburn Blackburn

The Blackburn Blackburn was a British deck-landing reconnaissance aircraft of the 1920s. It was in service with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm between 1923 and 1931. Designed by Major F. A. Bumpus, its first prototype, No150, first took to the air in May 1922. This would be followed by other two prototypes, with mass production beginning after several months of flight tests. A total of 44 aircraft were produced in three variants; Blackburn Mk I, Mk II, and a trainer version.

Technical Descriptions

The Blackburn Blackburn was a single-engine, two-bay biplane. The fuselage consisted of a metal airframe and fabric-covered wood. It was strengthened centrally with additional struts for deck-landing. It was fitted with folding wings and it was powered by a Napier Lion IIB, 12-cylinder, water-cooled piston engine, which generated 450 horsepower. The Mk II version was equipped with a Napier Lion V, which delivered 465 HP. The engine was arranged as a detachable power unit.

The basic structure of the Blackburn was almost identical to that of the Blackburn Dart; this reason for this was to simplify the Fleet Air Arm spares holding. Thus, it was built up with length of steel tubes fitted into joint-clusters. The center fuselage unit formed the nucleus, to which a number of sub-assemblies were bolted to form a complete airplane. Thus, the mainplanes, tail unit, and all control surfaces, except for the rudder, were interchangeable with those of the Dart.

Specifications

Type: reconnaissance, carrier-borne biplane

Length: 11 m (36 ft, 2 in)

Wing Span: 13.87 m (45 ft, 6 in)

Wing Area: 60 m2 (650 sq. ft)

Height: 3.81 m (12 ft, 6 in)

Power Plant: one 450-HP, Napier Lion IIB, 12-cylinder piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 196 km/h (122 mph)

Range: 380 miles

Ceiling: 3,950 m (12,900 ft)

Armament: two 7.7mm (.303) Lewis guns.

Crew: 3

Below a 1925 photo of the Blackburn Blackburn Mk II in flight, showing the raised center section and the simplified landing gear.

A 1922 photo of the first prototype Blackburn, No150, which would soon become the Mk I version.

Below, the Mk II trainer, No 8589, in 1926.