The Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog is a
liaison and observation aircraft. It was the first all-metal fixed-wing
aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...
ordered for and by the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
following the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
' separation from it in 1947. The Bird Dog had a lengthy career in the U.S. military, as well as in other countries.
Design and development
The U.S. Army was searching for an aircraft that could adjust
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
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
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
(primarily
Stinson and
Piper products) had short service lives. After the specification for a two-seat liaison and observation monoplane was issued the
Cessna Aircraft Company submitted the Cessna Model 305A, a development of the
Cessna 170
The Cessna 170 is an American light, single-engined, general aviation aircraft produced by the Cessna Aircraft Company between 1948 and 1956.
It is the predecessor of the Cessna 172, the most produced aircraft in history, which replaced ...
. The Cessna 305A was a single-engine, 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 (the largest tandem-seat aircraft Cessna ever produced), with angled side windows to improve ground observation. Other differences included a redesigned rear fuselage, providing a view directly to the rear (a feature later dubbed "Omni-View", carried over to Cessna single-engine aircraft after 1964), and transparent panels in the wings' center-section over the cockpit (similar to those found on the
Cessna 140
The Cessna 120, 140, and 140A, are single-engine, two-seat, conventional landing gear (tailwheel), light general aviation aircraft that were first produced in 1946, immediately following the end of World War II. Production ended in 1951, and ...
and the later
Cessna 150 ''Aerobat'' model), which allowed the pilot to look directly overhead. A wider door was fitted to allow a stretcher to be loaded.
The U.S. Army awarded a contract to Cessna for 418 of the aircraft, which was designated the L-19A Bird Dog. The prototype Cessna 305 (registration N41694) first flew on 14 December 1949, and it now resides in the
Spirit of Flight Center in Erie, Colorado. Deliveries began in December 1950, and the aircraft were soon in use fighting their first war in Korea from 1950 through 1953. An instrument trainer variant was developed in 1953, later versions had
constant speed propellers, and the final version, the L-19E, had a larger gross weight. Cessna produced 3,431 aircraft; it was also built under license by
Fuji in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
The L-19 received the name Bird Dog as a result of a contest held with
Cessna
Cessna () is an American brand of general aviation aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of the Cessna Aircraft Company, an American general aviation aircraft manufacturing c ...
employees to name the aircraft. The winning entry, submitted by Jack A. Swayze, an industrial photographer, was selected by a U.S. Army board. The name was chosen because the role of the army's new aircraft was to find the enemy and orbit overhead until artillery (or attack aircraft) could be brought to bear on the enemy. While flying low and close to the battlefield, the pilot would observe the exploding shells and adjust the fire via his radios, in the manner of a bird dog (
gun dog) used by game
hunters.
Operational history
Military service
The
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
(DOD) ordered 3,200 L-19s that were built between 1950 and 1959, entering both the U.S. Army and
U.S. Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through comb ...
inventories,
initially designated as the OE-1 in the Marine Corps. The aircraft were used in various utility roles such as artillery spotting, front-line communications,
medevac, and training.
In 1962, the Army L-19 and Marine Corps OE-1 were
redesignated as the O-1 Bird Dog and entered the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. During the early 1960s, the Bird Dog was flown by the
Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF), U.S. Army, and U.S. Marines in South Vietnam and later by clandestine forward air controllers (e.g.,
Ravens) in Laos and Cambodia. Because of its short takeoff and landing (STOL) and low altitude/low airspeed capabilities, the O-1 also later found its way into
U.S. Air Force service as a
Forward Air Controller (FAC) aircraft for vectoring faster fighter and attack aircraft and supporting combat search-and-rescue operations recovering downed aircrews.
During the Vietnam War, the Bird Dog was used primarily for reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment, radio relay, convoy escort, and the forward air control of tactical aircraft, including bombers operating in a tactical role.
Supplementing the O-1, then gradually replacing it, the USAF switched to the
Cessna O-2 Skymaster and
North American OV-10 Bronco
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a f ...
, while the U.S. Marine Corps took delivery of the OV-10 to replace their aging O-1s. Both were faster twin-engine aircraft, with the OV-10 being a
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
aircraft. Still, the U.S. Army retained the Bird Dog throughout the war with up to 11 Reconnaissance Airplane Companies (RACs) deployed to cover all of South Vietnam, the
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was a demilitarized zone established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam from July 1954 to 1976 as a result of the First Indochina War. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975) it became important as t ...
(DMZ), and the southern edge of North Vietnam. Its quieter noise footprint, lower speed, tighter maneuverability, short runway ability, and better visibility (even to the rear) kept it highly valued by the ground units it supported and highly feared by enemy units it flew over. The last U.S. Army O-1 Bird Dog was officially retired in 1974.
![Army L-19 FAC 1968](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Army_L-19_FAC_1968.jpg)
During the Vietnam War, 469 O-1 Bird Dogs were lost to all causes. The USAF lost 178, the USMC lost 7, and 284 were lost from the U.S. Army, RVNAF, and clandestine operators. Three Bird Dogs were lost to enemy hand-held surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).
Two O-1 Bird Dogs were loaned to the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
's
161 Reconnaissance Flight operating out of
Nui Dat in
Phuoc Tuy Province. One was lost to ground fire in May 1968, killing 161's commanding officer. Another Bird Dog was built by this unit's maintenance crew, using aircraft sections salvaged from dumps around Vietnam. It was test-flown and later smuggled back to Australia in pieces, contained in crates marked as "aircraft spares". This aircraft now resides in the Museum of Army Flying at the Army Aviation Center at
Oakey
Oakey is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. The Museum of Army Aviation is located at Oakey Airport.
Geography
The town is situated on the eastern side of the Darling Downs and the Toowoomba Region lo ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.
As the USAF phased out the O-1 in favor of the O-2 and OV-10, many O-1s in the United States were sold as surplus. During the 1970s and 1980s,
Ector Aircraft Ector can refer to:
* A variation of the name Hector
* Ector, a city in Fannin County, Texas
* Ector County, Texas
* Sir Ector
Sir Ector , sometimes Hector, Antor, or Ectorius, is the father of Sir Kay and the adoptive father of King Arthur ...
remanufactured many as the Ector Mountaineer with their original powerplants and as the Ector Super Mountaineer with the
Lycoming O-540-A4B5.
Civil Air Patrol service
In the early 1970s, as the
O-2 Skymaster and
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forw ...
replaced the O-1 in frontline USAF service, several former USAF O-1s were turned over to the USAF's civilian auxiliary, the
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
(CAP), for duties such as aerial search in support of domestic search and rescue (SAR) operations. However, since very few CAP pilots had prior training and experience as professional military aviators and/or significant experience with tailwheel aircraft, many CAP O-1 aircraft were damaged in ground loops and other takeoff, landing, or taxiing mishaps.
To reduce both risk and repair costs, the USAF directed CAP that all O-1 aircraft in CAP service be eventually replaced for safety reasons by single-engine tricycle-gear civilian Cessnas common to general aviation, primarily
Cessna 172
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company. and
Cessna 182 aircraft. The only O-1 remaining in the CAP inventory is a permanent static display aircraft on a pylon in front of CAP Headquarters at
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama.
Civilian use
Many former USAF and former CAP O-1 and L-19 aircraft were sold to private owners as recreational aircraft. In contrast, others went to museums where they are usually displayed in their military combat markings. Others found their way to
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...
clubs in the U.S. as a reliable and robust vehicle to tow gliders into the air. As with most aircraft used for glider towing, the aircraft has also been outfitted with mirrors mounted to the struts.
In Canada, the
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
The Royal Canadian Air Cadets (french: Cadets de l'Aviation royale du Canada) is a Canadian national youth program for young individuals aged 12 to 18. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, the program is administered by the Canadian F ...
use former CAF L-19 aircraft equipped with a towing rig to tow their
Schweizer 2-33A gliders for the Air Cadet gliding program. These particular L-19 variants are used in the Atlantic, Eastern, and Pacific regions. They have been modified for noise reduction using a smaller-diameter, four-blade Hoffman composite propeller in all regions except the Pacific Region and exhaust modification. The fuel delivery system has also been modified from the original design, placing the fuel selector valve closer to the pilot. The L-19/O-1 is a popular warbird with private pilots.
In the U.S., the Franconia Soaring Association in Franconia, N.H., uses an O-1, tail number N4796G, to tow its gliders, including Schweizer SGS 1-26 gliders and Grob G103 Twin Astir and Pilatus B4-PC11 sailplanes, as of July 2012.
As of June 2009, more than 330 were registered with the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
. Others are owned and operated outside the U.S. by individuals and flying organizations.
Notable flights
![Major Buang lands his Cessna O-1 on USS Midway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Major_Buang_lands_his_Cessna_O-1_on_USS_Midway.jpg)
American television personality and actor
Ed McMahon was a Marine Corps aviator who piloted an O-1E during the Korean War, flying 85 combat missions and earning six
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Criteria
The Air Medal was establish ...
s in 1953.
Captain Sidney Harrison, U.S. Army, a decorated veteran of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, crashed his Cessna O-1 on a flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, in 1952. The wreckage is still in the woods above Palmer Lake, Colorado, and can be reached by an hike.
Captain
Hilliard A. Wilbanks
Hilliard Almond Wilbanks (July 26, 1933 – February 24, 1967) was a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He Posthumous recognition, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life on F ...
, USAF,
posthumously
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death
* ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987
* ''Posthumous'' (E ...
received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for sacrificing his life on February 24, 1967, while supporting an
ARVN Ranger Battalion at
Di Linh
Di Linh is a township (''thị trấn'') and capital of Di Linh District, Lâm Đồng Province, Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at ...
, near
Da Lat
Da Lat (also written as Dalat, vi, Đà Lạt; ), is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province and the largest city of the Central Highlands region in Vietnam. The city is located above sea level on the Langbian Plateau. Da Lat is one of the mos ...
,
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
. After knowing their ambush had been compromised and fighter support would soon come, the Viet Cong charged into the Rangers. Trying to slow them down, Wilbanks shot the rest of his phosphorus rockets at the enemy. After he ran out of rockets, he strafed the enemy troops using his
M16 rifle
The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...
and fired from the side window of the plane. After the third pass, he was wounded and crashed. He died while being evacuated to a hospital using a helicopter.
On 29 April 1975, the day before the
fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War, Republic of Vietnam Air Force Major Buang-Ly loaded his wife and five children into a two-seat Cessna O-1 Bird Dog and took off from
Con Son Island. After evading enemy ground fire, Major Buang-Ly headed out to sea and spotted the aircraft carrier . With only an hour of fuel remaining, he dropped a note asking that the deck be cleared so he could land.
Knowing there was no room for this to happen, ''Midways commanding officer, Captain (later Rear Admiral)
Lawrence Chambers
Lawrence Cleveland "Larry" Chambers (born June 10, 1929) is the first African American to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and the first African-American graduate of the Naval Academy to reach flag rank.[Bell UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...]
("Huey") helicopters to be pushed overboard into the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
. The Bird Dog that Major Buang-Ly landed aboard ''Midway'' is now on display at the
National Naval Aviation Museum at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. A similar aircraft was restored in the markings of the aircraft flown by Major Buang-Ly for an exhibit at the
USS ''Midway'' Museum in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
.
Variants
![R](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/R.O.C_Marine_Corps_OE-1_observation_aircraft.jpg)
;L-19A (Cessna 305A)
:Initial production version for
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
with
Continental O-470-11, redesignated O-1A in 1962.
[Harding 1990, pp. 77, 80] 2,486 built
;L-19-IT
:L-19A converted to instrument trained. 66 converted.
[Harding 1990, p. 77]
;TL-19A
:L-19As converted to dual control trainers, redesignated TO-1A in 1962.
;XL-19B
:L-19A with a
Boeing XT-50-BO-1 turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
engine, one built.
[Harding 1990, p. 78]
;XL-19C
:L-19A with a
Continental CAE XT51-T-1 turboprop engine, two built.
;TL-19D (Cessna 305B)
:Instrument trainer with dual controls and powered by Continental O-470-15, redesignated TO-1D in 1962. 310 built.
;L-19E (Cessna 305C)
:Improved version with strengthened airframe and powered by Continental O-470-15, became O-1E in 1962.
[Harding 1990, pp. 78, 80] 469 built
;OE-1
:60 L-19As delivered to the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
, redesignated O-1B in 1962
;OE-2 (Cessna 321)
:Redesigned version of the OE-1 with Cessna 180 wings and modified fuselage, became O-1C in 1962, 27 built
;O-1A
:L-19A redesignated in 1962
;TO-1A
:Redesignation of TL-19A
[Adcock 1988, p. 7]
;O-1B
:OE-1 redesignated in 1962.
;O-1C
:OE-2 redesignated in 1962
;O-1D
:A number of TO-1Ds converted for forward air controller duties with the
USAF.
;TO-1D
:TL-19D redesignated in 1962.
;O-1E
:L-19E redesignated in 1962.
;O-1F (Cessna 305E)
:Forward Air Controller conversions of the O-1D for the USAF
;O-1G (Cessna 305D)
:Forward Air Controller conversions of the O-1A for the USAF
;CO-119
;
SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019
The SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019 is an Italian STOL liaison monoplane built by SIAI-Marchetti for the Italian Army. It is a turboprop-powered derivative of the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog.
Development
To meet an Italian Army requirement for a short take-of ...
:Turboprop variant for the Italian Army
;Cessna 325
:Agricultural variant of the Model 305 with spraybars and a hopper in an enclosed rear cockpit, four built
Operators
![A Forward Air Controller O1-E Bird Dog aircraft is shown here in reconnaissance role near a Special Forces Camp in the Republic of Vietnam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/A_Forward_Air_Controller_O1-E_Bird_Dog_aircraft_is_shown_here_in_reconnaissance_role_near_a_Special_Forces_Camp_in_the_Republic_of_Vietnam.jpg)
;
*
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
– 161 Recce Flight operated 2 aircraft during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. One was shot down on 23 May 1968, killing the flight's OC, Major George Constable. The aircraft was replaced and continued in service until 161 withdrew from Vietnam. A second plane, Bunny 2, was assembled from pieces scrounged by unit members, flown then disassembled and smuggled back to Australia as "spare parts" where it was assembled and flown.
;
*
Austrian Air Force
The Austrian Air Force (german: Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, , Austrian Air Combat Force) is a component part of the Austrian Armed Forces.
History
The Austrian Air Force in its current form was created in May 1955 by the victorious Al ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 169.]
;
*
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
;
*
Khmer Air Force
The Khmer Air Force (french: Armée de l'air khmère; AAK), commonly known by its americanized acronym KAF (or KhAF) was the air force component of the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK), the official military of the Khmer Republic during the Cam ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 171.]
;
*
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
*
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
*
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
The Royal Canadian Air Cadets (french: Cadets de l'Aviation royale du Canada) is a Canadian national youth program for young individuals aged 12 to 18. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, the program is administered by the Canadian F ...
;
*
Chilean Air Force
;
*
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 174.]
;
*
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
;
*
Iraqi Air Force
;
*
Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 178.]
;
*
Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...
;
Kingdom of Laos
The Kingdom of Laos was a landlocked country in Southeast Asia at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula. It was bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, North Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
*
Royal Lao Air Force
The Royal Lao Air Force (french: Aviation Royale Laotiènne – AVRL), best known to the Americans by its English acronym RLAF, was the air force component of the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Royal Lao Government and ...
;
*
Armed Forces of Malta Air Wing received five O-1Es from Italy in 1992.
[Brooks, Robin. "Island Air Arm". '' Air Pictorial'', Vol. 57, No. 6. June 1995. pp. 268–269.]
;
*
North Korean Air Force
;
*
Royal Norwegian Air Force[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 181.]
;
*
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 182.]
;
*
Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ( tgl, Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, , Army of the Air of the Philippines) ( es, Ejército Aérea del Filipinas, , Ejército de la Aérea de la Filipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forc ...
*
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy (PN) ( tgl, Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, , Sea Army of the Philippines) ( es, Armada de Filipinas, , Ejército del Mar de las Filipinas) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an e ...
*
Philippine Army
;
*
Republic of Korea Air Force[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 179.]
;
*
Republic of Vietnam Air Force[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 190.]
;
*
Spanish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 185.]
*
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century.
The ...
[Wheeler ''Flight International'' 15 August 1974, p. 186.]
;
*
Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabia ...
;
*
Republic of China Army
*
Republic of China Marine Corps
The Republic of China Marine Corps (ROCMC; ), also known colloquially as the Taiwan Marine Corps, is the amphibious arm of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of the areas under th ...
;
*
Royal Thai Air Force
*
Royal Thai Army
*
Royal Thai Navy
;
*
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
*
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
*
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
*
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
;
*
Vietnam People's Air Force (captured South Vietnamese aircraft)
Specifications (O-1E)
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Adcock, Al. ''0-1 Bird Dog. (Aircraft Number 87)''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1988. .
* Bernard C. Nalty, Jacob Neufeld and George M. Watson, ''An Illustrated Guide to the Air War over Vietnam'', Salamander Books Ltd, London 1982.
* Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. ''The Aircraft of the World''. London: Macdonald, 1955.
* Harding, Stephen. ''U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947''. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 1990. .
* Robbins, Christopher. ''The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in the Secret War in Laos''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987. .
*
Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1962–63''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company Ltd, 1962.
* Wheeler, Barry C
"World Air Forces 1974" ''
Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
'', 15 August 1974, Vol. 106, No. 3414. pp. 167–190.
External links
Atlantic Canada Aviation MuseumStandard Aircraft Characteristics: O-1C (Navair Publication)Video clip: Historic footage of Cessna O-1 landing by VNAF pilot Major Buang aboard USS Midway during Operation Frequent Wind*
{{Authority control
O-1
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog
The Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog is a liaison and observation aircraft. It was the first all-metal fixed-wing aircraft ordered for and by the United States Army following the Army Air Forces' separation from it in 1947. The Bird Dog had a lengthy ...
High-wing aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Glider tugs
Aircraft first flown in 1949