Cessna O-2 Skymaster Explained

The Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce") is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, used for forward air control (FAC) and psychological operations (PSYOPS) by the US military between 1967 and 2010.

Design and development

In 1966, the United States Air Force (USAF) commissioned Cessna to build a military variant of the Model 337 Skymaster to supplement the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog in the role of forward air control.[1]

Both the civilian and military Skymasters were low-cost twin-engine piston-powered aircraft, with one engine in the nose of the aircraft and a second in the rear of the fuselage. The push-pull configuration provided centerline thrust, allowing simpler operation than the low-wing mounting of most twin-engine light aircraft, and allowed a high wing to be used, providing clear observation below and behind the aircraft.

Modifications made for the military configuration included fore-and-aft seating for a pilot and observer, instead of the six seats of the civilian version; installation of view panels in the doors (for improved ground observation); installation of flame-retardant foam in the wing-mounted fuel tanks (slightly increasing weight, and reducing maximum fuel capacity by 3%); installation of military, rather than civilian, communication and navigation equipment and antennas; removal of propeller spinners; increased gross weight (5,400 lb vs. 4,400 lb in civilian version), with component strengthening as required to support the increase; and removal of interior upholstery.

The O-2 first flew in January 1967, and the plane went into production shortly thereafter in March. Performance (especially at cruising altitudes) was degraded due to the added antennas and significant weight increase, but was considered sufficient for the anticipated low-level operation.

Operational history

United States

U.S. Air Force

The USAF took delivery of the O-2 Skymaster in March 1967 and the O-2A also entered the U.S. Army's inventory during 1967, from USAF stock. By June 1970, when production stopped, a total of 532 O-2s had been built for the USAF.

During the Vietnam War, the O-2A was introduced as a replacement for the O-1 Bird Dog, in the forward air control (FAC) aircraft and served in that role with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron. The O-2B was equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispenser for use in the psychological operations (PSYOPS) role.

While it was intended that the Skymaster be replaced in the FAC mission by the OV-10 Bronco, the O-2A continued to be used for night missions after the OV-10's introduction, due to the OV-10's high level of cockpit illumination, rendering night reconnaissance impractical.[2] The O-2 was phased out completely after additional night upgrades to the OV-10.[3] [4]

A total of 178 USAF O-2 Skymasters were lost in the Vietnam War, to all causes.[5]

Following the Vietnam War, the O-2 continued to operate with both U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard units into the late 1980s.

U.S. Navy

Six former USAF O-2A airframes were transferred to the U.S. Navy in 1983 for use as range controllers with Attack Squadron 122 (VA-122), the Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron for the A-7 Corsair II at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. These aircraft were later transferred to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125), the F/A-18 Hornet FRS at NAS Lemoore, in 1986 for use in the same range control role. These O-2A aircraft were eventually replaced by T-34C Turbomentor aircraft transferred from the Naval Air Training Command.

U.S. Army

Of the six USN aircraft mentioned above, two were transferred to the U.S. Army in late 1990.[6] USAF O-2As were augmented by the 1990 aircraft transfer from the Navy. Several disassembled USAF O-2s remain in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.[6] Two O-2As were used at Laguna Army Airfield, Arizona as part of testing programs carried out by the Yuma Proving Ground. These were retired in October 2010 and sent to a museum.[7]

South Vietnam

35 USAF O-2 aircraft were later transferred to and operated by the former Republic of Vietnam Air Force.[4]

El Salvador

During the Salvadoran Civil War, the Salvadoran Air Force received a total of 23 O-2As and 2 O-2Bs from the United States, the first arriving in 1981. They were employed to observe the movements of FMLN formations and direct air strikes against them, playing a major role in forcing the rebel movement to abandon large-scale operations.

Near the end of the war in 1990, the rebels' acquisition of SA-7 missiles resulted in the loss of two O-2As, while another was destroyed by mortar fire, and two more were lost in crashes.[8]

Civilian use

CAL FIRE

In the mid-1970s, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CAL FIRE, found that the contractor-owned air attack aircraft, mostly single-engine Cessna 182s and Cessna 210s, did not provide the airspeed and safety needed for the department's new air tanker program. In 1974, Senior Air Operations Officer Cotton Mason inspected 40 USAF O-2s at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The best 20 were selected and shipped to Fresno, California. These aircraft had been FAC aircraft in Vietnam and were shipped back to the United States in containers, and were disassembled and on pallets when they arrived at Fresno. A crew of California Conservation Corps (CCC) members under the supervision of a CDF Battalion Chief, who was an FAA Certificated Mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA), reassembled the aircraft.

They were placed in service in 1976, and served CAL FIRE for more than 20 years, until replaced by a fleet of OV-10 Broncos.[9]

Variants

O-2A
  • Version designed for use in forward air control missions, with underwing ordnance hard points to hold rockets, gun pods or flares. 513 delivered.[4]
    O-2B
  • Version designed for psychological warfare, equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispenser, and not armed. Thirty-one former civil 337s were converted to O-2Bs.[10]

    Operators

    Iran
    Thailand

    Aircraft on display

    References

    Bibliography

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Cessna O-2A Skymaster . 2024-07-23 . National Museum of the United States Air Force™ . en-US.
    2. Web site: What is the Pave Nail system?. 3 May 2010. The OV-10 Bronco Association. March 2002.
    3. Web site: COVEYs in Southeast Asia. 3 May 2010. Skutack. Daniel. February 2003. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110708195929/http://www.covey-fac.com/history/COVEYs%20in%20Southeast%20Asia.pdf. 8 July 2011.
    4. Web site: Fact Sheets: Cessna O-2A Skymaster, Cessna O-2A Skymaster. https://web.archive.org/web/20080801213153/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=304. dead. August 1, 2008.
    5. Hobson, Chris. Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC/ Fixed-Wing Southeast Asia 1961–1973. 2001.
    6. United States Military Aviation Directory, AIRTime Publishing, Norwalk CT, c2000, p. 231,
    7. Web site: Retired aircraft soars in Yuma one last time. 14 November 2010. Army Times Publishing Company. James Gilbert. October 2010.
    8. Web site: Cooper. Tom. El Salvador, 1980–1992. ACIG.org. 30 January 2013.
    9. Web site: Public domain material from "CDF Aviation Management History", CDF official website, retrieved 23 August 2007. 23 August 2007. 4 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150404053411/http://www.fire.ca.gov/about_aviation_history.php. dead.
    10. Andrade 1979, p. 140
    11. http://www.skymaster.org.uk/military.asp "Cessna Skymasters used by non-US Air-Forces"
    12. Web site: Haiti Air Force. www.aeroflight.co.uk.
    13. Web site: 21st. Counter Insurgence Squadron O-2A. https://web.archive.org/web/20120727025023/http://www.iiaf.net/aircraft/Pfighters.html. dead. July 27, 2012.
    14. AIR International, December 1994, p. 323.
    15. Web site: Aviation Photo #1611364: Cessna O-2A Pelican - USA - Navy. Airliners.net.
    16. Web site: Porfilio. Gabriel. Uruguayan Navy accepts three Cessna O-2As from Chile. IHS Jane's 360. 20 June 2017. https://archive.today/20170620013925/http://www.janes.com/article/71551/uruguayan-navy-accepts-three-cessna-o-2as-from-chile. 20 June 2017. Orlando. 19 June 2017. dead.
    17. Web site: Hulburt Field - O-2A Skymaster. https://web.archive.org/web/20100623062840/http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3432. dead. June 23, 2010.
    18. Web site: vmap - O-2A Skymaster (Gray). Vmap.wikispaces.com. 20 November 1967. 20 February 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160324124343/http://vmap.wikispaces.com/O-2A+Skymaster+%28Gray%29. 24 March 2016.
    19. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/sc/safbsc.htm Shaw AFB
    20. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/fl/afam.htm USAF Armament Museum
    21. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ny/nyang105.htm New York ANG - 105th AG, Newburgh
    22. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/tx/htm.htm USAF History and Traditions Museum
    23. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/tx/kfhm.htm Kelly Field Heritage Museum
    24. https://www.ctairandspace.org/o-2a Connecticut Air & Space Center
    25. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/tx/dlap.htm Dyess Linear Air Park
    26. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/de/dafbhc.htm Air Mobility Command Museum
    27. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca/tafm.htm Travis Air Force Museum
    28. Web site: Hill Air Force Base - Fact Sheet: SUPER SKYMASTER. Hill.af.mil. 16 September 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120921061918/http://www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=5723&page=1. 21 September 2012.
    29. Web site: Museum of Aviation - Cessna O-2A Skymaster. https://web.archive.org/web/20100923171712/http://www.museumofaviation.org/02A.php. dead. September 23, 2010.
    30. Web site: Grissom Air Museum - Cessna O-2A Skymaster. https://web.archive.org/web/20101201113456/http://www.grissomairmuseum.com/airexib/planes/O2ASSkymaster.html. dead. December 1, 2010.
    31. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/il/ilang182.htm Illinois ANG - 182nd AG, Peoria
    32. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/az/pam.htm Pima Air & Space Museum
    33. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca/cam.htm Castle Air Museum
    34. Web site: USAF Serial Number Search (67-21411). 2018-02-14.
    35. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/fl/vacm.htm Valiant Air Command Museum
    36. Web site: Help us save a Vietnam Vet!. www.evergreenmuseum.org . April 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414070848/https://www.evergreenmuseum.org/cessna-o-2-skymaster. 14 April 2021. dead.
    37. http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca/mfm.htm March Field Air Museum
    38. Web site: American Wings Air Museum. 17 May 2016. aviationmuseum.eu. 16 October 2013.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cessna O-2 Skymaster".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.