Cessna O-2 Skymaster

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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

File:67-21300 Cessna O-2A Skymaster, pic2.JPG

The O-2 lacks the 337 propeller spinner

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.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web Template:Dead link Template:Cbignore</ref>

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

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United States

U.S. Air Force

File:O-2 Skymaster.jpg

O-2B Skymaster dropping leaflets over Vietnam

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.<ref name=":0" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The O-2 was phased out completely after additional night upgrades to the OV-10.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=auto1>Template:Cite web</ref>

A total of 178 USAF O-2 Skymasters were lost in the Vietnam War, to all causes.<ref>Hobson, Chris. Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC/ Fixed-Wing Southeast Asia 1961–1973. 2001. Template:ISBN</ref>

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.<ref name=auto2/> These O-2A aircraft were eventually replaced by T-34C Turbo-Mentor 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.<ref name=auto2>United States Military Aviation Directory, AIRTime Publishing, Norwalk CT, c2000, p. 231, Template:ISBN</ref> 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.<ref name=auto2/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

South Vietnam

35 USAF O-2 aircraft were later transferred to and operated by the former Republic of Vietnam Air Force.<ref name=auto1/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Variants

File:Cessna O-2A Skymaster (20063249288).jpg

Planform view showing attachment points

O-2A: Version designed for use in forward air control missions, with underwing ordnance hard points to hold rockets, gun pods or flares.<ref name=":0" /> 513 delivered.<ref name=auto1/>
O-2B: Version designed for psychological warfare, equipped with loudspeakers and a leaflet dispenser, and not armed.<ref name=":0" /> Thirty-one former civil 337s were converted to O-2Bs.<ref>Andrade 1979, p. 140</ref>

Operators

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Botswana Air Force – Nine O-2A delivered 1993.<ref name="UK">"Cessna Skymasters used by non-US Air-Forces" Template:Webarchive, Skymaster.org.uk. Accessed 10 May 2010.</ref>

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Civil Guard Air Section – Three O-2A.<ref name="UK"/>

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Dominican Air Force – Five O-2A (retired)<ref name="UK"/>

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National Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire – One O-2A delivered 1993.<ref name="UK"/>

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Haitian Air Force – Eight (in service 1975–98)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Reportedly six of these are Model 337s, and only two O-2As.<ref name="UK"/>

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An O-2A of the Imperial Iranian Air Force

File:State Flag of Iran (1964).svg Iran

Imperial Iranian Air Force – twelve O-2A delivered 1972.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Namibian Air Force – Six O-2A,<ref name="UK"/> five of which were delivered on June 26, 1994, for use in the anti-poaching and anti-smuggling role.<ref>AIR International, December 1994, p. 323.</ref>