The most widely used FAC aircraft during Vietnam was the Cessna O-1/L-19 Bird Dog. It used many elements of the civilian Cessna 170. It also saw service in Vietnam.

By:       Norm Goyer

When the US Army Air Corps became the US Air Force in 1953, there never had been a liaison aircraft that was not constructed of tube and fabric. The military made it very clear that any future aircraft it would purchase would have to be of all metal construction for added longevity. Cessna at the time was manufacturing the all-metal Cessna 170 as a four-passenger private aircraft. This design became the basis of their new liaison L-19 Bird Dog. The first flight of the new aircraft occurred in 1950, and Cessna immediately received orders for more than 3,400 of the aircraft. The greatest difference from the Cessna 170 was that the L-19 only had two-seats, in tandem configuration, (the largest tandem-seat aircraft that Cessna ever produced), with angled side windows to improve ground observation. Other differences included a re-designed rear fuselage, providing a view directly to the rear a feature later dubbed “Omni-View” and used on all Cessna single-engine aircraft after 1964. The L-19 also had transparent panels in the wings’ center-section, similar to those found on the Cessna 140 and the later Cessna 150 Aerobat model. These allowed the pilot to look directly overhead. A wider door was fitted to allow a stretcher to be loaded.

The Korean winters proved the concept of an all metal aircraft.

The first combat the L-19 saw was in Korea, where it was used as a liaison plane, but proved to be too slow for FAC duties. An instrument trainer variant was developed in 1953, later versions had constant-speed propellers. An even later version, the L-19E, had a larger gross weight. Cessna produced 3,431 aircraft which were also built under license by Fuji in Japan. In 1962, the Army L-19 was renamed the O-1 for Observation. Many years later the Cessna Bird Dog entered its second war in Vietnam. During the early 1960s, the Bird Dog was flown by South Vietnamese airmen, US Army aviators and CIA aircrews. In 1964, the Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that the U.S. Army turn over its O-1 Bird Dogs to the US Air Force, while the army began its transition to a helicopters.

This Canadian L-19 has been retrofitted with a Hoffman four-bladed prop and extra quiet exhaust for noise abatement during long searches.

During the course of the Vietnam War, 469 O-1 Bird Dogs were lost to all causes. The Air Force lost 178, the Marine Corps lost seven. Two hundred eighty four were lost from the US Army, South Vietnamese Forces, and clandestine operators. Three Bird Dogs were lost to enemy SAM missiles. After the war, many O-1s were turned over to the Civil Air Patrol for such duties as aerial search. Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs were used by the military until 1974. The only O-1 remaining in CAP inventory is a static display on a post in front of CAP headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base. Many of these aircraft were sold to private pilots as recreational aircraft. Others went to museums where they are usually displayed in their military combat markings. In Canada, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets use ex CAF L-19 aircraft equipped with a towing rig to tow their Schweizer 2-33  gliders for the Air Cadet gliding program. The L-19/O-1 is a popular ex-military “warbird” with private pilots. As of June, 2009, more than 330 were registered with the FAA. Others are owned and operated outside the United States by individuals and flying clubs.

The L-19/O-1 Bird Dog was a workhorse in Vietnam.  The cockpit was large enough for added radios, comfort and visibility for the crew.

Specifications:

• Crew: 2

• Length: 25 ft 9 in

• Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in

• Height: 7ft 3½ in

• Wing area: 174 ft²

• Empty weight: 1,614 lb

• Max takeoff weight: 2,400 lb

• Powerplant: Continental O-470-11 flat six piston, 213 hp

Performance

• Maximum speed: 130 mph

• Range: 530 miles

• Service ceiling: 20,300 ft

• Rate of climb: 1,040 ft/min

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