Cessna O-2A Skymaster

Cessna · United States · first flew 1967 · light aircraft

The Cessna O-2A Skymaster is the military variant of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, a push-pull twin-engine aircraft used by the US Air Force and Army for forward air control and psychological operations during the Vietnam War era.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.07 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Centreline thrust push-pull twin piston engines
Twin-boom tail with rectangular fins
High straight wing with fixed or retractable gear

Unique push-pull twin layout with engines fore and aft of a pod fuselage, twin tail booms extending to a rectangular twin-fin tail, and high straight wing; absolutely distinctive among military observation types.

Specifications

The Cessna O-2A Skymaster has a length of 9.07 m (30 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.58 m (38 ft).
Its maximum speed is 319 km/h (198 mph).
Typical crew: 2, up to 4 total.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Derived from the civilian 337 Skymaster, the O-2A was adopted in 1967 as a replacement for the O-1 Bird Dog in the FAC role. It offered improved speed and the safety of centreline thrust. Over 500 were procured, and the O-2B variant was fitted with loudspeakers for psychological operations.

Variants

The O-2A was the primary FAC variant; the O-2B had loudspeakers and leaflet dispensers for psychological operations. The civilian 337 Super Skymaster was the parent design.

Where you'll see it

Served extensively with the US Air Force in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War; subsequently used by numerous Air National Guard units and exported to allied air forces in Latin America and elsewhere.

Related aircraft

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