O-1C Bird Dog

The Cessna O‑1C Bird Dog is a single‑engine, high‑wing liaison and observation aircraft that served the United States Army from World War II through the early 1960s. Developed from the civilian Cessna 305 (later designated the Model 170), the first prototype flew in 1949 and the Army placed a contract for 500 planes, designating the production model O‑1B and later the improved O‑1C. The O‑1C incorporated a more powerful 300‑hp Continental O‑470‑7 engine, enlarged cockpit windows, and strengthened landing gear, allowing better low‑speed handling and short‑field performance. Its simple steel‑tube fuselage, fabric‑covered wings, and fixed tailwheel made maintenance straightforward in austere field conditions. The aircraft proved indispensable for artillery spotting, medical evacuation, and forward‑area reconnaissance during the Korean and Vietnam wars, where its ability to operate from unimproved strips and hover‑like loitering at low altitude gave commanders real‑time battlefield intelligence. Over 2,500 Bird Dogs were built, influencing later liaison types such as the OV‑10 Bronco. Today, restored O‑1Cs are prized by warbird collectors and continue to demonstrate the enduring utility of rugged, low‑cost observation platforms in aviation history. Its legacy endures in modern light‑reconnaissance concepts and museum displays worldwide.