Cessna T-50 Bobcat

The Cessna T‑50 “Bobcat” began life as the AT‑8, a twin‑engine advanced trainer commissioned by the United States Army Air Forces in early 1943. Designed from Cessna’s Model 309 project, the aircraft first flew in September of that year and entered service in 1944, where it was quickly redesignated T‑50. Only 124 examples were built before production ceased at the end of World War II, but the type fulfilled a critical role: it gave pilots their first experience with multi‑engine flight, propeller synchronization, and retractable‑gear handling in a relatively forgiving airframe.

Key features include a low‑wing, all‑metal structure; two 225 hp Jacobs R‑755 radial engines mounted on short nacelles; fixed tricycle landing gear; dual flight controls; and a spacious, glazed cockpit that provided excellent forward and downward visibility. The Bobcat’s relatively low stall speed, robust landing gear, and simple systems made it an ideal platform for both military instruction and postwar civilian flight schools.

In aviation history the T‑50 is significant for pioneering twin‑engine pilot training in the United States. Its design concepts and handling characteristics directly influenced Cessna’s later twin‑engine production line, most notably the Cessna 310 series, helping shape the evolution of light, reliable twins that remain popular with private operators and flight‑training organizations worldwide.