Airfix 01058 Cessna Bird Dog

The Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog was an American military liaison and observation aircraft from the post-war period in the high wing configuration with a fixed landing gear in the classic configuration. The flight of the prototype took place in 1949, and serial production continued in 1950-1962. Approximately 3,430 machines of this type were built in its course. The drive - in the O-1E version - was provided by a single engine Continental O-470-11 with 213 hp. The length of the aircraft was 7.88 meters with a wingspan of 10.97 meters. The maximum speed did not exceed 185 km / h. The plane did not have permanent on-board weapons.

The L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog model was developed by the Cessna Aircraft Company, originally for the use of the American Air Force, which at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s aimed at obtaining a new, light, cheap to produce and operate observation aircraft . The new plane was to replace planes from World War II in the line. Cessna, in order to reduce costs and speed up design work, decided to base the new plane on the Model 170 (Cessna 170), which turned out to be a very good move. Ultimately, the Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog turned out to be a very successful plane that was used during the Korean War (1950-1953) and especially during the Vietnam War (1964 / 1965-1975). Aircraft of this type also found their way to the air force of many other countries, and in Japan the machine was manufactured under license by Fuji Heavy Industries.