The story
The Bird Dog was a military spotter built from Cessna taildragger bones. Its pilots flew low and slow over hostile ground in Korea and Vietnam, marking targets with smoke rockets and trusting altitude, luck, and a fabric-thin airframe. Survivors now fly as beloved warbirds.
Over 3,400 were built, and it was the first all-metal fixed-wing aircraft the US Army ordered after the Air Force became a separate service.
Quick answers
How do you identify a O-1 Bird Dog?
Looks like a stretched, militarized taildragger Cessna: high wing with big transparent panels above, angular tail, usually in Army green or vintage markings.
What does a O-1 Bird Dog sound like?
A modest Continental drone — the same engine family as a 182, in olive drab.
How fast is the O-1 Bird Dog?
Top speed is 100 kts.
How many passengers does the O-1 Bird Dog carry?
Up to 1. A typical layout is tandem 2-seat observation.
How far can the O-1 Bird Dog fly?
Range is about 460 nmi.
How big is the O-1 Bird Dog?
It is 25 ft 10 in long and 36 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the O-1 Bird Dog first fly?
Its first flight was in 1949.
How many O-1 Bird Dogs have been built?
3,400+ built.
What do crews call the O-1 Bird Dog?
The Bird Dog.
How rare is a O-1 Bird Dog in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first O-1 Bird Dog catch is worth 25 points.
