Guideline Warpaint Special No.4 Cessna Bird Dog - Guideline Publications

[Julien]

Warpaint Special No.4 Cessna Bird Dog

Guideline Publications

 

 

The Cessna Bird Dog was a military version of the Cessna 170, called the Model 305A by them. It was developed to a US Army requirement for a two seat observation and liaison aircraft. The design featured a single engine high wing monoplane with a tail wheel configuration. This was the first all metal fixed wing aircraft ordered by the US Army after aviation was split on the formation of the Air Force in 1947.  As well as the US Army the aircraft would be operated by the US Marine Corps and the US Air Force famously in the Forward Air Control role in Vietnam. US Forces would lose 469 aircraft in the conflict in total.  The aircraft would also serve in many other militaries around the world including Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, and South Vietnam to name a few. Over 3000 were built and there are still some 300 on the US civil register today.

 

 

The book looks at the development and use of the aircraft . The 63 pages include a lot of useful pictures with informative captions, as well as details of the nations that operated the Bird Dog with colour profiles of some, and a centre section with technical drawings.  The is a walkaround section featuring an aircraft restored to US Army O-1E status. and representing an aircraft operated in South Vietnam between 1963-64.

 

 

Conclusion

The Warpaint series always gets a thumbs-up due to their inability to produce a dud! They are always well written and informative with a wealth of picture and profiles.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of