On a New Year's Day 2011, this ex-Vietnam Cessna Bird Dog in US Army colors, dropped in to the Tokoroa airfield on its way through the district.
Apparently, the pilot of this plane, rescued it from a slow death at the hands of the elements in Vietnamese countryside back in 1990 and has restored it to its former glory.
The wing had to be completely reskinned as it had 54 holes, mainly due to small-arms fire sustained while "on patrol".
The fuselage still carries a number of patches where bullet-holes would otherwise perforate its skin.
This is an extremely well restored example of a very interesting aircraft that also has incredibly good STOL capabilities. The pilot tells me that with a 10 knot headwind, he can take off in just 40 feet.
Let me know if you'd like to see more of these kind of full-sized aircraft videos, we quite often get unusual and interesting aircraft landing at the field.
I flew the Bird dog and the Quite Star from 1970-71.Had engine failure twice, once while flying the Cessna and the other while flying the Lockheed.
My grandfather is a colonel, but in Vietnam he was a forward air controller. He flew O-1 bird dogs for most of the war. I love the plane.
Actually I'm Milford McDougal and I flew an L-19 in the Korean War in 1952. It was an improvement over the L-4 (Piper Cub) that I flew in WWII. It was a great plane and a joy to fly.
I miss my father. He become an L19 pilot of ROK ARMY at Korean War and died with his loving birddog in Vietnam. Once I flew it with him when I was a child.
My father, a WWII Veteran who flew B-17's, B-24's, and B-29's in the Pacific, retired and stayed in the Army reserve for many years. Much of that duty consisted of keeping up his hours in an L-19. When I was a boy he was allowed a passenger when he wanted, and often took me up for a couple of hours on a Saturday. Best memories! When on family vacations we'd be driving around in the country and he'd stop anytime anyone spotted an airfield or even a windsock, he'd meet some pilots, and we'd inspect any and all aircraft.
I flew Army O-1Gs (Birddogs, 185th Recon Airplane Company) in the Central Highlands of Vietnam for 18 months 1968-69. Our airplanes had dull OD paint with black markings except for white markings on top of the wings.
I flew Bird Dogs in Vietnam in 1969 for the 221st Recon Aviation Co. In support of the 5th Special Forces Group. The little bird got me into and out of trouble many times. I loved flying it.
That's awesome! It looks fun to fly too.
I also flew the o1 in Vietnam 1969-70 with the 199th attached to the 5th SF in Moc Hoa. Loved low and slow basically lived in it every day covering their patrols and/or first light/last light flights of nam/cambodia delta border.
DURING THE VIET NAM ERA I WAS A FIELD ARTILLERY FOWARD OBSERVER IN ON OF THESE LIL WONDERS; AS YOU CAN SEE ALL YOU NEED IS SORTA KINDA LEVEL TO TAKE OFF AND LAND, ABOUT A FOOTBALL FIELD WOULD WORK. AS THE BULLET HOLES INDICATE, TOUGHT AS HELL. I CAN SEE WHY THE PILOTS LOVED IS SO MUCH, IT WAS A REAL AIRPLANE, THEY FLEW IT, NOT AUTO THIS OR THAT, YOU GET TO FLY!! THIS VIDEO BRINGS BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR PUBLISHING THIS VIDEO. AFT ER 35 YEARS I BID FAIRWELL TO THE US ARMY, WITH TONS OF JOYS AND FUN. HOOAH, AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY. CW3 WYNNE, RETIRED🙂🙃🙃🙃😊😊😊
A guy at my local flying field in australia was saved by one of these planes in Vietnam. The pilot had comms with the ground troops and told them where the vietcom soldiers were hiding. Saved the Aussie guys from extinction in that particular battle. The pilot and my friend Reg are friends to this day. I'll let Reg know about this video. Fascinating to see! Thank you.
This aircraft saved many lives during the multiple "wars" we have intruded in, and I was one of them - several times.
All credit for grabbing the video of this machine. Hats off to people who take the time and effort to recover and restore pieces of history.
I had many hours in the back seat - I was Sundowner Yankee an Arty AO. Loved the bird!
I have flown a Cessna L-19 Bird Dog. It;s a great little plane to fly, and a lot of fun.
When I was 14 (now 69), I was in the Explorer Scouts, over the winter we had built Kayaks, wood frame with canvas stretched over the frame. On our first trip down the Colorado River an Army bird dog took all of the camping gear, including Sleeping Bags to a point halfway down the river and dropped them, the only problem was nobody made it to the halfway point the first day, My Dad had built one also and came along, at his suggestion we did not give our gear to the pilot. We slept warm and dry, while the others were strung out for miles huddled under rocks, cold and wet and sunburned. I was never so glad I listened to dad, he got real smart that year! I swear that plane landed in 30ft and was airborne in nearnly the same distance in the sand next to the shoreline.
You mentioned it would make a great R/C model; plans are available for 1/5 and 1/4 scale from a guy named Roy Vaillancourt, well-known to large scale R/C modelers. I built the 1/4 scale version (9 foot wingspan) but sold it before flying it. I've been a big fan of all the liaison/observation L-birds as both a modeler and aviation enthusiast for many years. The L-19/0-1 is my favorite.
Gave me goose bumps. I flew one with the 1st cavalry div in Vietnam in 1970. I can answer questions.
My dad flew O-1s in Laos. Very dangerous work. Thanks for posting this.
This is a beautiful airplane, and an excellent restoration. It is amazingly larger than expected when you stand next to one. The wingspan looks unusually larger than I am used to, but then I have been looking at models for the past 10 years.
What a nice rescued Birddog ! I've been loving this plane since 1965 when the first time I saw a Birddog flying over my home town in Taiwan.
IT WAS PART OF THE THIA AIR FORCE
A Great aircraft. I flew them with the 74th Recon Airplane Co in '67-'68 and again in '71 -'72 with the 219th Aviation Co out of Pleiku. This vid bring back a lot of memories!
I learned to fly in my Dad's Cessna 170. I love all Cessnas that have the tail wheel on the proper end.
All Great Memories....after the landing.
I was a crew chief on the L-19 Bird Dog while stationed in Fulda, Germany in 1958 - 1960 ! ! ! !
I took my pilot training in a Bird Dog in Alabama in 1959 and then flew A, E and TO-1D models in Germany for 3 years. I loved flying them, especially in unimproved field areas.
Amazing how aircraft come alive once engine starts up, still sends a shiver down my back……..
Beautiful restoration. I had the great privilege to fly one in a glider towing operation in Colorado one summer. 30 or 40 takeoffs and landings per day, at 10,000 feet density altitude, towing sailplanes.... I became quite proficient with the old Dog. Even at 10,000 feet denalt on a hot day at Fort Collins, I could touch down and stop on the 400 foot long paved pad. Takeoffs without the glider on tow were rocket-like. 90-47 prop IIRC. Stick full back while taxiing please, as wind permits.
TinselKoala pilot was correct, elevators down when taxing downwind.
Good video! I flew one in Vietnam in 68-69 in the Danang area. Later I instructed in them at Ft Rucker.
TheBlackace18 I flew as a backseat aerial observer with the Black Aces in 1969. Flew out from Hawk Hill
The owner/restorer is the real hero.. he saved a noble fighting machine from an ignominious fate .. Well done that man ..
"he saved a noble fighting machine from an ignominious fate"
communistjesus Proof positive that snorting cocaine that has been cut with rat poison , will affect your ability to express yourself clearly in public..
bowpilot55 Well said,its either that or an over indulgence in genetically modified food !!!
bowpilot55 Proof positive that snorting cocaine that has been cut with rat poison
It was one of my first big modell airplane with a small dieselmotor, free flight. Nice plane! 1956-7? Stockholm Sweden.
I've commented on this vid before, and I happily watched it again. This little plane is both a veteran and a hero. To have survived a hail of bullets and get to retire in a, relatively, quiet country is epic. She's a beauty. I'm slowly (very) going through a self designed foam Piper Cub build, as I love slow fliers, but the Bird Dog is close to that that I'll probably move to different style of plane when I build another.
What a piece of Cessna history....thanks for givin us a walk-around of this beautifully restored bird...I'm mean bird-dog!!! :-D Another great vid!!!!
How cool was that please just having him drop in like that must of made your day because i know it would mine ;-) i read your video description and i sure would like more of this sort of thing for sure Bruce = thumbs up.
My first CFI, way back in 1972, told me these were essentially a "modified" Cessna 170B. But I've never researched that.
The Model 305/L19/O-1/Bird Dog is a modified C170A with a newly designed tandem fuselage, modified wing planform with dihedral, fowler flaps with 60 degrees' deflection and a 213 HP Continental O-470 engine replacing the original Continental 145 hp. The 170B was a 170A with wings that were mostly a copy of those on the Model 305/Bird Dog and used the 145 hp Continental engine.
I've been up for a circuit in it during Warbirds Over Wanaka 2002 ! Lost touch with Paul since, but so glad to find this here. Thanks. It's a beautiful restoration. You could see some of the patches that had been deliberatlely left inside the fuse.
WOW! Imagine some of the stories the pilots of those Bird Dogs could tell.
My Army mentor flew one of these when he was in Vietnam.
Not only the L-19, but also the H-13 Helicopter were both used during the cold war in Germany. They both flew border patrol while I was there during my enlistment. Bad Hersfeld & Bad Kissingen were also involved in patrolling the east-west border.
Thanks for the video. I was lucky enough to have a flight in this Bird Dog today! The pilot remembers this landing, said he dropped in as he was desperate for a wee! Very cool little aircraft.
SO AWESOME!! I just saw one at Caboolture Airfield today!! Loved it
Fantastic Quality Video of a superbly restored Aircraft, One of the best, if not the best I have had the pleasure of viewing, thank you happy new year to all........... Hugh
Puts the aviators on, and boom, instant cool !
Wouldn't mind having one of these for myself as a nice little piece of history!
Great video! My brother was a mechanic who worked on these in Vietnam (67/68). Can't wait to show this to him.
mechanic on these a LZ English
My brother was at Da Nang (138th Aviation Battalion)
Awesome video, one of your best! Many thanks from the future. I'm getting ready to build one of these.
one of he best looking aircraft ever built, love them..
Great Plane and great video! Thanks for sharing! And more of such interresting full size aircrafts, please :-)
Great video, thank you so much for sharing this.
Great video of a very over looked aircraft. I happen to have a 1/48 kit of a bird dog which I am thinking of building and this video is very useful in knowing where all the detail is. Thank you for uploading :-)
Would very much love to have the controls from the back seat once again. Love those old birds.
Bird Dog saved our ass several times, even flew low and shot marking rockets to keep the v c heads down. Brave bunch of boys.
Over 400 of these were lost in the SE Asia Theater.
Beautiful aircraft!
Regarding someone’s comment that this Cessna would make a great RC model. I had a Macruta(?) brand RC model of this observation airplane and it was a poor flier??! I was glad to auction it off! BC
At 1:52 it was asked if this would make a great subject for an RC model ? Well it did ! Wish I could share my model here somehow
Awesome ..... Thank You for Sharing !
More interesting full size plane videos please
Lived in one for a year in 67-68
20 years ago, I flew this aircraft. I love O-1 ..... I am from Taiwan.
Thanks for sharing
That's some lax taildragger taxiing! Get that stick back!
i would like to see more of these videos
Great video walk around of a great old girl. THANK YOU......... Vary happy to see she has a good home in a better country where pvt. aviation still seems to have a future. Pvt. aviation sure seems to be near dead in the USA for the common man now.
Sadly, it's the same here. Our airfield used to get a dozen or more aircraft flying in and out every day just 6 or 7 years ago. Today, we are lucky to see a couple of aircraft per week. Every hangar on the field used to have an airworthy plane in it back then -- today, there are just two.
Crew chief on L-19 in 1968-69 Vinh Long, Moc Hoa, Cao Lahn. Swamp Fox - 199 Avn. Co. Hotest I ever was reparing a bullet hole in the empennage; bucking rivits from inside in full sun.
That so awesome!
Just wondering but on your missile you made what is the proposed method of launching it? A rocket on the bottom like a tomahawk or more like a V1 design.
This is great and a beautiful plane! Definitely some modeler is eating his heart out over this. Lol
Superb plane 👍💕💕
lots of scale R/C bird dogs Bruce i have one.... not exactly the same but a super cub painted grey.... my version lol :)
If I had a short list of planes for me, this plane would be on that list! What's the coat of this plane?
How sweet it is'
No, this is Cessna O-1/L-19
You have a great looking airplane. I used to talk to the FACs on the radio when I was adjusting air strikes and artillery. I have a question about your radio antennas. What service are they for? Thanks
The radio antenna in the picture is a common VHF antenna used on military aircraft. I can get the actual part number if you are curious. It was also used on the EA-6B with the VHF-20B, or ARC-175 radio and many helicopters as well from the Vietnam era. Let me know if you need more information.
Excellent!!! Sign me up
Watch the movie "BAT21" I think it is the same plane...and awesome movie too.
Scale model of this plane that i know is made by VQ models one Small scale and a large one
why cant I post a photo on here?
@xjet Oh thats pretty cool
awseome
How did it just drop in? Wouldn't it be in danger of hitting RC aircraft?
at the airshows, ppl are all over these aircraft. you think someone should wise up and remanufacture this beautiful bird. i think sales would be brisk. particularly if it was scaled down to the LSA market. sign me up for 1, i need a 4th plane to balance my hanger out.
What is the range/duration of the Bird Dog?
500-700 statute miles depending on power setting max endurance ~7 hours to dry tanks depending on power and altutude
Hi, Nice to know you flew O-1 20 years ago in Taiwan, you were probably from Kuei-Jen airfield in Tainan at that time. Most of Birddogs have already been grounded here in Taiwan, younger army pilots fly helis only nowadays, they have never flown any O-1 and PL-1.
was a crewchief on these in vietnam
I wonder if they had any of these where my father was? He's dead now, but he was an AMSC in the Navy. He worked on the Broncos in Nam, and later he worked on the A-6 Intruders. Makes me want to watch Flight of the Intruder again! LOL
Some of these comments are pretty cute and involve some really deep thinking. "Is it a replica?" Didn't they mention 54 bullet holes 4 or 5 times? "No tactical value?" Its function in Vietnam was as a Forward Air Controller aircraft with the Air Force and the same plus Liaison duties for the Army. Unarmed? They carried rocket pods to mark targets. More useful than a helicopter? Not hardly. The short takeoff ability was lost because they only flew them out of airfields.
Can Bird dog maneuver loop the loop?
Yes, it's a versatile little aircraft
That pilot don't talk too much does he lol
The difference between men and little boys is measured by real aircraft and toy airplanes.
R. Michael Pitman maybe a little extra cash too ? 🤓🤓
That’s. Odd. May. Have. By. Remote. Control. Or. A. Ghost. Plane. Who. Knows
One of the best fighters of ww2
lmao, could probably be shot down with a pistol.
GamePlayWithNolan an mg would make it into Swiss cheese
Not even a WWII aircraft
so is that an ex-service plane or a replica?
So an airplane lands at an airfield.... surprise! .. ?
full-sized Cessna Bird Dog, look more like 99.9% scale Cessna Bird Dog