Warbird Information Exchange

My O2-A was modified in the field with rearview mirrors and a bomb drop computer. I have the orders to install, but no one seems to know why. Any ideas out there?

You can check for a Strella and remember things are always closer than they appear!

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Don't touch my junk!!

none of the vets know?????? Maybe at one time it was used to drop sensors along the trail????

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

You might try posting on the Yahoo Facnet boards and see if anything pops up?

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If God had wanted man to fly behind a flat motor, Pratt Whitney would've built one.

The rearview mirrow was, I believe, used to confirm that the rear prop was turing before TO. Several civilian Super Skymasters were lost when the rear engine died after pre-takeoff run-up but before rotation.
It would also be useful to check if the rear engine was smoking due to groundfire.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I've been on FACNET for 4 years and no dice on the ideas.

Not rear prop thing as you cannot see the prop.

Now,sensors over the trail sounds like it is promising.

I wish the plane could talk!

The rear view mirror was a safety mod, installed so the pilot could sit inside out of the sun, and keep an eye on the mechanic while he was doing a prop change. This was after a normal pull type prop was put on the rear by mistake. The plane split in two on the next takoff! Or one could ask John Russman if he knows a better reason.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Showed them to Russman, no ideas either.

Oscardeuce,

Walt Shiel at www.cessnawarbirds.com might know something about this field mod.

Regards,

Jan

Well I chat with a lot of veterans from Vietnam. I try to preserve there history............my web site
http://linehaulrvn.tripod.com

I though, why would a O-2 have a Bomb computer. Came up with 2. One being able to drop survival gear to a downed airman. But thats not any good cause most of them were not on the ground long enough to need it.
Then I thought, some were painted black, so some night ops were probably a possibility. So then I thought, the O-2 could be quiet enough to drop motion sensors out over the trail at night. They would know its a small plane and that no harm would come to them.......but then this would be in cordination with either the B-26K's or a AC-47's in destroying the supply line of the Ho Chi Min Trail.

If you find out...........let me know!!!

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

My suggestion, if you have the "orders to install, would be to track what unit the bird was in when the mirror was installed. You can get the aircraft's history, by it's serial number from Maxwell AFB. Getting in contact with people who served in that unit at that time will know exactly. The pilots, crew chiefs, and ordnancemen will definitely know.
I do have some insight from my days towing gliders and banners in the Maule M-5, PA-25 Pawnee, and C-188 Agtruck, and Citabria, all of which had mirrors installed outside the cockpit. In banner towing it helps when picking something up or releasing to make sure the ropes have cleared and are free of the tail empennage and landing gear. I did take a few parachutists up in the Maule and they would drop out of sight of the mirror in a nanosecond. It's possible but not likely the O-2 drivers used the mirrors to drop spies, so they wouldn't have to yaw to see out the windows to make sure the guy's parachute deployed. It's is more likely it was used when dispersing leaflets from within the cockpit, or the arc-light illumination grenades that had the little parachutes that allowed them to float slowly down while turning the"night into day."
You know, something light weight or released from the cockpit that could get caught up in the tail surfaces of the O-2.