Ol’ Yeller Bird Dog — FAC Veteran & NC Forest Service Veteran Cessna Bird Dog
Ol’ Yeller Bird Dog — FAC Veteran & NC Forest Service Veteran Cessna Bird Dog
32º 48′ 20″ N / 97º 21′ 19″ W
Tail of of the Bird Dog showing the NC Forest Service emblem — photo by Joseph May
This bright yellow Cessna Bird Dog (I am unsure whether it was produced as an O-1 or as an L-19) is on display on the ground of the Veterans Memorial Air Park in Fort Worth TX. It certainly makes a statement in the yellow livery of the North Carolina Forest Service where the Bird Dog’s long loitering time and slow airspeed were characteristics likely exploited with the same zeal as FAC pilots in the Vietnam War.
A narrow fuselage gave Bird Dog pilots a good view to the left as well as the right, a great characteristic for an observation aircraft — photo by Joseph May
Conventional landing gear and a two bladed propeller with a high wing made the Bird Dog an aircraft which could operate from a road as well as an unimproved field — photo by Joseph May
The Bird Dog’s cockpit — photo by Joseph May
Windows above the pilot aided in the excellent visibility from the cockpit, while multiple antenna (here we see at least four) provided communication over many radio spectra, including animal tracking purposes if needed — photo by Joseph May
The Bird Dog’s tail — photo by Joseph May
More post regarding the Veterans Memorial Air Park and their many aircraft can be found using the search window 🙂
Travel for Aircraft 
the only airplane I would have liked to own!
Can you believe that this little light airplane, or ones just like this Cessna 01 Birdog flew over The Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, whle being shot at by the Noth Vietnamese, directing the inbound jet aircraft for air attacks to bomb and destroy supply trucks sneaking down the trail to supply the enemy forces killing americans… These FACs (Forward Air Controllers) in their little Cessna 01 Birdog airplanes flying low. slow and orbiting the “Hot Zone” … Thanks for the memories Joe!
That is also nicely described in Stephen Coont’s ‘Flight of the Intruder’ (I will be posting a review on that book in about a week or two)
An excellent book and one well worth writing about — we are looking forward to yoru review.
FAC pilots flying well within AK-47 range in an unarmored cockpit — incredible bravery.
This is a really lovely Dog. Am building a scale radio controlled model of a Cessna Bird Dog and would like to model it after “Ol’ Yeller Bird Dog”. Would I be able to contact the owner and/or get more close up photos? Cheers and Thanks. Vaughan Trebilco
Hello Vaughan, I’d recommend contacting Jim Hodgson (txavi8or@verizon.net) who is one the museum directors and most familiar with the FAC aircraft. Cheers, Joe
I really appreciate your reply and have Emailed Jim.
Cheers and thanks, Vaughan.
Sure thing! When you’ve completed your model, if you like, why not send some photos so I could write a post about your model and the yellow Bird Dog?