Douglas O-2

Last updated
O-2
Douglas O-2H 119th Sqn New Jersey NG 1930.jpg
RoleObservation plane
Manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company
Primary user United States Army Air Corps
Produced1924
Number built879
Variants Douglas O-38
Douglas XA-2
Douglas M-1
Douglas O-2H in 1934 Douglas O-2H at NACA Langley Research Center 1934.JPG
Douglas O-2H in 1934

The Douglas O-2 was a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, powered by the Liberty engine of WW1 fame, with some later variants using other engines. It was developed into several versions, with 879 being produced in total. It was used in combat by the Chinese Air Force in the 1930s and also was the basis for a successful mailplane version.

Contents

Development

The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp (313 kW) Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn of 1924. The second XO-2 was powered by the 510 hp (380 kW) Packard 1A-1500 Vee engine, which proved unreliable. The US Army ordered 45 O-2 production aircraft in 1925, which retained the XO-2's welded steel tube fuselage, wooden wings, and overall fabric covering. It introduced aluminum panels on the forward fuselage. The XO-2 had been flown with short and long-span wings, the latter giving improved handling and therefore being specified for the production aircraft. The fixed tailskid landing gear included a main unit of the divided type, the horizontal tail surface was strut-braced, and the engine was cooled by a tunnel radiator. [1]

The O-2 proved to be a conventional but very reliable biplane, which soon attracted orders for 25 more aircraft: 18 O-2A machines equipped for night flying and six O-2B dual-control command aircraft for the US Army, plus one civil O-2BS modified specially for James McKee, who made a remarkable trans-Canada flight in September 1926. In 1927, the O-2BS was adapted as a three-seater with a radial engine. [1]

The O-2Hs were an entirely new design but continued the same basic model number. Major differences were heavily staggered wings, a more compact engine installation, and clean landing gear secured to the fuselage. [2]

Douglas produced 879 of all variants, with 770 going to the U.S. military. [3]

Survivors

Up to 2011, no O-2s had been known to exist. However, in 2011, the wreckage of O-2H 29-163 that crashed out of Kelly Field, Texas, on March 16, 1933 has been positively identified. The rear and central/forward portion of the fuselage behind the firewall, wing attachments and landing gear parts, tailplane, and many engine parts, as well as eight of the twelve pistons, have now been recovered. Research is continuing on this aircraft. It is known it was flown by Aviation Cadet Charles D. Rogers on a night recon advanced training mission. Apparently flying low, the aircraft hit a hill and burned after the crash, leaving only the found wreckage today. Weather was not considered a contributing factor. Cadet Rogers was instantly killed in the crash by the impact. His body was recovered, but the wreckage was abandoned due to the airframe and engine both being a write-off.

There is an M-2 on display at the Udvar-Hazy museum; the aircraft was used as a mail plane in the late 1920s before it crashed in January 1930, eventually being used as display aircraft since 1940. [4]

The only similar aircraft known to exist is a restored Douglas M-2 mailplane and a follow-on derivative of the O-25 variant, an O-38.

Operational history

Mail

The M-2 mailplane version of O-2 in present day museum Douglas M2.jpg
The M-2 mailplane version of O-2 in present day museum

Starting in 1926, a mailplane version of the O-2 called the M-2 entered service with Western replacing the DH-4. The plane was successful in the route, resulting in further development of the mailplane version of the O-2. [5] (see Douglas mailplanes)

Military

Douglas O-2M variants were deployed by the Chinese Air Force's 6th, 7th, and 8th Bomber-Attack and Scouting-Attack Groups in combat against the Chinese Red Army during the encirclement campaigns of the Chinese Civil War and later against the Imperial Japanese forces during the early years of the War of Resistance-World War II. [6] O-2Ms (sometimes mislabeled as Douglas O-38s [ by whom? ]) were heavily deployed in the Battle of Shanghai, the Battle of Nanjing , and the Battle of Taiyuan. As their slow speed made the O-2Ms vulnerable to fast Japanese fighters, they either flew clandestine night missions solo or day missions escorted by Hawk IIs or Hawk IIIs. Japanese ace fighter pilot Akio Matsuba, flying an A2N from the aircraft carrier Kaga in his first aerial combat engagement, claimed his first (shared) victory over an O-2M while providing air cover for Japanese troop landings in Shanghai on the third day during the airwar of the War of Resistance/WWII, 16 August 1937. [7] [8]

Variants

XO-2
Two pre-production prototypes.
O-2
Initial production model - 45 built. [1]
O-2A
O-2 with night flying equipment - 18 built. [1]
O-2B
Dual control version of O-2 - six built. [1]
O-2C
These differed from the O-2 in having frontal radiators for their Liberty L-12 engines and modified oleo-strut landing gear. The USAAC took delivery of 18 aircraft, while the remaining 27 went to reserve National Guard units - 45 built and one later conversion from O-9. [1]
O-2D
Unarmed staff transport versions of the O-2C - two built. [1]
O-2E
A one-off aircraft which replaced the wire link between upper and lower wing ailerons of production aircraft by rigid struts. [1]
O-2H
The fuselage was redesigned and a new tailplane was fitted, with staggered wings of unequal span. The O-2H incorporated the rigid-strut aileron interconnections of the O-2E. An improved split-axle landing gear was standard. The USAAC received 101 O-2Hs between 1928 and 1930, and the National Guard a further 40 - 141 built. [1]
O-2J
Unarmed dual control version of the O-2H for service as USAAC staff transports - three built. [1]
O-2K
A slightly modified version of the O-2J for US Army staff transport and liaison duties. 30 built for the USAAC and 20 for the National Guard - 50 built. [1]
O-2M
various export versions of O-2 that saw services with Republic of China Air Force. These aircraft were used as scout-bombers by the Chinese in the Second Sino-Japanese War with some success against ground targets of the Empire of Japan. It was also used by the Mexican Air Force with Lewis and Vickers machine guns, with very good results.[ citation needed ]
O-2MC
Export version for China, powered by a Hornet radial engine - ten built
O-2MC-2
Export version for China, with the Hornet radial engine surrounded by a Townend ring - 20 built
O-2MC-3
Export version for China, fitted with an uprated 575 hp (429 kW) Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial engine - five built
O-2MC-4
Export version for China - 12 built
O-2MC-5
Export version for China, fitted with the less powerful 420 hp (310 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp C1 engine - 12 built
O-2MC-6
Export version for China, fitted with the 575 hp (429 kW) Wright R-1820-E radial engine - 22 built
O-2MC-10
Export version for China, fitted with a 670 hp (500 kW) Wright R-1820-F21 radial engine - one built
XO-6
Five all-metal O-2s, built in the mid-1920s by Thomas-Morse. [1]
XO-6B
Radically altered (smaller and lighter) version of the XO-6 - one built. [1]
O-7
Three O-2s refitted with the 510 hp (380 kW) Packard 2A-1500 direct-drive engine. Two were later converted to O-2 standards, and one to the O-2C standard. [1]
O-8
One O-2 with the 400 hp (300 kW) Curtiss R-1454 radial engine instead of the intended Packard inverted-Vee engine. It later became an O-2A. [1]
O-9
One O-2 refitted with the 500 hp (370 kW) Packard 3A-1500 geared engine. It resembled the O-7 but had a four- rather than two-bladed propeller. It later became an O-2A. [1]
XO-14
One reduced-scale O-2H, with a 220 hp (160 kW) Wright J-5 engine, [2] and the first Douglas aircraft with wheel brakes. [1]
XA-2
The 46th aircraft of the original O-2 contract was completed as an attack machine with the powerplant of one 420 hp (310 kW) V-1410 Liberty inverted-Vee engine, and with a total of eight machine-guns (two in the engine cowling, two each in the upper and lower wings, and two on a ring-mounting operated by the observer). It was remarkably well armed for its day, and competed against the Curtiss A-3 in 1926 but was not selected for production. [1]
OD-1
Two O-2Cs for service with the US Marine Corps from 1929. [1]
O-22
O-2H airframe with a swept-back upper wing and a Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine. [2]
Douglas O-25, with its Curtiss Conqueror engine DouglasO-25Ccrissy (4503976338).jpg
Douglas O-25, with its Curtiss Conqueror engine
O-25
O-2H airframe with a Curtiss Conqueror engine, and a revised nose. Later redesignated as the XO-25A [2]
O-25A
Forty-nine production versions of the O-25. [2]
O-25B
Three unarmed O-25As fitted with dual controls. Used as staff transport aircraft
O-25C
29 production O-25s with Prestone cooling system
Y1O-29
Later designated O-29A: Two O-2K airframes fitted with a Wright R-1750 Cyclone engine. [2]
O-32
O-2K conversion with Pratt & Whitney R-1340-3 Wasp engine, most later fitted with anti-drag rings. [2]
O-32A
Production O-32, 30 built.
YO-34
O-22 re-fitted with a Curtiss Conqueror engine. [2]
BT-2 (left) and BT-1 at Waco, Texas Douglas BT-1 and BT-2.jpg
BT-2 (left) and BT-1 at Waco, Texas
BT-1
O-2K conversion to basic trainer, 30 converted.
BT-2
O-32 airframe converted to basic trainer.
BT-2A
O-32A conversion to basic trainer, 30 converted.
BT-2B
First production model, 146 built. 58 later converted to BT-2BI instrument trainers. Two converted to BT-2BR and 15 to BT-2BG radio-controlled aerial target drones.
BT-2C
Second production model, 20 built. 13 converted to BT-2CI instrument trainers. Seven became BT-2CR drone controllers.
A-4
Seventeen BT-2BRs and BT-2BGs converted in 1940 as radio-controlled aerial target drones. These had tricycle gear (a steerable nosewheel was added) with main gear moved aft, faired-over rear cockpit, and single controls, allowing the aircraft to be test-flown. [9] [10]
Douglas MO-2B Douglas MO-2B ExCC.jpg
Douglas MO-2B
MO-2B
Three seat general purpose biplane derived from the M series of mail-planes, despite the O-2 designation

Operators

Flag of the Republic of China.svg  China
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States

Specifications (O-2H)

Data from McDonnell Douglas aircraft since 1920 : Volume I [11]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas DC-3</span> Airliner and military transport aircraft family

The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2. It is a low-wing metal monoplane with conventional landing gear, powered by two radial piston engines of 1,000–1,200 hp (750–890 kW). Although the DC-3s originally built for civil service had the Wright R-1820 Cyclone, later civilian DC-3s used the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine. The DC-3 has a cruising speed of 207 mph (333 km/h), a capacity of 21 to 32 passengers or 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) of cargo, and a range of 1,500 mi (2,400 km), and can operate from short runways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss Falcon</span> American multirole aircraft

The Curtiss Falcon was a family of military biplane aircraft built by the American aircraft manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company during the 1920s. Most saw service as part of the United States Army Air Corps as observation aircraft with the designations O-1 and O-11, or as the attack aircraft designated the A-3 Falcon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss P-36 Hawk</span> American fighter aircraft

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design with a retractable undercarriage making extensive use of metal in its construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seversky P-35</span> 1935 fighter aircraft series by Seversky

The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United States Army Air Corps to feature all-metal construction, retractable landing gear, and an enclosed cockpit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Y1B-7</span> American bomber/observation aircraft

The Douglas Y1B-7 was a 1930s American bomber aircraft. It was the first US monoplane given the B- 'bomber' designation. The monoplane was more practical and less expensive than the biplane, and the United States Army Air Corps chose to experiment with monoplanes for this reason. At the time the XB-7 was ordered, it was being tested by Douglas Aircraft as an observational plane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic P-43 Lancer</span> United States fighter aircraft of WWII

The Republic P-43 Lancer was a single-engine, all-metal, low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft built by Republic, first delivered to the United States Army Air Corps in 1940. A proposed development was the P-44 Rocket. While not a particularly outstanding fighter, the P-43A had a very good high-altitude performance coupled with an effective oxygen system. Fast and well-armed with excellent long-range capabilities, until the arrival of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the Lancer was the only American fighter capable of catching a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" reconnaissance plane at the speeds and heights at which they flew. In addition, the P-43 flew many long-range, high-altitude photo recon missions until replaced by F-4/F-5 Lightnings in both the USAAF and RAAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan ST</span> American light airplane

The Ryan STs were a series of two seat, low-wing monoplane aircraft built in the United States by the Ryan Aeronautical Company. They were used as sport aircraft, as well as trainers by flying schools and the militaries of several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American NA-16</span> American single-engined trainer aircraft

The North American Aviation NA-16 was the first trainer aircraft built by North American Aviation, and was the beginning of a line of closely related North American trainer aircraft that would eventually number more than 17,000 examples, notably the T-6 Texan family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing P-12</span> US military fighter aircraft in service 1930-1941

The Boeing P-12 or Boeing F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps, United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy. It was the chief fighter aircraft in American service during the early 1930s but also used internationally. By the late 1930s it was replaced in front-line duty by newer designs, but it was still used for training into the early 1940s. Many variants of the aircraft were developed. In the 21st century a handful of surviving air frames are on display in museums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American BT-9</span> Type of aircraft

The North American BT-9 was the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) designation for a low-wing single engine monoplane primary trainer aircraft that served before and during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop A-17</span> American attack aircraft

The Northrop A-17, also known as the Northrop Model 8, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during World War II, the A-17 was called Nomad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop BT</span> Type of aircraft

The Northrop BT was an American two-seat, single-engine monoplane dive bomber built by the Northrop Corporation for the United States Navy. At the time, Northrop was a subsidiary of the Douglas Aircraft Company. While unsuccessful in its own right, the BT was subsequently redesigned into the Douglas SBD Dauntless, which would form the backbone of the Navy's dive bomber force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop Gamma</span> Multi-role aircraft family by Northrop

The Northrop Gamma was a single-engine all-metal monoplane cargo aircraft used in the 1930s. Towards the end of its service life, it was developed into the A-17 light bomber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing Monomail</span> Type of aircraft

The Boeing Model 200 Monomail was an American mail plane of the early 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vought O2U Corsair</span> Type of aircraft

The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Developed by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many were seaplanes or amphibians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas O-31</span> US military observation aircraft introduced 1930

The Douglas O-31 was the Douglas Aircraft Company's first monoplane observation straight-wing aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consolidated O-17 Courier</span> Type of aircraft

The Consolidated O-17 Courier was an observation and training aircraft used by the United States National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas-Morse O-19</span> Type of aircraft

The Thomas-Morse O-19 was an American observation biplane built by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop Delta</span> Type of aircraft

The Northrop Delta was an American single-engined passenger transport aircraft of the 1930s. Closely related to Northrop's Gamma mail plane, 13 were produced by the Northrop Corporation, followed by 19 aircraft built under license by Canadian Vickers Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waco 10</span> American biplane

The Waco 10/GXE/Waco O series was a range of three-seat open-cockpit biplanes built by the Advance Aircraft Company, later the Waco Aircraft Company.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Eden, Paul; Moeng, Soph (2002), The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, London: Amber Books, ISBN   978-0-7607-3432-2
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Swanborough, F. G.; Bowers, Peter M. (1964), United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, New York: Putnam, ISBN   0-85177-816-X
  3. ↑ "Boeing Images - Douglas O-2 Framework". secure.boeingimages.com. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  4. ↑ "Douglas M-2 | National Air and Space Museum". airandspace.si.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  5. ↑ "The Ford Trimotor and Douglas M-2 Mail Planes". postalmuseum.si.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  6. ↑ "Shanghai 1937 – Where World War II Began" . Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  7. ↑ "Martyr Peng Ren-bian". air.mnd.gov.tw. Retrieved 2020-11-19. On 26th August 1937, 2Lt. Peng Ren-bian flew a Douglas O2MC from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province to Shanghai to raid Japanese forces, and accomplished the mission over the target area. While flying back, he was suddenly attacked by multiple hostile aircraft, and killed in the skies over Lin'an of Zhejiang. He was given a posthumous promotion to the rank of first lieutenant, and was survived by his parents and wife.
  8. ↑ Gustavsson, Hakans. "Håkans Aviation page – Sino-Japanese Air War 1937". Biplane Fighter Aces - China. Retrieved 2020-11-20. 14 October 1937, at 16:00, 18 Chinese aircraft (three Martin 139WCs, two Heinkel He111s, five Douglas O-2MCs, three Hawk IIIs and five Northrop Gammas) took off from Nanking to attack Shanghai airfields and warehouses; five Japanese bombers escorted by five fighters, arrived about five minutes after the Chinese attack force took off... barely escaping the raid by... the Japanese planes bombed the vacant airfield without inflicting much damage. Starting at 21:00, one aircraft was sent every hour for night-bombing runs on Japanese targets in Shanghai until 03:00 on 15 October 1937.
  9. ↑ Francillon, Rene. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 (Putnam, 1979), p.89.
  10. ↑ Home Video of flying K model (around 6 min)
  11. ↑ Francillon, René J. (1988). McDonnell Douglas aircraft since 1920 : Volume I. London: Naval Institute Press. pp. 62–81. ISBN   0870214284.
  12. ↑ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.