Years In Service: 1939-Present
Initial Flight: 1939
Known affectionately as the “Bamboo Bomber” because of its wooden construction, it was well known as a multi-engine trainer of WWII. It was first flown in 1939 as the Cessna T-50 civilian aircraft, later received U.S. military designation as AT-8, then AT-17, and finally UC-78 Bobcat. The UC-78 Bobcat could be found in every theater of the war and many World War II bomber pilots saw training on this aircraft before going off to fly B-17s or B-24s.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 9′ 11″ Wingspan: 41′ 11″ Length: 32′ 9″ Crew: 2 Powerplant: Jacobs R-775-9 Horsepower: 245 hp. Cruise speed: 150 mph Max Speed: 195 mph Ceiling: 22,000 ft.