Bird Dog
By Russ Albertson
During WWI, with the introduction of the airplane in combat, aerial reconnaissance was now free ranging and commanders could get a far better idea of enemy troops facing them. The Piper L-4 Grasshopper served as the U.S. Army spotter plane in WWII and remained in service until 1949 when the Army put out a contract for an all-metal plane to replace the Piper.
Cessna submitted a design based on the C170, a four-passenger, high-wing civilian plane with conventional gear. Cessna modified the fuselage with two seats, in tandem, and added windows all around, including behind the rear seat. The new plane, Model 305A, retained the conventional landing gear with a tail-wheel for operations on rough fields. A Cessna employee won the company naming contest with “Bird Dog,” a name that well suited the mission it would perform for the Army. In 1962, the Army re-designated the plane from L-19 to O-1.
The Bird Dog was equipped with two 2.75” “Willie Peter” white phosphorus rockets, the pilot could mark the target with a rocket that produced a large amount of white smoke. (Russ Albertson)It was during Vietnam that the Bird Dog really made its mark. Pilots flying the O-1 were known as FACs, “Forward Air Controllers.” Powered by a Continental 0-470 engine producing 213 HP, and flying at 104 MPH, this plane made it possible for the FACs to spot enemy positions in the jungle that fast jets, flying at higher altitudes, invariably missed. When a target was found, the Bird Dog could remain on scene and direct fighter- bombers onto the target. Equipped with two, 2.75 inch, “Willie-Peter” white phosphorus rockets on each wing, the pilot could mark the target with a rocket that produced a large amount of white smoke and was easily seen by the jets and other attack aircraft, including helicopters. The pilots that flew these missions were very brave and would “troll,” low and slow to encourage the enemy to open fire and reveal their position. The pilots were only armed with an M-16 rifle and sidearm. They carried smoke grenades that they could drop to mark targets, and the O-1E Bird Dog carried a flare on each wing for night operations.
One pilot equipped his plane with an M-60 machine gun, mounted over the back seat and fired through an open rear window. It was controlled by a trigger on the stick and was aimed by a simple grease pencil mark on the pilot’s side window. He used the gun to pin-down enemy troops between attack passes and keep them from moving to new concealed positions. Soon, the very presence of a Bird Dog in the area meant that “death from above” was lurking near and the enemy had to make the decision to open fire and try and down the Bird Dog quickly or simply hide. Bird Dog pilots normally had a specific territory assigned to them and they soon came to know every sampan, water buffalo, trail and village in their area so well that anything out of place would draw their attention. Footprints in the mud along a river might require a low pass to check for ammo carrying sampans concealed under the trees. An extra water buffalo could mean that it was used to carry equipment or that troops were on the move. The Bird Dogs saved many downed airmen and worked closely with Douglas A-1E Skyraiders, known as “Sandys,” and Sikorsky helicopters called “Jolly Green Giants,” to attack any troops near the downed airman. After the Skyraiders suppressed the enemy, the FAC would call in the Jolly Green to hover over the airman and lower a rescue crewman known as a “PJ.” The PJ, or Para Jumper was highly trained in first aide and jungle rescue.
Even though the FACs flew old, slow aircraft, they were among the most respected pilots in the war. One such pilot, Captain Hilliard Wilbanks, won the Congressional Medal of Honor, while flying a FAC mission on February 24, 1967. He had already flown 487 combat missions and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. On this day, he was flying over a battalion of South Vietnamese Rangers when he saw they were walking into a trap. He flew over the Rangers and radioed a warning to them, and the enemy knowing they had been seen, opened fire on him and the Rangers. Captain Wilbanks marked the enemy with smoke rockets and Viet Cong charged the Rangers because they knew fighters were on the way. Seeing that the fighters would not arrive in time to save the Rangers, Wilbanks rolled in and fired his remaining rockets which gave the Ranger some time to escape. Even though he was out of rockets, Wilbanks made two more passes, as low as 100 feet over the enemy, and fired his M-16 rifle. Captain Wilbanks was shot down and killed on the third pass but he had delayed the attack long enough for 700 Rangers to escape. The Rangers later said it was the “bravest thing they ever saw.” Losses mounted and the Air Force realized the O-1, though highly maneuverable, lacked armor, and was replaced by another Cessna – the O-2 Skymaster. The O-2 was powered by two engines giving it more speed and survivability.
Mark Foster and his beautiful O-1E in front of Lyon Air Museum. (Russ Albertson)Recently, I was able to ride along in a beautifully restored O-1E Bird Dog with Mark Foster, President of Martin Aviation and Lyon Air Museum at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Mark has been around warbirds for some time and has flown many of them, including a Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, North American P-51D Mustang and a Chance Vought F-4U-1A Corsair. He holds an A&P certificate and started working on warbirds at Fighter Rebuilders at Chino, Ca. Later, he moved on to manage Planes of Fame Air Museum as VP and General Manager.
During his time at Chino, he decided to restore a warbird and chose the O-1 Bird Dog. He searched all over the world via phone and the internet for a plane. He laughed when he said that after all that, he found one “about 200 yards from his 
The cockpit of the Bird Dog. (Russ Albertson)office,” in pieces and tucked in a corner of an old hangar. The plane had been ground-looped and needed a lot of sheet metal repair. This happened to be his specialty and, about six and half years of “spare time and lunch money,” he had a perfectly restored Bird Dog-right down to a replica M-16 hanging on a map light and simulated rocket soot on the ends of the rocket launchers!
Mark offered me a ride at Orange County airport and I was impressed by its short field performance. As soon as he applied takeoff power, I looked down to check my camera, and in a couple of seconds, we were airborne. We cruised out over the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and Mark let me have control. I made a few turns and the O-1E handled just like the Cessna 170s I remember. It would 
(Russ Albertson)have been fun to get down low over open country and see what it would have been like for the FACs flying 100 feet above the jungle, but jungle, or even open country for that matter, is in short supply in Orange County, and we headed back to John Wayne. Mark made a great short field landing, with a little crosswind, and shut down in front of the museum.
This plane, along with a B-17, B-25, A-26, C-47 and DC-3, plus other related rare vehicles and memorabilia can be seen at the Lyon Air Museum. Mark said the museum features aircraft flying events every other month, car club displays and book signing by WWII veterans. Also, the museum is working with local schools 
Mark Foster in flight with replica M-16 hanging in the right corner of the cockpit. (Russ Albertson)and the kids get special tours by WWII veterans. Information on the museum can be found at: info@lyonairmuseum.org or by calling 714/210-4585.
