# North American O-47



## Snautzer01 (Jan 17, 2015)



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## Wurger (Jan 17, 2015)

She's looking like being pregnant.


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## Wildcat (Jan 17, 2015)

I personally love the look of the 0-47! It has that classic 30's American look about her

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## Capt. Vick (Jan 17, 2015)

I guess it IS cool looking in its own fugly way.


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## vikingBerserker (Jan 17, 2015)

It does look like a pregnant guppy.


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## daveT (Jan 18, 2015)

Any info on where or when the picture was taken?


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## daveT (Jan 18, 2015)

O-47 pictures from my files. No info on the pictures

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## daveT (Jan 18, 2015)

In February 1937, the USAAC let an initial contract for 109 O-47As. North American Aviation closed the factory at Dundalk and opened a new factory at Inglewood, California. All 164 O-47As and all 74 O-47Bs were built there. Most of the aircraft (143) were assigned to National Guard units.

The O-47 is somewhat unique in that the USAAC never gave it a name. Four known airframes in the world that are not wreckage. The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., has one example; another is held by the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio; one was last reported under restoration in Chino, California; and one other example.

The crew included a pilot, second pilot, and gunner. The second pilot was rather busy, as he was also radio operator and cameraman. He could fold his seat and drop down into the observer’s station in the aircraft’s belly. The plane proved to be a reliable, stable platform for photography and was known for its rugged dependability.

The O-47 represents a time in US military aviation history when large observation planes were prevalent yet the advances in aircraft performance worldwide rapidly made their designs obsolete. They could not survive in the front-line environments of World War II. This was proven during massive war games in Louisiana and North and South Carolina in 1941. The O-47 and other observation aircraft were too large, too slow, too lightly armed, and lacked maneuverability. They were sitting ducks for fighters. In 1942 the designation “O” for Observation was dropped in favor of the designation “L” for Liaison. This reflected the new, lighter, more maneuverable and more useful liaison aircraft; the “grasshoppers.” 

O-47s did provide wartime service flying antisubmarine patrols along the US Atlantic coastline, being target tugs, serving in training and communication duties, and in general utility work. In January 1942, ten O-47s and their aircrews were placed aboard ships for transport to Singapore. They were to conduct coastal patrol and reconnaissance over the Malay Peninsula. Singapore fell before the aircraft arrived, and they were diverted to Australia where they spent the rest of the war. Other O-47s flew from bases in the Panama Canal Zone. In February 2002, the wreckage of one such O-47 was found in the mountains of western Panama. The aircraft last took flight on June 8, 1941 and vanished without a trace.

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## daveT (Jan 18, 2015)

I found the crash site of one in the California Desert near Edwards AFB. Not much remains but identifiable. 
O-47A, 37-327, crashed 18 June 43. Crashed north of Leuhman Ridge and South of the town of Boron due to engine fire during strafing run. 2LT Arthur Shepard, Cpl. James W. Turvin, and Pvt. A. R. Rodrigues survived.

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## Wildcat (Jan 18, 2015)

Excellent Dave! In what capacity were the 0-47's that made it to Australia used for? I've not read of their use here so I'm guessing they were used as hacks etc. I'd also be interested to know how many USAAF squadrons employed 0-47's on anti-sub patrols.


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## Wurger (Jan 18, 2015)




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## Gnomey (Jan 21, 2015)

Good shots! Thanks for sharing.


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## Snautzer01 (Jan 22, 2015)



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## mystere IV (Jan 24, 2015)

from air and space si edu, the best color quality picture for this plane

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## Wurger (Jan 24, 2015)




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## Wildcat (Jan 24, 2015)

Nice.


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## Snautzer01 (Feb 11, 2015)



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## Wurger (Feb 11, 2015)




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## Snautzer01 (Feb 20, 2015)



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## Graeme (Feb 20, 2015)

O-47A with enlarged camera bay for the observer...

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## Capt. Vick (Feb 20, 2015)

Good Lord look at that thing! It's about to pop!

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## Graeme (Feb 20, 2015)

Capt. Vick said:


> Good Lord look at that thing! It's about to pop!



Yes, the cervix looks to be 10 cms dilated. Here's the CAT scan - revealing triplets inside...

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## Capt. Vick (Feb 20, 2015)

...and all boys! Congratulations!

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## Graeme (Feb 21, 2015)

Capt. Vick said:


> ...and all boys! Congratulations!



Thanks Jim! All big healthy lads and mum's doing fine.

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## Wurger (Feb 21, 2015)




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## Capt. Vick (Feb 21, 2015)

Hahahahahaha! Great!


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## stug3 (Feb 22, 2015)



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## Snautzer01 (Feb 26, 2015)




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## Jarda Rankl (Jan 16, 2018)

Friends beautiful photos from the golden age of flying. But color is color. During his wandering around the net, I found this.

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## Wurger (Jan 16, 2018)




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## vikingBerserker (Jan 16, 2018)

Nice!


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## Gnomey (Feb 9, 2018)

Nice shots!


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## Wildr1 (Feb 10, 2018)

From my collection, most are prints from national guard archives, several are ebay purchases.















View attachment 481974





















View attachment 481968
View attachment 481974

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## Wildr1 (Feb 11, 2018)

more from my collection

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## Wildr1 (Feb 25, 2018)

MORE FROM MY FILES

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## SuperFire (Feb 25, 2018)

I'll bet water ditchings were fun in that thing; like an inter-tube slide ride at a water park.

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## Wurger (Feb 26, 2018)

Nice shots.


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## johnbr (Sep 21, 2018)




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## johnbr (Sep 21, 2018)



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## Wildr1 (Sep 22, 2018)

A printed double exposure

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## Wurger (Sep 22, 2018)




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## Wildr1 (Nov 19, 2018)



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## Wurger (Nov 19, 2018)




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## Gnomey (Nov 28, 2018)

Good shots!


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## Wildr1 (Jan 12, 2019)



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## Wurger (Jan 12, 2019)




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## Snautzer01 (Dec 14, 2019)

Org. Photo: USAAC O-47b Traget Towing Plane (#39-9117) on Airfield; 1943 (#2)!!! | eBay

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## Snautzer01 (Dec 14, 2019)

Org. Photo: USAAC O-47b Traget Towing Plane (#39-9117) on Airfield; 1943 (#1)!!! | eBay


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## fubar57 (Dec 14, 2019)

Ugly great beast


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## Wurger (Dec 14, 2019)




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## Gnomey (Dec 31, 2019)

Nice shots!


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## Snautzer01 (Jun 5, 2020)

U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS ~ NORTH AMERICAN 0-47 OBSERVATION PLANE ~ c. - 1937 | eBay

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## Wurger (Jun 5, 2020)




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## Snautzer01 (Sep 8, 2020)

1939 Press Photo North American Aviation Compant Plant Hydraulic Press | eBay


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## Snautzer01 (Mar 29, 2021)

*PHOTO* O-47 Observation Aircraft - 123rd Observation Squadron '42 ~ Excellent | eBay


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## Gnomey (Mar 31, 2021)

Good shots!

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## Wurger (Apr 1, 2021)




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## stug3 (Apr 27, 2021)

O-47 over California, 1939


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## Snautzer01 (Oct 15, 2021)

*PHOTO* Pre-War Air Corps O-47 OWL Observation Aircraft - Original Print | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for *PHOTO* Pre-War Air Corps O-47 OWL Observation Aircraft - Original Print at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com

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## Wurger (Oct 15, 2021)




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## Gnomey (Oct 16, 2021)

Good shots!


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## Snautzer01 (Dec 11, 2021)

WW2 USAAF North American O-47 Douglas A-17 at Bolling Field Washington DC Photo | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WW2 USAAF North American O-47 Douglas A-17 at Bolling Field Washington DC Photo at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





Bolling Field Washington

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## Snautzer01 (Dec 11, 2021)

WW2 USAAF North American O-47 Martin B-10 at Bolling Field Washington DC Photo | eBay


It looks like they were taken during a air show at the base. Many of the aircraft have had their markings painted over, rather crudely I might add! Historical photograph. (Ruler is to show scale of photographs.).



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Bolling Field Washington

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## Wurger (Dec 11, 2021)




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## cammerjeff (Dec 11, 2021)

Snautzer01 said:


> WW2 USAAF North American O-47 Douglas A-17 at Bolling Field Washington DC Photo | eBay
> 
> 
> Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WW2 USAAF North American O-47 Douglas A-17 at Bolling Field Washington DC Photo at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
> ...


Nice picture, I agree with all the A/C ID's listed, but what is the 5th aircraft in the forground between the O-47b & the Grumman? At first I thought it was a AT-12 Gaurdsman, but the tail and canopy don't match. Then after searching for Seversky & Republic trainers I think it is one of 30 BT-8 trainers built. But I can't find any pictures of a BT-8 with an antenna mast like the one in the pictures. The rest of the A/C matches a BT-8 in IMO. Any other ideas?

After typing the above I found these images of BT-8's with an antenna mast that matches the one in the image. So I think it confirms it is a BT-8. Thoughts?








Source Seversky BT-8 Gallery

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## special ed (Dec 12, 2021)

I was about to say the same.


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## Snautzer01 (Mar 29, 2022)

LARGE ORIGINAL WW2 USAAF PRESS PHOTO NORTH AMERICAN O-47 DATED 1941 23x18cm | eBay


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">LARGE ORIGINAL WW2 USAAF PRESS PHOTO NORTH AMERICAN O-47 DATED 1941 AT CAMP ROBINSON, ARKANSAS</p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Size is 23 x 18 cm.</p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0...



www.ebay.com

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## Wurger (Mar 29, 2022)




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## special ed (Mar 29, 2022)

Why are the underwing insignia painted out? War games in Little Rock?


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