At least six and possibly as many as eight Observation Squadrons assigned to I ASC and operating along the Atlantic Coast line, included O-46A's in their inventories. Photos of these aircraft on station are very rare. Can anyone point me to any that may exist in private collections?
Douglas O-46A's assigned to units of the I Air Support Command, January-August 1942
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The 111th and other Observation Squadrons of the 68th Observation Group used mostly O-47s for Sub patrols, I believe they could carry light bombs. The 111th Squadron had 6 O-43As that they had from 1933, and used them in December/January for border patrol in Texas. In February 1942 the units turned over their old aircraft and went to Georgia to train for deployment to North Africa in November.
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Thanks Tom! And congratulations on being the only member who has weighed in on this unloved airplane thus far! Like their O-47 and yes, O-52 brethren, the O-46A's actually did go places and do things! The tough nut is the ones that were distributed amongst the (mainly) Federalized National Guard observation units of the I ASC between January and August 1942.
I should have also said, The O-46A was the last of the Douglas parasail observation planes. The O-43A which the 111th Squadron had 7 was powered by an inline engine and used a complicated set of flying wires to hold the wings up. The O-46A replaces the wires with wing struts and a radial engine. The planes were called "Corps and Division" planes to support close army recon. The army planed for longer range aircraft to perform Army Recon. They were compatible with the Westland Lysender army co-op planes.
There are some O-46A photos here, mixed among mis-catalogued O-43s: not sure if they help.
