It is also affectionately known as the Cessna "Bamboo Bomber", and I actually had an opportunity to fly one many years ago. The official Cessna designation for this aircraft was the T-50, but it was also affectionately known as "Song Bird".

Dubbed the "Bamboo Bomber" by the pilots who flew them, the UC-78 was a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. Cessna first produced the wood and tubular steel, fabric-covered T-50 in 1939 for the civilian market. In 1940 the U.S. Army Air Corps ordered them under the designation AT-8 as multi-engine advanced trainers.

Cessna built 33 AT-8s for the Air Corps and production continued under the designation AT-17 to reflect a change in equipment and engine types. In 1942 the U.S. Army Air Forces adopted the Bobcat as a light personnel transport and designated those delivered after Jan. 1, 1943, as UC-78s. By the end of World War II, Cessna produced more than 4,600 Bobcats for the USAAF, 67 of which were transferred to the U.S. Navy as JRC-1s. In addition, Cessna produced 822 Bobcats for the Royal Canadian Air Force as Crane 1s.

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The UC-78 on display is one of the 1,806 UC-78Bs built for the USAAF and was acquired by the museum in 1982.

TECHNICAL NOTES:

• Engines: Two Jacobs R-755-9s of 245 hp each
  
• Maximum speed: 175 mph
  
• Cruising speed: 150 mph
  
• Range: 750 miles
  
• Ceiling: 15,000 ft.
  
• Wingspan: 41 ft. 11 in.
  
• Length: 32 ft. 9 in.
  
• Height: 9 ft. 11 in.
  
• Weight: 5,700 lbs. maximum