#superskymaster

[gmessy30]

This was flying around Soldotna Wednesday. It looks like an O-2 Skymaster, but the registration identified it as 1966 Cessna 337B Super Skymaster, on which the O-2 was based. Actual O-2's weren't in production until 1967. This type of aircraft was used by the U.S. military between 1967 and 2010, though there may still be some in service. In all, only six were ever used by the Navy, two of which were transferred back to the Air Force. None of the photos I've found of actual naval O-2's are in this style of livery. They are instead in low-vis grey. The owner records I could find only go back to 2004, all of them civilian. Older photos of this particular aircraft show a rear door painted red, but it is on the other side, and I only ever saw this side up-close. I don't know anything else about why this aircraft is. Still, it is an interesting aircraft, with a pusher/puller propulsion system, twin-boom tail, and high-mounted wing. There was a definite civilian model parked at the airstrip just north of Nikiski Station One for years, but I noticed it was gone as of last week! I hope it didn't leave by truck. Neat plane. #sonydschx400v #sonydsc #sonycybershot #SonyCameras #337b #cessna337b #skymaster #superskymaster #alaska #alaskaphotography #soldotna #soldotnaalaska #soldotnaairport #o2 #o2skymaster #1966 #alaskaaircraft #alaskaplanes #alaskaaviation (at Soldotna, Alaska) https://www.instagram.com/p/CV4uNTKrpba/?utm_medium=tumblr