For those of you who don’t keep a close watch on what’s happening across la Manche, the restoration of the Bobcat at Espace Air Passion, at Angers, is entering its final stage. It will be registered F-AZAE and, hallelujah, it’s not going to be painted as a ‘warbird’ but as an example of that which flew in the service of TAI in the early sixties. For those of you who read French, take a look at https://en.calameo.com/read/001085284e9e33a97a6c2 – or better still, pay a visit to the museum.
By: J Boyle - 12th December 2019 at 14:26
A neat type that is now sadly rare.
I understand that back in the ’50s, (before my time!), they were very common in the U.S. and Canada as personal, charter and short haul schedule work but due to their mixed construction and the appearance of higher performance new light twins they became nearly extinct.
Reading about them, since the ’80s the type has been on a “comeback” with more being restored.
I was recently going through my father’s flight records and he did get most of his multi-engined training in them enroute to his B-17 training.
The new book on the Curtiss AT-9 addresses at some length the USAAF multi-engined training scheme (a welcome addition on a neglected topic) and the Bobcat is great mentioned.
A somewhat sedate performer, (especially compared to the sleek all-metal Curtiss) it nonetheless did its job and certainly deserves to be remembered.
By: avion ancien - 12th December 2019 at 13:47
For the intended colour scheme, see https://www.musee-aviation-angers.fr/cessna-bobcat?lightbox=dataItem-iwjap1l7.
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th December 2019 at 12:50
OO-TIN… leetle grey cells say “that’s the one!” Delighted to hear it’s still with us.
“Forat” in my first post should of course have read “first” – no edit function?
By: avion ancien - 12th December 2019 at 12:09
‘ I recall there was an air worthy Belgian example about 40 years ago ‘
If the Belgian Bobcat you recall was OO-TIN, it is the aeroplane that is now being restored at Angers!
By: Mothminor - 12th December 2019 at 08:39
Lovely! The Bobcat’s really going to grace the skies in that colour scheme 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th December 2019 at 08:00
Excellent! Dont think I’ve ever seen one in Europe, I recall there was an air worthy Belgian example about 40 years ago. I came across a beautifully restored example at Pompano Beach in Florida in the 1990s – owner said forat flight was any day now – just a myriad of small things to button up. A nice aeroplane.
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December 11, 2019 at 8:50 pm