Cessna Warbirds, the War Years (1941-45)

During World War II, Cessna Aircraft Company sold more than 5,000 twin-engine aircraft-the T-50 Bobcat-to US and foreign armed forces with a variety of designations and missions. As the USAAF AT-8 and AT-17 and the RCAF Crane multi-engine trainers, the T-50 prepared new pilots for the bigger bomber and transport aircraft they would fly in combat around the world. As the UC-78 and JRC-1, it provided personnel and light cargo transportation worldwide.
Cessna Warbirds: The War Years (1941-45) details the genesis and evolution of the Cessna T-50 Bobcat from its incarnation as a civilian aircraft throughout its wartime military history. Personal recollections from pilots who flew the aircraft during WW II, a plethora of photographs (some in color), diagrams extracted from the pilot's flight manual, and a collection of Cessna-related wartime ads provide a unique depth of material.
The War Years also chronicles the pre-war, single-engine Cessnas that were impressed into military service.
The War Years includes an illustrated overview of Clyde Cessna the man, the aircraft he designed, and the companies he created. It will soon be followed by Cessna Warbirds: Post-War Adaptations, Volume 3 of the Cessna Warbirds Series.