Nicaragua..Cessna O-2

[L-4Pilot]

Does anyone know where this O-2 is today. I took these photos Circa 1990 right after Jerry Blue (Atlanta Ga.) had brought the aircraft home from Nicaragua. It was in pretty stock condition when he picked it up down there and was still armed. I think the aircraft saw service in SE Asia before going to South America. Sorry for the quality of the photos and I have no serial number information.

[zorro9]

L-4Pilot:

Nice pic & info on this bird. Tks Do you have a profile pic showing the black letters Reg?? (L/Boom)??

[L-4Pilot]

L-4Pilot:

Nice pic & info on this bird. Tks Do you have a profile pic showing the black letters Reg?? (L/Boom)??

I sure wish I did, I will look thru everything I have and see if I can find anymore photos.

[hang the expense]

I think I remember that bird being at McCollum field Georgia around 91,92??? I believe the SEA history was it was based out of Tan Son "Knut".Really cool history.I thought those birds came out of Honduras not Nicaragua.

[L-4Pilot]

I think I remember that bird being at McCollum field Georgia around 91,92??? I believe the SEA history was it was based out of Tan Son "Knut".Really cool history.I thought those birds came out of Honduras not Nicaragua.

Jerry told me it had been flown with the Contras in that conflict by US Pilots. It is possible that it was over in Honduras when Jerry went down to ferry it back. It was many years ago and my memory is not what it used to be. The plane had one very weak engine on it and he struggled to get it back home. He and I kept our planes on Bill Bunderants grass strip Lenora just East of Stone Mtn.

[zorro9]

L-4 Pilot:

Interesting aircraft! There are very few pics of those Nicaraguan birds. It looks like Reg HR-ALI fm this side of the screen.

[L-4Pilot]

L-4 Pilot:

Interesting aircraft! There are very few pics of those Nicaraguan birds. It looks like Reg HR-ALI fm this side of the screen.

Just found this one, note the newly overhauled prop Jerry installed shortly after he got it home.

[fahnach]

I sure wish I did, I will look thru everything I have and see if I can find anymore photos.

HR-ALT

[SIDSIKO]

Said to be a Cessna 337G with the construction number 01704. Registered N58SB to J.S. Blue of Lilburn, GA 15 April 1992.
It was originally N53564 before joining the Nicaraguan Air Force as "312", probably in 1976.
No longer current

[zorro9]

S:

Good Day!

Tks for data & info! This aircraft is becoming a bit interesting. Most of the O-2/337s that FAN had c. 1979 were camo schemes. This one came back out of a warehouse/boneyard in grey scheme & no markings?? How was "312" when Jerry found it? What did it look like?? c. 1990s? The Reg in the pics above is confirmed as HR-ALT. Which means is was just in the area S. Fla c. 1991.

[L-4Pilot]

S:

Good Day!

Tks for data & info! This aircraft is becoming a bit interesting. Most of the O-2/337s that FAN had c. 1979 were camo schemes. This one came back out of a warehouse/boneyard in grey scheme & no markings?? How was "312" when Jerry found it? What did it look like?? c. 1990s? The Reg in the pics above is confirmed as HR-ALT. Which means is was just in the area S. Fla c. 1991.

The first three photos I posted were taken a few days after he arrived home( Atlanta, Ga.) with the aircraft. I helped him remove some of the radio equipment over the next week or so.

I checked my records and I believe the photos were taken in 1991 possibly 1992. Jerry picked up the aircraft in South America and flew it home from there. He had a tough time getting the aircraft home with a weak engine, worn out prop and gear that would not cycle properly. Only a week or so after he got home he asked me to fly escort with him in my L-19 over to Gwinett to have the landing gear overhauled. We made the short trip over from Lenora with the gear down on the O-2 as he was afraid it would not come back down if he retracted it.

Later he flew it up to the Gainesville Ga. fly In, July I believe and he had a great time telling everyone the history of the aircraft and pointing out battle damage on the various areas of the plane. I remember it had at least one area where small arms fire had punctured the bottom of one of the wings and you could see the corresponding patch on top where the round exited. I never knew if the damage was Vietnam or South America.

Jerry said that the plane had armament on it that was removed before he was allowed to ferry it home.

[SIDSIKO]

Summit Aviation modified 10 civil 337's for sale to the Nicaraguan Air Force in 1976. The battle damage would have happened in Nicaragua and not in SEA as these were not ex USAF machines.