US Douglas O46 Observation Airplane

By Crusader1307

First produced by The Douglas Aircraft Company in 1935, The O-46 was a heavy Observation Craft that saw limited service in World War II mostly due to it's sluggish performance. Only 90 were produced for The US Army Air Forces and of these only a few were deployed overseas (mostly in The Philippine Islands). Used to spot possible Enemy Submarine activity, the bulk of produced Models were used for US Coastal Observation duties by National Guard Units during The War. The Craft could accommodate (4) was was 35-feet long with a 40-foot wingspan. It was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney 13-cylinder Engine that produced just over 700-HP. The O-46 had an airspeed of 200-mph with an operational ceiling of 24,000-feet. It had no armament. Only (1) O-46 still exists today and it is currently on display at The Air Force Air Museum in The State of Ohio.