Acft ID Lecce 98th BG 1944

[researcher111]

This aircraft was seen at the Hdq of 98th BG Lecce by mid 1944
it seems like a Brit acft such as the Lysander though hard to tell.

Help will be appreciated

Alex K

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Looks like a Curtiss O-52 'Owl', to me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_O-52_Owl

Col.

[researcher111]

totally possible, thank you !

[Kutscha]

Originally Posted by Col Bruggy

Hello,

Looks like a Curtiss O-52 'Owl', to me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_O-52_Owl

Col.

Definitely as the retracting u/c can be seen. The Lysander didn't have retracting u/c.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well spotted!

Me at least, is rather surprised to see one of these in Italy and in use as late as 1944. Since the aircraft was basically obsolete when delivered in 1941 I fail to understand why it was sent overseas in the first place.
No one would go over the front in such a large and slow contraption like this.
It was simply such a fat, slow and juicy target you just couldn't miss!

So what was it used for? Communication/liasion?

Is there a possibillity it is misidentified and not really in Italy at all, but simply belonged to a man from 98th BG who once flew it back in the States?

Cheers
Stig

[researcher111]

The photos was taken at the HDQ of 98 BG Lecce summer 1944. No idea on how this arrived that unit and the purposes was used for .

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Alex

What is your source for that? Checking the 98BG files in USA?
Gone through all the record cards for the O-52?

If you picked it up from the internet somewhere, I'm afraid I need a bit more evidence than that to be convinced.

Cheers
Stig

[Revi16]

This certainly isn't conclusive, but every O-52 accident that I could find was in the USA, with a couple in Puerto Rico, one in Trinidad and one in the Dominican Republic. None overseas. Again, not conclusive. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/s...t3=Go&offset=0

Additionally, I have not been able to find/google a single photo of any O-52 in any combat zone. Again, not conclusive.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Revi

I thought I would make a list of all O-52 based upon these Archive notes.
Takes a lot longer time than I thought...

Seems the type was rather accident prone back in the States, but on the other hand it was probably used by many a hamfisted pilot

Large number of Cat 3 accidents which was fairly quickly fixed and many individuals keep appearing over and over again.

The most interesting aircraft so far is 40-2802 which had a cat 3 accident while still with Curtiss on 26.9.1941. It was one of 30 allotted under lend lease to Soviet Union. 11 of those were lost in transit.

Cheers
Stig