The "O" bird sitting in the early morning light at the 78' Gathering of Eagles show

Wears the insignia of the 113th Observation Squadron. Damaged when nosing over at Lebanon, Kentucky on 19 June 1939. Repaired and assigned to Kelly Field, Texas. This airframe was under civil registry as N79970 from 1966 but its fate is unclear. Photo from: Indiana Historical Society

A long term rebuild was begun in 2000, using parts of 38-295 (N1047P).

A sharper black and white photo seems to confirm the serial number below the windscreen. The MD code is for AFMD and the aircraft also wears a black arrow marking saying 'Wright' (Field). The USAAF found light observation aircraft like the Piper Cub to be more practical. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Crashed at Porterville, California, on June 11, 1982. Under restoration to fly again in 2023.

First test plane of NACA Ames from 5 September 1940. Initially used for heated-wing de-icing tests, this O-47A remained in the NACA fleet for almost 16 years - nothing special in modern aviation, but a very long time back then. Photo from: NASA

This is a composite of two aircraft. c/n 25-554 38-284 / N4725V which crashed in 1982 and c/n 25-565 38-295 / N1047P. It is being restored to flight status and is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

The O-47 was an observation fixed-wing aircraft used by the Army Air Corps and intended as a replacement for earlier observation biplanes. Note the windows in the belly to overcome the obscured visibility from the wings for downward observation and photography. Proving flights demonstrated the O-47 was too large and heavy and it was soon relegated to duties such as towing targets and coastal patrol. This example is on display at the National Museum of the USAF as 37-328 in the markings from the 112th OS of the Ohio NG, but it is actually ex 39-112.

USAAC observation monoplane ex 38-284. Sold post-war as XB-QEU and N4725V. Used in "Flight of the Phoenix" film. Crashed 11 June 1982 and currently (2017) a restoration project.