North American O-47
The North American O -47 was a reconnaissance aircraft of the United States Army Air Corps ( USAAC ) of 1938.
The O -47 was designed as a successor to the Thomas - Morse O -19 and Douglas O -38 biplane reconnaissance aircraft. It was a low-wing monoplane with a crew of three, who sat under a long canopy. In the lower fuselage window were incorporated to facilitate the ground observation and photography.
History
The prototype X0 -47 was designed in 1934 by General Aviation, a subsidiary of North American Aviation as the GA -15. The GA -15 first flew in mid 1935. The USAAC ordered 174 O- 47A machines in the years 1937 and 1938. Machines of which 93 were destined for the National Guard. 1938 ordered the U.S. Army on 74 machines of the type O -47B with a new 1,060 hp ( 790 kW) Wright R -1820 radial engine and improved radio equipment.
However, training maneuvers showed the weaknesses of O -47. Lighter aircraft were better suited for operations with ground troops. Hunters and twin-engine bombers showed better properties for photo reconnaissance. Thus, the O -47 was used as a training aircraft, target aircraft in the Coast Guard and the submarine hunting in the Second World War.