Dubbed the "Bamboo Bomber" by the pilots who flew them, the UC-78 was a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. Cessna first produced the wood and tubular steel, fabric-covered T-50 in 1939 for the civilian market. In 1940 the U.S. Army Air Corps ordered them under the designation AT-8 as multi-engine advanced trainers.

In 1942, the U.S. Army Air Force (the successor to the Air Corps from June 1941) ordered the Bobcat as a light transport as C-78s, which were redesignated as UC-78s on 1 January 1943. By the end of World War II, Cessna had produced more than 4,600 Bobcats for the U.S. Army, 67 of which were transferred to the United States Navy as JRC-1 s.

The Cessna UC-78 was known by many names/designations: AT-17, T-50, Bobcat, Twin Breasted Cub, Useless 78, and Bamboo Bomber. The UC-78 is a fabric covered, wood winged, twin engine trainer and transport used in all theaters of World War II.

Cessna UC-78 Bobcat . The UC-78, known affectionately as the "Bamboo Bomber" because of its wooden construction, was well known as a multi-engine trainer of WWII. Many bomber pilots saw training on this aircraft.

The UC-78B is a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. Cessna first produced the wood and tubular steel fabric-covered T-50 in 1939 for the civilian market. In 1940, the Army Air Corps (AAF) ordered them under the designation AT …

2021年1月11日 · It has a pugnacious little nose with a serious greenhouse cockpit office behind it. Twin, fire-breathing Jacobs 245 HP radial engines mounted on a clean lower wing and fuselage with a retractable landing gear tail-dragger stance. It has a roomy, 5-person cabin offering a comfortable ride at a breathtaking 140 mph.

2023年9月6日 · Originally AT-8 multi-engine advanced trainers, these aircraft went through designation changes as the AT-17 and the UC-78 light personnel transport that served with the USAAF, USN...

Known to many as the ‘Bamboo Bomber’ due to its largely wooden construction, the Bobcat played a vital role in training multi-engine aircraft pilots during WWII. Developed for the civilian market in the late 1930s, the T-50 family of aircraft spawned one of the nation’s most important, multi-engine trainers of WWII.

DAYTON, Ohio - Cessna UC-78 cockpit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Originally AT-8 multi-engine advanced trainers, these aircraft went through designation changes as the AT-17 and the UC-78 light personnel transport that served with the USAAF, USN and RCAF. This Bobcat was acquired by the museum in 1982.