Canadian Warplanes 4: Cessna Crane

Cessna Crane

(DND Archives Photo, PCN-3871)

Cessna T-50 Crane Mk. I, RCAF (Serial No. 8676), painted in yellow training livery. 8676 is currently on display in the Canada Air and Space Museum, Ottawa, Ontario.

The Cessna T-50 Crane was the RCAF version of the Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, a twin-engined advanced trainer designed and made in the USA during the Second World War. It served to bridge the gap between single-engined trainers and twin-engined combat aircraft. The AT-17 was powered by two Jacobs R-755-9 radial reciprocating engines.

First flown in 1939, the American-built Cessna Crane was developed as a five-seat, light transport civilian aircraft. It was originally intended to serve only a minor role within the BCATP (an initial 180 were ordered in 1940) until the Canadian-built Avro Ansons became available in greater numbers. This was the first large order that Cessna had received for one of its products. Eventually, more than 5,400 Cranes would be produced, of which 826 saw service with the RCAF. Cessna Cranes were used primarily to teach future bomber pilots, after they had received their initial training, to fly multi-engined aircraft at Service Flying Training Schools in western Canada.

Powered by 245-horsepower Jacobs R-755-9 radial engines, Cessna Cranes featured wooden wings and tail married to a fuselage constructed of welded steel tubing. Most of the aircraft was fabric-covered. It was cheap, reliable and relatively easy to fly, with a top speed of 315 kilometres (195 miles) per hour.

The Crane provided twin-engined complexity with economy of operation and went on to become one of the most important aircraft used by the BCATP. Cranes continued to serve with the RCAF until 1947, after which many were purchased by private individuals and companies.

Nicknamed the Bamboo Bomber because of its largely wood construction, the Crane had a reputation as a stable and reliable aircraft. Although not an ideal training aircraft because of its poor single-engined performance and load-carrying capability, it performed its duties satisfactorily and helped train several thousand bomber pilots. (Bomber Command Museum of Canada)

Cessna T-50 Crane Mk. I (644), (Serial Nos. 1300, 4000, 7657-7836, 7843-8202, 8651-8750, 9000, 9500), Mk. IA (100), (Serial Nos. 8751-8850), Mk. IA (82), (Serial Nos. FJ200-39, 48-89), for a total of 826 aircraft in service with the RCAF from 1941 to 1949.