Cessna AT-17 Bobcat
.jpg) Cessna AT-17 Bobcat. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Cessna |
|---|---|
| Model | Cessna AT-17 Bobcat |
| Type | Trainer, five-seat light transport and utility aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | 26 March 1939 (T-50) |
| Built | 1939-1944 |
| Status | Retired, some examples in private use |
| Number built | 5,422 |
| Registered in the US | 41 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | Five (pilot and four passengers) |
| Engine | 2 × Jacobs R-755-9, 245 hp |
| Cruise speed | 175 mph (AT-17) |
| Range | 750 mi (AT-17) |
| Service ceiling | 22,000 ft (AT-17) |
| Max weight | 6,062 lb (AT-17)
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The Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, also called the Cessna Crane, is a twin-engine trainer used in World War II to bridge the gap between single-engine trainers and multi-engine combat airplanes.[1] It was the military version of Cessna's T-50 light transport, and 5,422 were built.[1] In the U.S. there are 41 with a valid registration, most under the T-50 name.[2]
History
In 1939, three years after Clyde Cessna retired, the T-50 became the company's first twin-engine airplane and its first with retractable landing gear. It first flew on March 26, 1939.[1] Military versions were the AT-8 and AT-17 trainers, the UC-78 transport and the Crane Mk I for Canada; the Royal Canadian Air Force ordered 180 Cranes in September 1940.[1]
In U.S. service it was nicknamed the "Bamboo Bomber". Few were left when the U.S. Air Force was formed in September 1947, and the type was declared obsolete in 1949.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 41 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| T-50 | 36 |
| UC-78 | 4 |
| UC-78B | 1 |
Specifications (AT-17)
| Item | AT-17 |
|---|---|
| Crew | Five (pilot and four passengers) |
| Length | 9.98 m |
| Wingspan | 12.78 m |
| Height | 3.02 m |
| Wing area | 295 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 3,500 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 6,062 lb |
| Engine | 2 × Jacobs R-755-9, 245 hp (seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine) |
| Maximum speed | 195 mph |
| Cruise speed | 175 mph |
| Stall speed | 63-66 mph |
| Range | 750 mi |
| Service ceiling | 22,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,150 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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A Cessna Crane on display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Photo: Ahunt, Public domain -
Cessna UC-78C. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Cessna UC-78 "Bobcat". Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain -
Cessna AT-17 Bobcat. Photo: Bill Larkins, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Cessna AT-17 Bobcat. Photo: Bill Larkins, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Cessna AT-17 (AC 42-30) from Stockton Field. Photo: Bill Larkins, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Konrad Johannesson Flying Service Cessna Crane at Brandon Avenue Seaplane Base in Winnipeg, c. Photo: Konrad JohannessonCopyright holder: Brian Johannesson, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
From the museum website: The UC-78B is a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. Photo: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 2.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Cessna AT-17 Bobcat
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Wikipedia, "Cessna AT-17 Bobcat", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.