Cessna O-2T
 

Does anybody know the identity of the airplane that was converted to the Turbine version? It carried the registration of N6309F and had civil 1969 paint job. I can't find any reference to the US reg on any register. When did it fly and what happened to it. Any info most welcome.

There is more than one. There is an airplane operating in California, for NOAA I believe, with a single turbine engine in the back, and sensor equipment where the front engine used to be.

There is/was also an outfit at Kalispell Municipal (Montana) that converted a 337 to a single turbine engine in front, and put the batteries and luggage space where the rear engine use to be.

It seems like you are referring to an O-2 conversion. I don't know if the NOAA airplane was originally an O-2 or not, I know the Kalispell airplane was a 337 to start with.

Sorry, I am not much good for information like this, but if these breadcrumbs are of any use, you are welcome to them.

Kevin

I believe it is being converted back to standard engines. There is a web page somewhere on the restoration. I saw it a long time ago, so it may have been completed by now.

The one I'm talking about is the proof of concept done for the military on the O-2A. It had two turboprops, and if they'd done the whole conversion, it would have had a new greenhouse as well.

Cessna O-2T PHOTO
 

Here is a photo of the O-2T. Any info re this airplane is most welcome.

Cessna O-2T
 

I am almost sure that the O-2T in question started life as a 337A.
Cessna construction # 337-0309. My guess is that it was retained by the factory for O-2 testing. I can find nothing referring to this airframe on the US civil register or anywhere else, for that matter.

This O-2T was allocated the Cessna model number of 348.
The prototype had side-by-side seating, however, the production units (O-2TT) were intended to have tandem seating. First flew in Autumn 1969. Wing span increase to 43ft, Length increase to 32ft 3 1/2 in, Height to 10ft 1 3/8in, Wing area to 220sq ft.
Pity they did not go into production, would have been a "hot-rod" on the civil market now-a-days.