In the late 1960s, the U.S. was deeply entrenched in the Vietnam War and aircraft development was markedly different than it is now. Rather than shoehorning one type into myriad roles in an effort to reduce development costs, as is done today, the U.S. military leaned strongly toward the belief that it was better to develop unique aircraft types tailored specifically to each role. Aircraft manufacturers predictably rose to the challenge and constantly competed with each other in pursuit of new aircraft contracts, large and small.
Cessna was no exception. Beginning with the O-1 Bird Dog in 1949, the company went on to manufacture a number of other military aircraft, including the T-37/A-37 jet and military versions of the 172, 185, 310, and 337. In the year following the introduction of the militarized 337, known as the O-2, Cessna spotted an opportunity to create a modified version and wasted no time manufacturing a full-scale mockup.
