1943 Cessna T-50 “Bushmaster”
Designed in the late 30’s, the Cessna “Bobcat” was flown by the military for flight training. After WWII was over, many were surplused to civilian air carriers. Known as the “Bamboo Bomber” because of their all wood wing, many were used in Alaska air operation.
Six examples were modified for bush operations by Ray Petersen’s Northern Consolidated Airlines. Petersen called his modified Cessna T-50's “Bushmasters”.
The air museum’s example, NC30023, was recovered from an aircraft dump in Nome in 1988.
The wood wing of NC30023 was a 3 year restoration project by Walt Eberhart, a Fairbanks resident and a former NCA mechanic, who worked on NC30023 while the Cessna was in service with NCA.
ingeniumcanada.org - Cessna Crane
Cessna T-50.org A word about the “Bamboo Bomber Club”: No dues, No Meetings, No Officers, No membership cards, No Newsletter
1942 USAAF Serial Numbers (42-70686 to 42-91973)
42-71933 (c/n 4629) to Northern Consolidated Airlines as NC30023.