Cessna T-41B Mescalero

[Blueking]

As the title。
I thought it was Cessna O-1 Bird Dog。
Till I find it's landing gear—O-1 has tail wheel，not nose gear

 

[Blueking]

And it is at Laos.

 

[CiTrus90]

Aviation Photo #1474183: Cessna T-41B Mescalero (R172E) - Laos - Air Force

As you can see, few salvage work has been done over this a/c shown as a war booty in Lao People´s Army History Museum, in Vientiane. - Photo taken at Vientiane [OFF AIRPORT] in Laos on December 31, 2008.

www.airliners.net

 

[riggerrob]

Given the location and provenance, this is clearly a military trainer version of the Cessna 172.

The lower rear fuselage marks it as a 172D (introduced in 1963) or later airframe.
The flat spring main landing gear legs mark it as pre-1971.

The primary reason that USAF Cessna T-41B basic trainers got larger engines is that the Us Air Force Academy is located in Colorado, 5,000 feet above sea level. They need the extra horsepower to achieve a reasonable rate of climb.
Stock civilian Cessna 172 only has 145 or 150 horsepower and a fixed pitch, aluminum propeller. Stock Cessna 172s have a "leisurely" rate of climb at sea level, which suffers when flying at higher altitudes or on floats. Even with an up-rated engine, Cessna 172 is really only a two-seater on floats.
The variable pitch propeller might identify it as a Cessna 172XP, Rheims Rocket or one of the STC up-grades to increase horsepower to 195 or 210 horsepower.

T-41B Mescalero basic trainers (ab initio) were manufactured from 1964 to 1996) and sold well to foreign air forces: Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Greece, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Khmer Republic, Kingdom of Laos, Liberia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philipines, Peru, South Korea, South Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay.

 

[elmayerle]

That's a Cessna R172 "Hawk XP" for the civilian version with the IO360 and a constant-speed prop. The civilian version also picks up the improved fuel system from the 172P and subsequent models. I should know, I was involved in that effort on the powerplant and fuel system side, "way back when".