Originally manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita Kansas, this aircraft was accepted by the USA Army Air Services on May 4, 1943. The Bobcat trained countless military aviators during World War Two to operate multi-engine aircraft.

In May 1956 a civilian certificate of air-worthiness was issued under the number N52390. The aircraft appears to have passed through several owners until January 2007 when it was placed with the Aerospace Museum of California in McClellan, CA in its present state as a fuselage shell and uncovered wing. From there the static exhibit passed to the Reno Aviation Museum, near Stead Airport in North Reno sometime after August 2014.

As can be seen in the photo above, the fuselage is intact but uncovered, revealing the aircraft's inner workings and beautiful wooden construction, hence the nickname "Bamboo Bomber". It is probably best known as the first aircraft used by television character 'Sky King' in the series of the same name.

When the Reno Aviation Museum closed down in 2017, Steve Craig of Lawrence acquired some of the exhibits. He donated this Bobcat to the Combat Air Museum in July 2017.