A man after my own heart (hence my user name). I love these things to bits and looked at this my self 18 months ago, but the cost for myself alone and work issues finished the idea and I've gone down in scale restoring an Auster. Could point you at some projects stateside if thats what your looking for or flying O-2a's, you don't want a B do you. No fun without bomb racks and rocket pods. ?
What do you need to know ?
They are not civil certified models, so can not operate on a UK CofA, especially the A model (hard points etc) The B model is more stock 337. You could operate on a Caa permit to fly, shouldn't be to much of a problem getting a company to act as maintenance for it or keep it on the 'N' reg. But the later may have some problems, depending on its current certificate. As O2's seen to operate on different schemes in the US, some standard cat and some experimental. I never did find out why this is. If it's on a experimental ticket on the 'N' reg, you can't operate it here in the UK, although you can visit, or deliver it as such.
What aircraft are you looking at ? Do you know about the spar inspections for O2's. They start at 3000 hours, not 5000 as with the 337, then every 500 hours. The good thing about O2's is that unlike the US build 337's they are factory corrosion proofed, same as the French 337's (all aluminium parts where zinc chromated, before assembly).
Anything else Pm me, beside I want to know moe about your plans.
