L-19 Recovered from Lake After 47 Years

[n0jaa]

L-19 RECOVERED FROM LAKE AFTER 47 YEARS

A Cessna L-19 "Bird Dog" was recovered on Saturday from the bottom of a Minnesota lake, where it had rested beneath 40 feet of water since 1958. The recovery team used a large winch mounted on a pontoon boat to hoist the airplane, then towed it to shore. Divers also found a flight log, parachutes and headphones.

The wreck was discovered by accident in July 2004, when fishermen in search of walleye scanned the area with an underwater camera. The Army airplane crashed after the pilot, Capt. Richard P. Carey, reported he was low on fuel and then apparently hit some seagulls and crashed into the lake. Carey was killed and his body was recovered two weeks later, but the aircraft was never found.

Local organizations, including an American Legion post and an EAA chapter, plan to restore the airplane and display it as a memorial to its pilot.


From AVWeb, August 14, 2005.

http://www.fag.es/aviacion/aparatos/BirdDog/imagenesL19/L19tablada45.jpg

Edited to include a photo of an L-19.

[KI6ADA]

Any plane recovery and Restoration is pretty cool. Wasn't the L-19 a flight trainer for young Lieutenants? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[K9STH]

ADA:

Nope, the L-19 was a light observation aircraft. However, some CAP and Air Explorer (BSA) units did have some L-19 aircraft and did use them for flight instruction. I flew one a few times when I was in high school (Air Explorers Boy Scouts of America) up in northwestern Indiana (1961 time frame).

Glen, K9STH

[W9AFB]

You can beat the heck out of an L-19 and it'll keep going. The local glider field here uses one as a tow plane and it still flies like a champ.

[KI6ADA]

Thank you for the correction, I did not know about the Explorer Scout program. Curious , how many young pilots pursued military careers from Scouting Program?

[n0jaa]

Quote[/b] (KI6ADA @ Aug. 16 2005,17:41)]Any plane recovery and Restoration is pretty cool. Wasn't the L-19 a flight trainer for young Lieutenants? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

There was a version used for instrument training (L-19IT), but its primary use was as a forward-observation aircraft. #There was also a modification to allow the L-19 to carry a single stretcher, and during Vietnam, the L-19 was retrofitted with wing hard-points to carry target-marking rockets and was redesignated "O-1."

The aircraft was built around a Cessna 170 frame.

Paul, N0JAA.

(edited for spacing)

[KI6ADA]

Quote[/b] (n0jaa @ Aug. 16 2005,14:57)]Quote[/b] (KI6ADA @ Aug. 16 2005,17:41)]Any plane recovery and Restoration is pretty cool. Wasn't the L-19 a flight trainer for young Lieutenants? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

There was a version used for instrument training
(L-19IT), but its primary use was as a forward-observation aircraft. #There was also a modification to allow the L-19 to carry a single stretcher, and during Vietnam, the L-19 was retrofitted with wing hard-points to carry target-marking rockets and was redesignated
"O-1."

The aircraft was built around a Cessna 170 frame.

Paul, N0JAA.
I had a commanding officer who was an #L-19 instructor during Vietnam. My last unit of assignment was Battlefield observation and communication. Only now they use #C-130. Up until the Gulf War the Marines used to have a unit that placed a gunner in the back doing forward battlefield observation. The weapons officer sat with is back to the pilot and the Marine would place himself at the observation window. Models of L-19 can be hard to find and also a little on the $$ to buy the kit.


Thank you both (N0JAA)for your input, its always good to learn from others. Have a good day.

[K9STH]

ADA:

I have no idea as to how many Air Explorer members went on into military service as pilots. I do know that only a few had access to the L-19. However, other groups did have at least the use of a civilan aircraft like the Piper J-3, some Taylorcraft, Cessna 120 or 140, etc. When I was in Air Explorers the Cessna 150 had just come out and I doubt that any Air Explorer group had one.

We also had an engine from an L-19 so that anyone who was interested in becoming an A&E could learn. Frankly, I didn't like getting my hands dirty (at least from an aircraft engine) so I didn't do much with it. But, there were a couple of guys who were really interested.

Until I bought Cessna 150 N5572E in 1973 I had only flown tail draggers. I haven't flown for years, but I think that I would still be more comfortable flying a tail dragger than anything with tri-gear. They are so much easier to land than a tri-gear (at least in my opinion).

Glen, K9STH

[KA4DPO]

Later models of the L-19 were redesignated O-1G around 1955. A lot of Bird Dogs flew reconnisance in Korea and Viet Nam.

Here is a model of a 60's vintage Army bird.

http://home.earthlink.net/~buracho/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/duma1804.jpg

[W7DJM]

this isn't an L-19, but it's pretty funny:


http://www.submariner.org/thepno9....ass.wmv (http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Video%20clips/Funny%20or%20crazy%20videos/ohmygodSpitfire%20pass.wmv)


and it came from here:

http://www.submariner.org/thepno9....0videos (http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Video%20clips/Funny%20or%20crazy%20videos/)

[KI6ADA]

Quote[/b] (W7DJM @ Aug. 16 2005,22:42)]this isn't an L-19, but it's pretty funny:


http://www.submariner.org/thepno9....ass.wmv (http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Video%20clips/Funny%20or%20crazy%20videos/ohmygodSpitfire%20pass.wmv)


and it came from here:

http://www.submariner.org/thepno9....0videos (http://www.submariner.org/thepno95/Video%20clips/Funny%20or%20crazy%20videos/)
laughing and laughing http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif