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USAF Museum Liaison Aircraft Index

Arkansas Air Museum
AERONCA L-16-A

L-Birds Flying Museum

The Aeronca L-16
L-19 Bird Dog
The Piper L-4 Grasshopper
Fiddlers Green

Our Stinson L-5
"Gayle Ann"

184th Recon Airplane Company
call sign: Nonstop 

L-2 Liaison Aircraft

Of some 3,000 U.S. liaison aircraft that served in Europe
during World War Two, nearly 1,000 were lost through enemy
action or in accidents caused mainly by the environment in
which they operated. Sadly many of the pilots and observers
who flew these light, unarmed and unarmored aircraft into battle
lost their lives or were injured, while others became Prisoners
of War.
This book is a detailed account of those light plane
operations, which were carried out by units of both Army Ground and
Army Air Forces. With the former, they served as Field Artillery
Air Observation Posts ("spotter aircraft"), while, with the Army
Air Forces they carried out a variety of essential tasks including
the transportation of key personnel and priority mail between
various army headquarters and command posts. In so doing,
they received little or no publicity, but in recent years their
valuable contribution to victory -- and the part played by their
valiant air and ground crews -- have been gradually accepted.
However, much remained to be told, and this book was written
with this in mind. While extensive use has been made of official
U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force records, much of the narrative is
based on anecdotes and other material supplied by former
liaison aircraft air and ground crews. But, in addition to wartime
operations, this book covers the immediate post-war use of
liaison aircraft and their subsequent disposal as surplus equipment.
As a class of warplane, the Liaison Aircraft/Air Observation
Post was short lived, due to the arrival of the helicopter, but
during that short career they played a vital part in the successful
outcome of World War Two. This book will widen still further the
acceptance of that fact.

Light Planes at War by Ken Wakefield is a 270 page hard
cover book, that includes over 200 vintage black and white
photographs of the planes and their crew.

Members of the ILPA will
receive a 10 percent discount off the retail price of $29.99.
We are also offering free domestic shipping.
To place an order, please contact the:
Arcadia Publishing
Sales Department,
2A Cumberland Street,
Charleston, SC 29401
or call toll free
888-313-2665.

The Sunday Flyers
A 55 minute Video featuring a newly restored L-4H Cub, M-49, flying over the English Countryside, pluss 4 other vintage airplanes. Their owner/Pilots talk about their machine and why they fly them.
M-49 Searved with the 2nd Armored Division in Europe during the Winter of 1944-1945 and is featured in Ken Wakefield's latest Book.
The video is digitally shot and edited and is avaiable from:
Grasshopper Films
5B North Street,
THAME, Oxfordshire,
OX9 3BH, UK

Price including Postage and Packing is: $35.00 USD
Payment by personal Check...ONLY...
Videos will be sent by return Post.
Email - grasshopperfilms@btinternet.com

Web Site: http://www.btinternet.com/~grasshopperfilms

From: "Bayer, John" - John.Bayer@metrokc.gov
Subject: "Alone and Unarmed" 2nd Edition
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 15:43:40 -0700

Hi Mr. Stratton:
"An Open Letter to Members of ILPA":

I am enhancing and editing a book, "Alone and Unarmed" by a WWII Liaison pilot, Ernest Kowalik,
who was the 3rd pilot for the 88th Div. DivArty in the Italian Campaign.
His L-4 was named "Miss Ruth". 50% of the proceeds are slated for the WWII Memorial.
Does anyone know of a Liaison/FAC pilot exhibit that extensively covers WWII L-4 actions?

I am disappointed that Lee Arbon's book, "They Also Flew" about Sergeant Pilots,
did not note that there were Army (attached to Army divisions) as well as Army Air Force pilots
doing Liaison duties in WWII. This was a distinction I was unaware of until recently.

I am also seeking 3-views and technical material on the L-4 (pilot's handbook, radios, etc.),
plus more period photos than Mr. Kowalik has of the aircraft. It is nearly impossible,
so far, to find photos of L-4s today that don't have Invasion Stripes, or if they do,
aren't in Operation Torch markings!

Nearly all photos he has are of people and only one of his aircraft.
If anyone has spare copies of photos of such L-4's (especially in-flight)
that I might duplicate and return to you, it would make my day!
The original edition of the book did not include any photos, maps, etc.,
so I am including these and excerpts from the Center for Military History's
monographs as chapter lead-ins.
I am going to self-publish the book to maximize proceeds for the memorials.
Any help or referrals you might provide are greatly appreciated!

My highest regards,
John R. Bayer Alone and Unarmed, 2nd ed.
12036 100th Ave NE
E202 Kirkland, WA 98034

I am a 22-year veteran of the Navy and Naval Reserve (Naval Aircrewman),
currently serving in Intel at NAS Whidbey Island, WA.
As a civilian, I teach an Aviation Education program where I instruct in basic work habits
and shop skills via building homebuilt aircraft, with dropouts and in-school High School youth.

" Thanks!
John R. Bayer

The entire front cover of "Liaison Spoken Here" (XII-1 Winter 2000 issue)
is devoted to this "GREAT" drawing of the view from an L-4 cockpit
by Los Angeles CA Illustrator and ILPA member Jean Luc Beghin.
He first flew in the Piper Cub L-4 in 1965 and was enchanted.
He set about researching the type, questioning old army pilots,
Piper factory technicians, L-4 owners, writing to museums and associations.
With what he learned he drew this delightful scene, from half a century ago,
taking infinite pains over the detail.
His Army L-4H is seen in the park of Chateau de Bousval in Belgium.
The Captain is reading the Army magazine of the day;
Yank and on the Cub's back seat there is an English translation
of Guy de Maupassant's Mademoiselle Fifi.

My address is :

P.O. Box 45663
Los Angeles, CA 90045-0663
Phone: 310 / 641-9240
e-mail: JeepOnTheRun@aol.com
Site: 3wplanet.com/beghin

Ron Robertson, ILPA 1559 - RonMari@aol.com
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 21:10:53 EST
Subject: L-18C/PA-19

I'm in the process of restoring an Italian L-18C s/n 52-2405,
original Italian, ID was E.I.78 according to the old log books
that came with the plane when she was returned to the US in 1980.
I'm looking for any information relative to how and where all of the original markings were
located and exact colors and size of the roundels that were on the wings.
I would also like to get information or a mailing address or E-mail address for
ILPA member Italo Battioli if you have one, or have him contact me if possible.
Later on in the process I would like to get an old Italian flight suit from the 1950s time period,
but first things first.
You can reach me at:
rrobertson@woodgroup.com, or

v224296@aol.com, or

ronmari@aol.com.

Thanks for any help.

Never say "UNCLE"

Lets never give up on getting the Postmaster to have a stamp made for our U.S. Liaison Pilots and their L - Birds and Crews.

CONTACT:
Postmaster General William J. Henderson
Headquaters Center
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, D.C. 20260

( Tell him you want a stamp issued honoring our Liaison Pilots, Crews and Aircraft.)

"Tony Harratt" tony.harratt@virgin.net

Hi, friends,

I'm researching the history of an RAF station situated near my home here in England.
The sation in question is RAF Cranage (which was also known as RAF Byley)
which is situated in Cheshire south-west of Manchester.
One of the units stationed there in 1944 was the USAAF 14th Liaison Squadron
which operated Stinson L5s.
I'm wondering if some of you guys could ask around your friends to see if anyone
served with 14th Liaison Squadron in England in 1944 and was based at Cranage.
Any snippets of information appreciated
including photographs, details of aircraft with the unit, serving members
etc. On a similar tack - I'm also looking at RAF Hixon in Staffordshire
(just a little south of Cranage). RAF Hixon was used by various DC-3 units
including 27th Air Transport Group.
Once again, the request is for any information about this base, too.
Hixon was very close to Stone and was one of the nearest airfields
to the Combat Crew Replacement Centre.
Anyone visit there and care to share memories for a potential book/history?
Thanks for your indulgence. Anthony Harratt

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Bill Stratton - email