L-5 At War

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:00 pm

Probably not what you had in mind John :shock:

L-5B s/n 44-16991 crash Luzon, PI 1945

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:23 pm

Jack, you made my day with an L-5 pic!! Any more???!!!

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:37 am

Here's another L-5, 42-98697, in somewhat better condition:

Apparently this aircraft was used at Pyote AAF at the end of the war as a utility airplane until someone put it on it's nose. The tipless propeller with signatures all over it hangs just above this photo in the Rattlesnake Bomber Base Museum.

Scott

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:32 am

my dad took a number of flights in a light plane while on new guinea or mindanoa as a rifle company commander / captain. what the missions were?? no clue!!! he described it as a cub, but then he said "killer caldwell" flew a black widow while the old man was on morotai!! pure scuttlebutt, g.i. gossip & :bs:

. not the case on all accounts, but i'm going to ask dad more indepth. my dad is pushing 92, & full of piss & vinegar!! fishing, golfing, bitching at the family as we run the family biz, planting 30 flats of flowers in his yard every spring. brokaw was right!!

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:50 am

another question....... as stated, my dad witnessed a night fighter engagement while on morotai 1945. he was their for the landing, & protected the aaf base jungle perimeter from japanese hold outs / stragglers for a few months, then on to mindanoa. my question is..... who had the night fighter kill that my old man mentioned?? certainly not caldwell in a p-61, that's g.i. gossip / misinformation, & my dad's legend as he knows it.. granted, though, clive "killer" caldwell was on morotai at the same time as dad!! :?:

then who & what aircraft performed the kill?? & what was the kill?? wow........ this is like wix csi!!

Swiss Mustangs · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:46 am

epay "right click save as".....

L-5 attached to the 34th PRS [10th TRG] , June 1944

Martin

Forgotten Field · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:15 am

At least he made it between the trees.... Thanks! I'll have to scan my Italy 5th Army L-5 photos.

Now here's another request- there were a few bomber groups in 2nd Air Division 8th AF that had Fairchild 24's (UC-61's) as instrument trainer's. Ever seen any? A friend may be considering restoring one like this.

ADDENDUM: A good number of the L-5's went to Pyote AFB. I have the original Form 41's for my airplane, and Pyote is where mine went (along with a bunch more from the same serial number block) until it was released to a school district.

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am

Forgotten Field wrote:

I'll have to scan my Italy 5th Army L-5 photos.

Please do, John! :!:

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:45 am

Ditto!

Ryan

me109me109 wrote:

Forgotten Field wrote:

I'll have to scan my Italy 5th Army L-5 photos.

Please do, John! :!:

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:52 am

Here are some that I've found. There are a BUNCH more where these came from. I've been having a lot of fun finding material for use with our squadron events someday.

Litter case on Okinawa

Dropping supply pouches

Tail repairs

Ouch!

Ryan

akdhc2pilot · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:32 pm

L-5 photo comments:

Photo 1: 44-16991 Wrecked July 11, 1945: The bald gentleman in the foreground is the 163rd Liaison Squadron CO, Bill Barner. The pilot, named Martin Burtschi, was killed in the crash which occured shortly after takeoff due to contaminated gasoline. The passenger, though severely injured, recovered and returned to active duty.

Photo 2: 42-98697: Aircraft based at Biggs Field (El Paso) December 1943 to April 1945. Based at Davis Monthan (Tuscon) May 1945 to June 1946. Had landing accident 15 miles SE Tucson Davis Monthan March 26, 1946 but repaired and transferred to Pyote from August 1946 thru July 1947, then Kelly Field (San Antonio) until retired and sent to reclamation in March 1950.

Photo 3: 42-98653: Accepted 11-13-43. Sent to England, 9th Air Force, December 1943. Condemned for salvage 06-28-46.

Photo 4: 44-17001: L-5B accepted 11-11-44. Shipped to Shipped to Hawaii with 163rd Liaison Squadron December 1944. Staged through Saipan and deployed to Okinawa with the 163rd in May 1945. Remained on Okinawa through Dec 1945 when declared excess inventory. The 163rd received the Presidential Unit Citation for evacuating 121 wounded soldiers during the period from May 15, 1945 to June 21, 1945 from a forward location while under fire. This in addition to their regularly assigned duties.

Photo 6: 44-16943: L-5B, accepted 10-27-44. Shipped to Hawaii with 163rd Liaison Squadron December 1944. Staged through Saipan and deployed to Okinawa with the 163rd in May 1945. Remained on Okinawa through Dec 1945 when declared excess inventory.

Photo 7: 44-17003: Wrecked in Typhoon that struck Okinawa Sept 20, 1945. Only 4 of the 26 aircraft in the squadron were badly damaged and only one was deemed unrepairable.

Jim Gray
Sentinel Owner and Pilots Association
www.sentinelclub.org

Writing L-5 book and looking for interesting L-5 photos for publication..

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:45 pm

Jim,

Did you get my email a few weeks back about the Grasshopper Gathering? v I've been looking through a lot of pics and might be interested in that book your doing.

Ryan

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