CONSOLIDATED VULTEE(Stinson) L-13

[steve dickey]

Interested in info on this unique bird, have found a little bit online but haven't been able to figure out how many of the 302 built still exist and are flying/flyable. I know of the one @ the War Eagles Air Museum that is closest to me.
Just any info or pics would be great, any dedicated type clubs/webpages? thanks.

[JohnTerrell]

Pat Harker (C&P Aviation) has a beautiful L-13 that he flies...I got to see it most recently back in November, and it is a work of art.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pmarkham/ ... 88/sizes/l
http://www.eaa54.org/L13_visit.htm

(Pat Harker's got the unique position of having the trifecta of Stinson L-birds - the L-1, the L-5, and the L-13. It was just recently posted on Facebook that the L-1 should hopefully be completed in-time for Oshkosh this summer, and the L-5 restoration is likely completed by this point as well.)

[bdk]

Many of the L-13s have been converted from the Franklin opposed engine to the P&W-985 radial.

[JohnTerrell]

The Heritage Flight Museum also operates an L-13 (with the original Franklin engine).

[JohnB]

Back when I was a kid...circa the 70s..they were all over the place.
To see how many are licensed, check the FAA registration database.
Of course, not all of those will be flying, and there may be some projects or museum aircraft not listed.

[JohnB]

Back when I was a kid...circa the 70s..they were all over the place.
To see how many are licensed, check the FAA registration database.
Of course, not all of those will be flying, and there may be some projects or museum aircraft not listed.

[marine air]

I first heard of the type in the late 1980s. A couple Nashville AVCO plant employees had a couple projects. They later sold them. I think the same three or so aircraft circulated in Trade A Plane for many years. They are quite rare maybe 6 or 8 total.
They were intended as a stop gap airplane to fill in until the helicopters became a little more viable. The early helicopters also had cheap Franklin engines. The L-13s had folding wings and were intended to be pulled behind a jeep around the battlefield.

[JohnB]

I think the folding wing may have been part if the requirement...The Boeing L-15 also had folding wings.

Yes, Franklin engines were used in the Bell H-13 and Hiller H-23...The most numerous helicopters of their day. Both were used as observation or liaison work...The Bell of course became famous for medieval flights in Korea, while Hillers were used throughout the 50s as the Army's basic training ship at Fort Wolters.

I might disagree with your characterization of the Franklins as "cheap"...they were well regarded...being specified on Stinsons (a higher-end aircraft than Pipers of the period) and durable enough to run at high RPMs on their ends for 600-800 hours in the helicopters.

Last edited by JohnB on Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[JohnB]

Double post