Cessna L-19 Birddog question for the experts

[marine air]

A friend called me and he is thinking about buying a Birddog. I have flown them many years ago and really haven't kept up with the market values. Would appreciate any comments about which model is "the one to have" . I know as a kid Trade A Plane always had ads for the Ector 305A and later the Air Repair 305A. Are these desirable and what are L-19's bringing nowadays? He wantsw a really nice one. Thanks

[JohnB]

Nice ones used to be $90k and up (I recall seeing some for about $125-135k).

I haven't received Trade-A-Plane for a couple years, but I don't think they have gone up any.

Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in knowing what their current value is.

[marine air]

Are the Ector 305A Mountainneers and Birddogs worth more or less money? THey don't have any combat history but most are in better shape.

[DB2]

My impression is that the market for them has softened considerably over the last several years. For a while it seemed like they were "flavor of the month", especially when you could effectively but a NOS one from Air Repair, but perhaps enough restorations/NOS builds, supply outstripped demand. I remember a detailed post on WIX a couple years ago by someone lamenting to decline of the Birddog market. And for the average guy who just wants to go to fly-ins and such, other L birds can be operated much more cheaply, and for arguably the same fun quotient.

I have a fair amount of time in original Cessna built ones, for wildlife surveys/glider towing, and my feeling was that the "original" ones have mostly lived pretty hard lives, and have been bent more than once, and sometimes can never be "straightened" back out. If I was in the market, I would definitely spring for a low time Air Repair one, that has been pampered its whole life.

[marine air]

Thanks DB2, That was my thought as well. NOt everyone that flies a warbird is a history enthusiast. I flew one first time at say age 24. I was most impressed with it's STOL flying as I was towing gliders with a Maule M-5 and we owned a 150hp. SuperCub. It was just plain fun. I have seen a few really ratty ones over the years including four at the Stuttgart, Arkansas airport used for crop dusting. At my age now, I would want the nicest, ready to fly example I could find regardless of it's former life.

[DB2]

No doubt, I think I was 21 or 22 when I started flying one. The Birddog was the first "big engine" taildragger I flew, and the first plane I got to fly into unimproved strips. It was a definitely a lot of fun for a young pilot, and I have a lot of fond memories for the Birddog!

[shrike]

One thing to keep in mind is that the O-470 (-7 or -11 IIRC, number instead of letters in any case) in an L-19 has almost NOTHING in common with later O-470 engines. I mean, maybe piston pins and some minor hardware.

This will seriously complicate the next overhaul. Unlike a Menasco or Ranger where parts scarcity and the closure of the manufacturers means that you can get creative with spare parts, Continental still being in business means more hoops to jump through. And more $$$ to spend. Expect $40K for a good overhaul.

If you are looking for an L-19 project, buy the best engine you can. Airframes can be rebuilt and parts fabricated with much less of a hassle than trying to sort out a rough powerplant.