Need name and contact information for Ft. Rucker museum cur

[L-4Pilot]

The contact button on their web page only lists the gift shop and webmaster email addresses, the curator space was left blank. If anyone knows who this individual is I would appreciate help in contacting him or her.

The museum has Aeronca O-58A 42-7797 in storage and I would like to arrange a visit to inspect the aircraft. I am currently restoring O-58A 42-7796 and am hoping that their aircraft is in some what of an original and unrestored condition.There are only four of these aircraft left in existence of the twenty that were built and not a single airworthy example left. Few period photos of the original O-58A aircraft. While I have been able to obtain some factory drawings many are missing and lost.

I would greatly appreciate help in making this contact.

Best Regards,
Steve Dunn
Panama City, Florida

[mike furline]

Have you called the Museum and asked to speak with the curator?

http://www.army.mil/article/71845/Museu ... rt_Rucker/

http://www.armyavnmuseum.org/

[L-4Pilot]

Have you called the Museum and asked to speak with the curator?

http://www.army.mil/article/71845/Museu ... rt_Rucker/

http://www.armyavnmuseum.org/

I finally was able to locate a phone number and just finished talking with the Director and we will be getting together after the Holidays.

Best Regards,
Steve

[Cherrybomber13]

I love it when Museums help out restorers! The boys down on the Yorktown extended the same courtesy to me and another Corsair restorer to look at their bird while in the area last year.

[mike furline]

[L-4Pilot]

Great photo you posted of one of the four original YO-58 aircraft at the 1941 La. Manueavers with the white cross on the fuselage. The YO-58 had the narrow fuselage of the Tandem Trainer before it was widened to become the O-58 series aircraft. Here are a few more historical photos but virtually no interior shots exist of the 20 O-58A aircraft .

The Original 20 O-58A aircraft had Learadios mounted on the left window sill and came from the factory with a single front throttle, no rear throttle. The fuselage frame is different than the later O-58B and L-3C. Some O-58A aircraft were modified in service by the addition of the 2nd throttle which required relocating the radios to the left wing root.

This first photo below is of the four original YO-58 aircraft, note the exposed aileron hinge coming out of the top of the wing, the O-58A had a single torque tube push rod exiting from the bottom of the bellcrank.

Last edited by L-4Pilot on Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:42 am, edited 2 times in total.

[L-4Pilot]

Historical photos of L-3C aircraft shot in the Pacific, North Africa and last desert training in the Mojave Desert. The L-3C differed from the O-58B in that it came from the factory with a fixed antenna mast and provision for a portable field radio (BC-659, Bc-721). The O-58B used the prewar civilian RCA AVA-120 reel antenna and tower radios.

[Forgotten Field]

That last photo of the four different sized airmen/soldiers makes me crack up thinking about how "easy" it is for some vertically-advantaged persons to stuff themselves into WWII L-birds....

I'm so happy I have a "roomy" L-5E for my 6-foot frame....