The Stinson L-5 was the only purpose-built L-bird and the second most widely used liaison aircraft in WWII. It was rugged and powerful. The L-5 was called the Flying Jeep as it could perform many of the same duties.
The Aeronca L-3 joined similar Grasshopper-types in spotting, directing artillery fire, transport, short-range reconnaissance, and training. Some served in North Africa for the Free French Forces.
The Taylorcraft L-2 was an observation and reconnaissance aircraft built for U.S. Army Ground and Air Forces in WWII. L-2s were powered by a 65-horsepower engines and served stateside for training operations.
Excerpted from US Army Aviation Digest, July 1962, The Army Aviation Story by Richard Tierney, Part II—Academics and Training MAJ WILLIAM W. FORD headed a list of light aviation enthusiasts who throughout 1941 had worked diligently to bring about the birth of Army Aviation. In late 1942 he was named by Gen Robert M. Danford,…
Excerpted from US Army Aviation Digest, June 1962, The Army Aviation Story by Richard Tierney, Part I TWENTY YEARS ago this month America was mobilizing for an all-out war effort against the Axis. At Fort Sill, Okla., the Artillery School was a scene of intense activity. But, in odd contrast to the surrounding hustle and…
Excerpted from The Army Air Forces in World War II by Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate. Chapter 6 – AAF Aircraft of World War II The more highly publicized planes, such as the B-17 and the P-47, became familiar to the American public according to a conventional mode of designation that combined a…
The Grasshoppers’ wartime operations record can point the way toward safer lightplane flying in the future. Reprinted from Flying magazine, January 1947, by Wilfred Owen. When lightplanes joined the Army shortly before Pearl Harbor they didn’t look very much like warriors. But they soon proved that you don’t have to be big and tough to…
Interprète Volant, originally written in French, is a first-hand account of the 72nd Liaison Squadron on its march through southern France and into Germany prior to the end of WWII in the European theater. The writings begin in September 1944 with a french interpreter being enlisted into the 7th American Army to assist French and…
Evolution of the Liaison-Type Airplane 1917-1944, Army Air Forces Historical Studies: No. 44, produced by AAF Historical Office, April 1946. A detailed look into how the U.S. arrived at the point where a diminutive airplane, collectively known as L-birds, or liaison aircraft, became some of the most imposing forces in the Allied victory of WWII.…
Excerpted from Report of the General Board, United States Forces, European Theater. Mission: Prepare report and recommendations on the provision of liaison aircraft to ground force units and for HORSEFLY control of fighter-bomber close base in support missions. Liaison Aircraft Definition The term liaison aircraft is applied to an unarmed and unarmored single engine airplane…
This WWII documentary film titled, “Perishable Rush,” shows how the Army Air Forces during World War II flew wounded men from Pacific battle areas to mobile army surgeons hospitals, hospital ships, and finally major hospitals and eventually home towns in the United States. Fast forward to the 3:18 mark to see L-4 in action. At…
Advertorial from Flying magazine, March 1945
Flying unarmed Piper L-4 Grasshopper, Stinson L-5 Sentinel and Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman light aircraft, the 159th Liaison Squadron flew courier and aerial reconnaissance missions and dropped munitions and supplies to American and Philippine forces fighting in the Battle of Luzon, and rescued many wounded soldiers. While the film is 20 minutes in length, the liaison…