EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016: L-Birds

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience continues our coverage of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016 with a look at the attending liaison aircraft, or L-Birds, as they are often called.  Here we feature the earlier generation of L-Birds from the World War II era, military adaptations of readily available civil aircraft.  Common missions include intra-theater priority personnel and supply transport, artillery spotting and even air ambulance.  Also, the term "Grasshopper" became a common name for liaison aircraft in general.  Each type is linked to further information about the aircraft type.

1941 Stinson L-1F Vigilant

Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper

  

Piper L-4 Grasshopper

Stinson L-5 Sentinel

Stinson L10 Voyager