Bill Finney’s Cessna L-19 Birddog

Bill Finney’s Cessna L-19 Birddog


US Specialty Insurance Company


History:
This airplane came out of the Cessna Aircraft Factory in February of 1952. It initally went to the Georgia National Guard. It was being used for U. S. Army training at Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1970 when I went through Fixed Wing Aviator Flight Training, but I do not know if I flew it at that time. As it is the trainer version of the Birddog, it has never been overseas. I purchased it in September of 1989 in Redding, California and flew it home to Muncie, Indiana. I have flown it to Oshkosh every year since and while there I flew it in at least one airshow and as many as four. I fly it to many airshows and fly-ins around Indiana every year. I flew it to both liaison fly-ins at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum. In 2000 I flew it to Wichita, Kansas for the 50th Anniversary of the Birddog. I have flown it to the Liaison Fly-In in Keokuk, Iowa several times where I qualified as a four ship wingman and two ship formation lead. I am a Viet Nam veteran and flew the Beech RU-21D (an un-pressureized version of the King Air) over 700 hours and received 14 Air Medals. I attained the rank of CW-2.

Top


Specifications

Registration Number Date of Manufacture
N5190G 1952
Aircraft Role Nickname
Liaison/Forward Air Controller Birddog
Aircraft Type: Wingspan:
Cessna L-19/ O-1 36 feet
Overall length: Empty weight:
25 feet 9 inches 1614 pounds
Gross weight: Fuel capacity:
2400 pounds 40 Gallons
Oil capacity Engine type:
10 Quarts Single 213 hp Continental O 470-11 piston engine
Propeller type: Max Speed
McCauley two blade fixed pitch 90 inch diameter 47 inch pitch 151 mph in a Major dive
Rate of Climb Cruise Speed
1500 Feet Per Minute 100 mph
Service Ceiling Number of Crew
Two Tandem
Armament Bomb Load
Under Wing Smoke or White Phosphorus Up to 250 Pounds per wing
Number Built Number Surviving
3431 Between 200 and 300

Top


Photos

LeeBottom31 DSC9311

Top


Restoration
The Marine paint scheme was applied by a previous owner but this was never a Marine aircraft.


Restoration Images

Top

Links

Top


Printable QR Codes for: Bill Finney’s Cessna L-19 Birddog:

QR code: 500 x 500 px
QR code: Avery style 6578 full sheet

Please read before printing the Avery style labels
Top


Sorry, comments are closed for this post.