Trail 64 in Quang Tri 1967-8 Great bird and very dependable. Wish I owned one now.

Crew Chief on O-1s for Trail 60-68 FACs at LaVang, Quang Tri RVN, 68-69. Easy to maintain. Loved em.

I'm looking for information on the K-46 Hycon camera unit that attached to the L-19 and was used for recon in Korea?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Harold Smith
LtCol, USAF RET

I flew the L-19 at Fort Sill OK. in 1953 which was the Army Aviation School at that time. Graduated in Jan 1954. Flew it in Alaska 1954-1956 Floats and Ski's, Fort Knox, KY 56-60, Germany 60-63, Fort Benning 63-65.

Floyd get ahold of me if you want. I would love to chat about our times at the Fort Bliss flying club. Tom Cartier, Sacramento CA.

I have 100 or so hours in Army 52-12104 that used to be at the Fort Bliss Flying Club, N201FM. Learned to fly tail draggers in this Aircraft. Floyd Tiemann instructor!!

Great a/c. Primary flt.tng in the Army 1960,flew for the 220th RAC in RVN 1967 till wounded, flew the 305A for the North Carolina Forest Service from 1982 to 2008. Have well over 4,000 hours in this wonderful bird. Also flew it on floats while stationed in Alaska. Wish I had my own Birddog.

ARMY TOLD ME I WAS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AFTER COMPLETING MECHANIC SCHOOL AT GARY AIRFORCE BASE IN EARLY 1954. WE NEW THE L-19 FROM SAFTY WIRE ON THE PROP TO GREASING THE TAIL WHEEL. WOUND UP AT FT. HUACHUCA, 90TH TART, FIRST AIRPLANE THAT I WORKED ON WAS A L-20. BIG DIFFRENCE. L-19 DIDN'T REQUIRE MUCH MAINT. CLEAN OR CHANGE THE SPARK PLUGS, GET RID OF THE MAG DROP, PICK CACTUS OUT OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS...GET RABIT HAIR OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND SUCH. DIDN'T TEACH US MUCH ABOUT THAT TIPE OF COMBAT..WE MOUNTED ALL SORTS OF COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, BOMB SHAKLES FOR DROPING FLARES, AND SOME OTHER SPOOKY STUFF. THE SIGNAL CORE SURE KNEW HOW TO KEEP US BUSY. EVER TRY TO TAXI ONE ON P.S.P.? TAIL WHEEL JUST FITS IN THE HOLES. MAKES FOR A BUMPY RIDE.
GOOD AIRPLANE.

The Bird dog is one of the most underated "warbirs" of the RVN war. When I was a proud member of the 74th RAC in 1970, most missions were flown in Cambodia without an observer. I fired very few rockets from our birds; howver I became very profficient in marking targets with smoke granades and calling in artillery. During my tour, I was told that our unit inflicted more casualties to the NVA that any other unit in the Brigade, which was mostly composed of helicopter units. The O-1 was an ecellent platform for directing fire and could stay aloft for over 4 hours. That old O-470 was as noisy as it was reliable!

My Dad flew the L19 in the 50s and early 60s. He went to flight school in ’56. My earliest memories of the airplane and him were when he flew it in the early 60s w/ a USAR unit before they (the acft) were shipped off to VN. He used to get it during drill weekends, buzz the house (too cool), then land at a local airport and sneak me and my brother on board (backseat, side-by-side under the lap belt) and take us up for rides. I was about 7 at the time and loved it!! I too became an Army Aviator (RW), serving in the 80s and 90s. To me, the L19 had a unique smell about it – must’ve been the combination of cigarette smoke, AVGAS, canvas, and metal. Would occasionally get that same smell in a helicopter and immediately have “flashbacks” of the old L19 and being 7 again! To all you that read this and flew the Birddog thank you for your loyal service.

I too jo[ned the 221St in May 67 in Soc Trang. Went to 4th platoon in Bac Lieu for experience then to Camau as Shotgun 45. Loved the Bird Dog and it got me back everytime, except once. Saved my bird but damaged a wing. Then a cable broke as it was being hauled back to Soc Trang-- destoyed. Later commanded the Red Knights in Vinh Long.

I was an instructor in the O-1 and the U-6 at Fort Rucker in 1964-66 then flew the O-1 in the 221st RAC in Viet Nam from March 66-March 67, then to Germany where I flew it from May 67 to Aug 68 totaling over three thousand hours in the aircraft. To me the beauty of the O-1 was that you could, with the aid of a good headwind and the 60 degree flaps, put it down in less than 200 feet. I have done it many times. It is a great aircraft and I am very glad to see so many of them still flying. Now days computers fly most aircraft, but the birddog-you flew it!

Spent 5 years as a crew chief on the L-19 and TL-19 then went on to become an aviator and maint. officer and instructor. Served with the Bird Dogs in the 221st Avn Co based in Soc Trang during '65 - '66 had an interesting time flying tail number 2980, an aircraft that I crewed in Germany with the 24th Avn Bn. Would like to know what happened to that one and to 55-4707 another of my babies.

I logged over 1,000 hours in an O-1 over the Delta in RVN in 1966. We had a few AF facs who supported the Provencial VN effort and they did a great job. Most the bird dogs in country were Army. We supported Special Forces, US and Viet Namese ground forces and Navy riverine operations with combat air, including USAF, Navy, and Army Gunships; Naval gunfire, artillary, and visual reconnaisance.

My Flight Class was OFWAC 66-2-Green Hats-aka-"Green Dragons". In RVN, with the 221st RAC '66-'67 from Tra Vinh. Our Co HQ was based at Soc Trang and we were scattered all over the Delta, Flying L-19D/O-1Ds. I flew 57-2839. If anyone has info on her whereabouts, I would appreciate the info. She is not listed as Destroyed in Minard Thompson: "The Lovable One-Niner". She carried her two seven-shot rocket pods with grace, style and accuracy (as much as the rockets would allow) - requiting herself in every scrap we happened "to find".
Thanks, Shotgun 15

I flew the O-1 in 1967 Fixed Wing Flight School, and again in 1971 with the 74th Reconnaissance Airplane Company (RAC), which I think was the last active Bird Dog Company in the Army. I also became an O-1 instructor at Ft. Rucker, AL. It was a great observation aircraft, and once you learned it's habits, you could perform amazing feats of airmanship.

I flew the O-1 Bird Dog as a FAC in Vietnam's Quang Tri providence in 68 and 69. Logged about 1000 hours and many missions. It was a great platform for the mission I was conducting which was support for the 1st ARVN Division in Quang Tri. I finished my tour in 4 Corps at Vinh Long. If I had to go back, I would pick the )-1 again.

Trail 68

The Bird Dog was still the Army Primary Flight Trainer in 1965 when I went through the program with the Red Hats...then flew it in Aschaffenburg, Germany between Vietnem tours (U-6A and then U-21)...great aircraft!

I flew Bird Dogs for a couple of years with the CAP in Colorado in the early 70's. It was a good mountain plane with the seaplane propeller.

Flew A and E-Models in SEA in 1970. Worked all 4 Corps, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Was a Trail, Barky, Raven, Quail, Bird Dog, and others for over 100 missions. Started off in Bien Hoa, Tan Son Nhut, Cam Ranh, Phu Cat, Di Ahn, Lai Khe, Takhli, Song Be, Hue, Ban Me Thout, and a couple of dirt strips East of Vientanne. Nice to have a bird that had anti-ground-loop built into the landing gear. Because of the way the pitot system was designed, could get the bird down to zero indicated airspeed, make turns and still stay level at 2000 ft AGL. Went from there to the O-2, and had 202 missions before going back to the KC-135.
Harry Brodock

i was a 68g20 at phu loi vietnam. 74th recon. patched a million bullet holes on these little darlings. i always enjoyed flying siagon mortor watch with w/o gene spivey. i think he was a texas boy. hope you are doing ok mr. spivey where ever you are.

i was a 68g20 at phu loi vietnam. 74th recon. patched a million bullet holes on these little darlings. i always enjoyed flying siagon mortor watch with w/o gene spivey. i think he was a texas boy. hope you are doing ok mr. spivey where ever you are.

I had 737 hours in 337 missions as a USAF Forward Air Controller in Pleiku Province, Viet Nam in 1967-68 and had only one air abort due to mechanics. The yellow chip detector warning light came on when flying on the Cambodian border. I made it back to base, following the roads for an emergency landing if needed, so it ended up as no big deal.

Otherwise, while carrying eight 6.25 inch white phosphorous rockets I had no mechanical problems in that year or in the six months when I got back to the States flying as an IP for pilots headed to Nam.

The grunts always liked to have us above their action, because they knew we could bring in a lot of firepower from fighters, artillery or choppers.

I flew the O-1E as a Jade FAC in Vietnam in 1967. About 180 missions. Great airplane!

I learned to fly in a U.S. Army L-19 in 1961. Tough learning to fly in a tail dragger but once you mastered it - great airplane. I have been flying since 1961 and have always contended that if you can fly the birddog, you can fly anything that flies.

When the Canadian Army in Germany gave up its L19s they gave them to the Baden Flying Club -and I was lucky enough to instruct on them.

The L19 was never supposed to be an ab initio trainer -and it was a little daunting for beginning students -but its performance was exceptional (due to the power of the engine installed) and it quickly taught a student the desired taildragger techniques.

Flying from the backseat meant no instruments except tachometer and airspeed -but really -what more do you need?

For takeoffs and landing there was little to no forward vision -but if you just keep the same distance from both sides of the runway -and you can see THEM easily -Bob's your Uncle!

Many great memories of the L19 -and I have a good friend who flew them in combat in Vietnam and loved them too!

Jock Williams Yogi 13

I am interested in the L-19 Birddog, as I survived a crash in one in 1956. What is the difference in the Birddog and Grasshopper??

Thanks

1953-4 at HOLLOMAN AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER THE ARMY HAD APPROX.10 L-19'S 1 L-20 AND 2 H-13 COPTERS FOR OBSERVATION TO SPOT TARGET DRONES DOWNED BY MISSLES FIRED FROM FORT BLISS.I WAS CREW/SPOTTER ON AN L-19 SOME OF THEM HAD TANDEM LANDING GEAR FOR FREQUENT DESERT LANDINGS

I write a column for the Volunteer newsletter of the Evergreen Air & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon...This, as you might remember, is the,now, home of the Spruce Goose .... In my June issue i'm writing a 450 word piece on the Grasshoppers that flew in Korea. Anything you have that would add to the piece would be greatly appreciated...I will give credit to the source if you'd like....Robert L. Osborn, Docent.