L-2s serving outside the US

The general consensus is that no L-2s were shipped overseas during WW2. The only discussed possibility has been an ILPA Association recount by a veteran serving in North Africa who claims he was flying an L-2 in that theatre. I can't find my copy of that edition but I do not believe an aircraft number was given so it remains unsubstantiated.

I'm presently running down some shipping inventories which would suggest several Taylorcrafts were shipped to UK between 1940 and 1943. No models are given. Since at least several Piper L-4s were acquired by the British, it could be a clerical error that these were erroneously referenced as T-crafts.

While it's unlikely that these shipped aircraft were L-2s, the possibility is intriguing. The RAF was using modified license-built Taylorcrafts (Model C) as the earliest Auster (Mk I).

Did Taylorcraft UK possibly evaluate the tandem seat DC-65/DCO-65 (L-2) prior to commitment to the beefed-up, big-motor, flapped Austers MK III/IV/V?

I saw that ILPA edition as well. FYI - I've not read any "official" sources talking about L-1s in North Africa, but have found a picture of one - so I wouldn't totally discount the idea that an L-2 could've been there.

Ryan

I too have been curious about this. My father, who was a T-Craft fan and owner told me of a story about an L-2M crew that shot down a Japanese fighter with a BAR . If I recall correctly, they were operating in the CBI theater. I wish I could give you an original source, but i'm unable.

My dad had a BC-12 for a while but always dreamed of an L-2M with spoilers and thus read everything he could on the type. unfortunately he died in '93.

The only thing I have found in additiion is a Wikapedia entry on Liaison Pilots; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaison_pilot which recounts the activities of the 25th Liaison Sqn operating L-2s in the Philippines.

Ron

uring the campaign to recapture the Philippines, pilots of the 25th Liaison Squadron flew a dozen Stinson L-5 Sentinel aircraft in short 30-minute flights (December 10–25, 1944) delivering supplies (including a 300-bed hospital) to the 6,000 men of the 11th Airborne Division isolated in the mountains of Leyte. In another mission, an Army officer wounded in the chest in New Guinea was evacuated in a liaison aircraft as the pilot pumped a portable respirator with one hand while he flew the aircraft with the other. In the northwestern U.S., some liaison pilots flew forest patrols (Project Firefly) watching for fires ignited by incendiary bombs carried across the Pacific beneath unmanned Japanese high altitude balloons
____________________
Spam links removed...

I believe that the L2 I am researching served outside the U.S. during the second world war in the Pacific. I will supply details once I have confirmed my research.

David.

SouthernL2 wrote:

I believe that the L2 I am researching served outside the U.S. during the second world war in the Pacific. I will supply details once I have confirmed my research.

David.

That would indeed be most fascinating!

Ryan

Hi there Ryan,

I can confirm that the aircraft (an L-2A) did indeed serve in the pacific theater during the second world war.

Shipped boxed Apr 1942 To Salinas CA , for 82nd Observation Squadron
Departed the US May 1942
Assigned to the Thirteenth Air Force, Pacific Theater of Operations Jun 1942
Transferred to the US Army Ground Forces from the Fifth Air Force, PTO. Jul 1944
Declared surplus as dropped from inventory Dec 1945

And with some luck airworthy again after a long time sometime next year. (fingers crossed on that one)

SouthernL2 wrote:

Hi there Ryan,

I can confirm that the aircraft (an L-2A) did indeed serve in the pacific theater during the second world war.

Shipped boxed Apr 1942 To Salinas CA , for 82nd Observation Squadron
Departed the US May 1942
Assigned to the Thirteenth Air Force, Pacific Theater of Operations Jun 1942
Transferred to the US Army Ground Forces from the Fifth Air Force, PTO. Jul 1944
Declared surplus as dropped from inventory Dec 1945

And with some luck airworthy again after a long time sometime next year. (fingers crossed on that one)

Any idea where in the Pacific?

Ryan

Still working on that but it looks as though it was in New Guinea and the Philippines. (which makes the L2 a true warbird/bug)

David.