1941 Stinson L-1F Vigilant 41-18915

Approximately 342 Vigilants were made. Only 5 were the F variant - ambulance with floats or skis.

This is one of about 3 that are flying. Another two are static displays in museums.

The story of the L-1 starts at the Cleveland Air Races in the 1930s. Germany showed off the ability of the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch to take off and land in short distances. The Army Air Corps put out a request for proposal for an aircraft that would do what the Storch could do. Eleven companies responded. Stinson (YO-49), Bellanca (YO-50) and Ryan (YO-51 Dragonfly) were selected to build a prototype. Stinson won the contract.

Year Built: 1941
Registration: 41-18915; N704E; NL-1ZS
Engine: Lycoming R-680
Speed Range: 28-105 MPH
Range: 280 Miles
Length: 34 FT 3 IN
Wingspan: 50 FT 11 IN
Number Built: 342 (Only 5 were converted to L-1F aircraft)

The concept of the L-1 was born when U.S. Army Air Corps officials witnessed the STOL performance of the German-manufactured Fieseler Storch aircraft at the National Air Races in Cleveland in 1938. The Army Air Corps held a design competition to match that of the German aircraft, with eleven competitors including Ryan, Bellanca and Stinson. Stinson won the competition with the 0-49 prototype, designated as L-1 in 1942.

This Stinson L-1, 41-18915 was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps on December 22 1941. After serving in several southern states it was shipped to Alaska for service with the 11th Air Force in 1944. This aircraft was stationed in Nome, participating in search and rescue operations as part of the Lend-Lease program from 1942-1945. The Lend-Lease program was designed to aid U.S. allies in the war against Germany, with the donation of nearly 9,000 combat aircraft flown from Great Falls, Montana to the Eastern Front via Canada, Alaska and Siberia. After the war, 41-18915 was transferred to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, finally passing into private ownership in 1953.

The Alaska Aviation Museum purchased 41-18915 from Alaska Judge Karl Johnstone in 2001. Restoration of this aircraft began in 2015 and was completed in summer 2016. This restoration project was generously sponsored by the Rasmuson Foundation, Chaz LTD and Odom Corporation, with support from Holliday Aircraft Services, James P. Harker and the Alaska Aviation Museum volunteer corps.

The L-1 liaison aircraft, originally designated 0-49, was the miltary version of the civilian Stinson Model 74. It marked the transition between heavier and larger observation aircraft used by the Air Corps in the 1930s and the lighter liaison "grasshopper" type aircraft represented by the L-series during WWII.

Between 1939 and 1941, the Army Air Corps ordered 142 L-1s and 182 L-1As with a 13-inch longer fuselage. Equipped with full-span automatic slats on the leading edge of the wings and pilot-operated slotted flaps on the trailing edge. Vigilants were well suited for operations from short fields.

Due to its versatility, the Vigilant was used for a variety of missions both in the U.S. and overseas during WW II, including towing training gliders, artillery spotting, liaison duty, emergency rescue, transporting supplies, special espionage missions behind Japanese lines and even for dropping light bombs. Some Vigilants were converted as ambulance aircraft, sometimes fitted with skis or with floats for water take-offs and landings.

Liaison: communication between people or groups who work with each other

(Wikipedia).com - Stinson L-1 Vigilant

AmericanAeroServices.com - Stinson L-1

DavesWarbirds.com - Stinson L-1 Vigilant

MilitaryFactory.com - Stinson L-1 Vigilant

WarbirdsNews.com - Fantasy of Flight's Stinson L-1 Flew July, 2013