Aeronca L-16

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L-16
Aeronca L-16 aircraft USAF in flight.jpg
Role liaison aircraft
Manufacturer Aeronca
Primary users United States Army
National Guard of the United States
Civil Air Patrol
Produced 1946-1950
Number built 609
Developed from Aeronca Model 7 Champion
A 1956-built Aeronca 7BCM in 2011 painted to represent an L-16A

The Aeronca L-16 was a United States Army liaison aircraft built by Aeronca. It saw extensive service during the Korean War. It was essentially a militarized version of the Aeronca Champion. From 1955 large numbers were transferred to the Civil Air Patrol.[1]

Derived from the Aeronca Champion (Aeronca Model 7 series), the L-16 primarily replaced the similar Piper L-4 (a modified Piper Cub) in U.S. military service. The L-16 afforded generally better performance, stability, visibility and comfort -- while its safety characteristics were a mix of better and worse than the L-4. [2] [3] [4]


Variants

Aeronca L16B Silh.jpg
L-16A (7BCM Champion)
509 built, 376 of them produced for the Air National Guard,[5] used in Korea 1950, 85 hp (63 kW) Continental O-190-1 (C-85) engine,[6]
L-16B (7CCM Champion)
Military version of the Model 7AC used as training aircraft for United States Army,[6] 90 hp (67 kW) Continental O-205-1 engine.[7] 100 built.[1]

Operators

 United States

 Japan

Specifications (L-16B)

L-16 7BCM 1947 Cockpit

Data from United States Military Aircraft Since 1909[5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
  • Wingspan: 35 ft (10.67 m)
  • Height: 7 ft (2.13 m)
  • Wing area: 170 sq ft (15.79 m²)
  • Empty weight: 890 lb (403.7 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 1,450 lb (657.71 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental O-205-1, 80 hp (58.84 kW)

Performance

Armament

None

See also

Related development

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Andrade 1979, page 130
  2. Aerofiles.com, "Aeronca" page, Aircraft section, retrieved Feb. 22, 2016
  3. Davisson, Budd. "Comparing the Classics: The Aeronca Champ," EAA/Sport Aviation, June, 1997, Experimental Aircraft Association, as reproduced on the author's website, retrieved 2016-02-01
  4. Air Training Department, The Artillery School, U.S. Army, "The New Grasshopper—L-16," (semi-official U.S. Army tutorial written to guide pilots transitioning from the Piper L-4 to the Aeronca L-16) The Field Artillery Journal, Nov-Dec 1947, United States Army,
  5. 5.0 5.1 Swanborough and Bowers, 1964 p. 33.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Eden and Moeng, 2002. P. 44.
  7. Harding, p. 13
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Swanborough, F. G. and Bowers, Peter M.United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. Putnam New York, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.