So Awesome! enjoyed this.....I was a CAP member back in the early 70's, the Hawaii Wing had and L19 they used to tow gliders, found myself in the back seat on numerous occasions....Awesome memories.
Was a CAP cadet in summer of 84. Coles County Airport for the Illinois Wing flight encampment. Got to ride back seat for one glider tow. After cable release, the pilot banked sharply and dove away, pulling Gs until my head tilted back. Probably the second biggest grin my face ever wore. 😁
I was a CAP cadet back in the late 70's and our wing, (VT,) had a couple L-19's, (although, I think 63G was cursed. She kept breaking for no reason after she hit a fire hydrant buried in a snowbank at Morrisville airport one winter.) Got to fly with a man who flew 2 tours as a FAC, and he could do stuff with an L-19 that Cessna never intended.
Great stuff Bobby! Through Flying Doodles Channel you are documenting the history of aviation through the great aircraft and the people who fly them and participate. Great work!
I flew the O-1E Bird Dog in Vietnam in 1971-72 with the 74th RAC with 60 degrees flaps. It was a great airplane and fun to fly when you weren't getting shot at by the VietCong or NVA.
The most interesting part of the video was when he said he had a Challenger a Gulfstream and a Westwind in and out of there. “The Bark” brought me here.
I got to fly an L-19 after VietNam in a civilian capacity. It was a nice flying bird, although slow. With 60 flaps it could really come in at a steep angle.
The guy he talks about, "walt" was well known to probably every pilot in our area. He was a good guy. He and my friend Joe passed away on the flight discussed. Good guys. Missed them. I landed at his airfield last week.it's in good shape. Great video.
I too am sorry to learn of the loss of Walt and Joe. Chuck says in his video that Walt tried to turn back when he lost power, that he probably would have survived if he had only kept flying in a straight line. I guess Walt was trying to save his plane from crashing into the trees, as a result he lost his life and that of his friend. A very sobering reminder of the need for flight safety and thorough pre-flight routines.
@@r.waynefournier4283 Yep. I have no idea how it unfolded except for the broader circumstances. Both men had gotten married a couple weeks before (not to each other :) ). Joe drove his truck to Walt's airport I believe to attend Walt's wedding. There was a massive downpour and Joe's truck as I understand it got stuck in the mud. Walt did keep his plane on the field outside and the rain was intense for days. I believe Joe went out to Walt's to get his truck back and Walt said he was flying his new bride on a honeymoon to New Orleans the next day. He said he was going to go grab some fuel real quick at Sherman where it is inexpensive so he would be ready for the trip tomorrow and would Joe like to tag along for the fuel run. I spoke to the only eye witness that estimated the plane was about the height of the tops of the telephone poles when the engine quit. It is hard to say if they were trying to make a bee line for the rode at the south end of the field of if he was trying to turn back. My first thought was that he was attempting the impossible turn but if he was shooting for that road and ran out of lift as he was approaching the house there, and tried to turn to avoid it, the result could have looked the same as if it was an impossible turn attempt. We will probably never know. I did see a ton of photos of the engine components and there was a significant amount of water and rust on the parts. It was a terrible situation all around. I feel very bad for them and their families especially with 2 new brides. So sad.
Wayne Fournier Walt and I had talked about the need to sump after the two torrential rains we had since his Comanche had been there. He was well aware of the need to sump. The Commanche is notorious for water being trapped and not migrating to the sump. Therefore, it is best if you suspect moisture to sump, rock, wait and sump again!
Adrian BUGARIU I flew in Fulda Germany in an exact airplane with a captain pilot I made Colonels Orderly no guard duty had choice to go to Grafenwor with the Colonel in a helicopter and serve coffee or fly with the captain check the border with East Germany.I flew with the captain he even gave me a parachute.I laughed. Was fun1964-1966 26 months in GERMANY. 3 years Made Sgt.E-5 Honorable discharge.Volunteered for Vietnam Vietnam.
Best that Cessna ever built. The people that this airplane saved is unreal. Thanks for the video. It brought tears to my eyes. I used to fix them in VN. Mid 60's
Not only is that plane a piece of history, but how cool to have a strip like that in your back yard! And I'm going to show my age a bit..but that plane isn't far off what my first flying lessons were in..although pretty sure that's a lot better shape and airworthy! Yes, I've been up in some somewhat sketchy birds in my past, and talk about keeping your attention all the time!
Same model that landed on the USS Midway during the evacuation of Saigon in ‘75. A S. Vietnamese Army officer with his wife, and 5 kids, (and lots of gold) landed after flightdeck personnel cleared the deck by throwing off Huey helicopters. That Birddog is now at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola Fl (NAS)
When I was in the Boy Scouts, our Scout Master had access to an L19 Bird Dog, and I got to fly with him back in the mid 50's as a reward for some contest I won. One thing I do remember on the L19 was the visibility through windows either in the lower side panels of the doors or the floor itself but I can't clearly remember, could that've been possible? This was also a night flight out of Renton, WA and one of coolest things a kid back then could experience in my mind. I could walk to that airport from my home and I also remember collecting bottles with my buddies, cashing them in, going to the airport and finding a 15-20 minute ride with one of the flight services there. If only my parents knew, never told 'em.
Wow, thanks for posting this. My dad flew this plane around ‘67 in country. We have numerous super 8 movies that he took of F4 strikes follow his rocket markers. Lots of old grainy pictures showing the plane but this is awesome. Thanks again and thanks to all you surviving veterans who helped keep these birddogs flying so he could come home safely.
It can happen even testing, I drained a tube full and was about to discard it with no "bubble" or any sign of water separation... John my flight instructor, who still dwelled in my head, said clearly, stick your nose in the tube and sniff. Well not much gas odor... Humm all water.. No color. Well I drained out about a quarter of a tank of water. It had been raining for several days. I also bought new gaskets and learned. To live to fly another day. God bless and care for those who forget.
As a kid growing up in the 70's, I was a Civil Air Patrol Cadet and our wing had two of these machines. My old flight instructor flew 2 tours in South East Asia as a FAC, and I remember him as one crazy individual. (he had to be nuts, he liked flying with my dad after all.) The things Les could do with an L-19 were just amazing. Watched him take off once on a taxi way with a very seriously loaded Bird-dog. It was off the ground so fast, if you blinked, you missed it. One thing that struck me about this video is how quiet the L-19 was in the video. I remember them being so loud you can't hear yourself think.
I've got over 1500 combat hours in the L-19, with the 221st RAC, in Vietnam. L-O-V-E the bird. I brought her back shot-up about 14 times, best I remember.. she never let me down! Also, because of 'oil sabotage', I had 12 partial, or complete engine failures, during that year.. and never put one in the paddies.. made it to an airfield, every time! Again, L-O-V-E that bird! Shotgun 41
Thanks to Charles and you for showing this plane. I lived near a small city airport as a kid (Owens Field, Cola, SC) and used to ride my bicycle to watch the Army and civilian planes take-off and land. Chuck's plane and me are born in the same year so I definitely saw a few of them from my bicycle seat. Later in life I had a few hours in the TH-55 at Ft. Wolters, Texas before washing out. I know how you guys feel when you circle the field. Thanks again.
Don’t have any PIC time in the 01-Birddog but do have plenty of back seat time as a CAP observer before I earned my private certificate. It was a fun, strong, short field performer. Good memories!
Flew in one many times in 70's making aerial photos. Great with no or little wind, but really shaky with any amount of crosswind as it was so light. Such a low stall speed, WOW what great photos possible as it was a nice platform and so open with windows up (or down).
@@michaellane1316 I think you mean any armor for the pilot, so yes, we had armored seats that protected the pilot on the back up to the shoulders, under my butt and on both sides. The side armor came out about 6 inches so not a complete cover. The head and shoulders were not protected.
In nam. I was the crew chief. On 5 of these airplanes. Kontum. 21 Tass. Kon tum. 2 Corp. 1966 April. 4 of us rotated days to crew aircraft. Good. Hours . 12 to 5. Need day 7 to 12.
More excellent work, Bobby! Really well done, with a completely different "flavor" than "Sailing Doodles" yet up to the same high standards. Well done!
Flew in these while in Korea. Would fly from Uijeongbu to Soul and Inchon and back when in Korea 1963. It was always a blast to fly in one and the scenic view was amazing. And it is a very light aircraft.
Clyde Jones well then you spent some time up on the DMZ. I was at Camp Red Cloud just a few miles from 1st Cav. And actually ended up a member of HHC 1st Cav at Ft Hood, TX where I finally got discharged in 1973. Thank you for your service!
During my second tour in Vietnam, I was an aviation parts man in Danang for 610th Transportation Company at the Viking Compound at Red Beach near Marble Mountain. I looked out a window from my office at there was an Army bird dog airplane sitting at a metal building close by. I had never seen a plane so close to the building before. I went back to work and quit looking at the airplane. I heard the airplane motor start up. I looked up and the pilot had opened a window. Around his neck was a long red scarf flowing all the way back to the tail rudder fin and stretched out by the propeller wash. I was instantly reminded of the Red Barron and I chuckled out loudly. He increased the motor rpms and taxi away to the flight line. Army pilots and their swagger, I thought.
Fun, but taildraggers always are. :-) A local glider place uses L-19s as tow planes. Off a (public) grass airstrip. Can it get any better? I've flown my Musketeer there (CYHE) myself.
I love the bird dog......I can't get a medical for ppl, but it would be nice to have a reproduction model in LSA version......it would look good in my hanger with my paradise p1 ng and aerolite.
That rear seat looked super spacious and comfortable with great visibility. All it needs is to be able to swivel around. 😎 They surely dan't make 'em like that anymore. Thanks for another awesome aircraft.
I was impressed with the room in the back. In the L-5 I had that backseater had his knees in his chest. Very uncomfortable for all but the smallest people. There is a warbird with tandem seating where the rear seat swivels to the rear to face a chart table and astrodome. I forget what type aircraft, a taildragger just a bit larger than a Cub. I think it was a pre-WWII trainer for navigators. I did see one in real life. I thought it was the coolest thing since shirt pockets. I told the owner I'll buy it right now. He said it ain't for sale.
oh yeah!!!!!! did a bunch of time in one of these is central america during the 70s.....geat little airplane for recon.....Thanks Bobby for this vid...
What a gentleman! Nice and easy to listen while he flies an talks. This is such an old bird with a lot of history on it's wings. Thanks for another great video!
This is one thing I would really really love to do that's on my bucket list..to learn to fly and have my own airplane. But now age and finances makes it just a dream. I will never know the fun it could have been. Getting old sux. Lol
Sir! The Cessna L19 Bird Dog is NOT !!! A variant of the 170!!!! They only used the wing geometry of the 170 but reinforced the wings and put Fowler flaps on it !!! Fuselage is a complete new design, and they used the elevator and rudder from tithe Cessna 195……. So there is nothing that tells this aircraft to be a variant of the 170! And the speed is 85-90 kts with the 90/47 prop with the 90/54 you reach 94kts. Sorry Sir for these corrections
I’ve had a few friends with strips at their homes but that one is by far the nicest. Love the Birddogs but can’t imagine taking fire in one. Thanks for the video.
Bobby, Love this series. I would suggest more talk/attention to the aircraft performance . Like takeoff distance, climb rate, etc. Yes this video did include most of it How I would love my own 5,000’ runway. Envy!!! Thanks for your efforts
I was a Huey mechanic with a Cav troop at Vinh Long on the Mekong in 68. Sometimes at night I'd fly night cover with a pilot from the 199th RAC...Swamp Foxes. Although I had a private license with taildragger time....Super Cub and Citabria, he wouldn't let me take off or land but in the air, I had control. We'd fly around the base for several hours sightseeing. The pilot always liked to have company to talk with to break up the monotony.
Note the fluffy doll gremlin hanging from the ceiling. Most people know the "Gremlins" movie, one or two may know the original "Twilight Zone" series from the 1960s (the later "Twilight Zone" movie wasn't received very well), but do you know who came up with the concept of Gremlins? British author Roald Dahl. Dahl, known and famous for his children's books, actually started his professional life as a fighter pilot in the RAF in World War II. He flew Gloster Gladiators, planes looking as old and quaint as the more famous Swordfish torpedo bombers. He also flew Hurricanes in the (what the RAF pilots dubbed) "Battle for Athens." About twelve RAF Hurricanes were up against hundreds of Luftwaffe fighters and bombers and Dahl probably escaped that fight alive because the Germans were probably getting into each others' way. Anyway, Dahl came up with the concept of Gremlins, to explain the inexplicable. Fighter planes with good maintenance and experienced pilots onboard, would become utterly lost in bad visibility, suffer major malfunctions, or damaged gear or other parts without any real reason. The pilots blamed Gremlins for all their technical issues. Tiny humanoid creatures that lived in the plane and would occasionaly sever cables, mess with the compass or play other tricks on the unwary pilot.
It is fun, keep enjoying it however general aviation is dangerous. I had 7 un scheduled landings in 1000 hours of flying along with many other white knuckle events. Retirement and limited income got me out of the game, probably for the best.
this episode could be called a man and his plane; another great story; Chuck is living the life; I was skeptical when I seen the picture of the old plane; reminded you of an old bush plane but it is a diamond; Chuck has seen a great setup
Zachary Norman sure enough is, in fact he sailed across the pacific and ended up in Thailand and even went to many of outlying islands. Great channel, I am a member both of Bobby’s channels.
Man that sucks about his friend, I'm sorry to hear it. But as my dad used to say "its better going doing something you love than checking out stuck in a hospital bed with someone wiping your ass"
Another great video! I've studied a lot of aviation history and the Bird-Dog is one of the unsung legends of the '50s and '60s. I'm glad you got to fly in one, even though you had to be in the back seat.
This L-19 has an accessory we didn't have on the planes we flew in Korea. He has a roll of toilet paper on the left side of the cockpit. Is that used for cleaning the windshield?
