Aeronca L-3

The Aeronca L-3 group of observation and liaison aircraft were used by the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. The L-3 series were adapted from Aeronca's pre-war Tandem Trainer and Chief models.

Design and development
The L-3 was initially designated the O-58 at the time it was first ordered by the Air Corps, a designation prefix that was retired in April 1942. The airplane underwent service tests in the summer of 1941 during maneuvers in Louisiana and Texas.

When American forces went into combat after Pearl Harbour, the Army Air Force used the L-3 in much the same manner as observation balloons were used during World War I — spotting activities and directing artillery fire. It was also used for liaison and transport duties and short-range reconnaissance which required airplanes to land and take off in short distances from unprepared landing strips. Liaison pilots would train on L-3s before moving on to front-line aircraft like the Piper L-4 or the Stinson L-5. Some L-3s were shipped to north Africa, and subsequently given to the Free French Forces in the area at the time. At least one of the aircraft served with US forces in Italy.

The TG-5 was a three-seat training glider of 1942 based upon the O-58 design. This aircraft retained the O-58's rear fuselage, wings, and tail while adding a front fuselage in place of the engine. In all, Aeronca built 250 TG-5 gliders for the Army. The Navy received three as the LNR-1.

Variants
O-58 designation replaced by L-3 designation in April 1942
 * YO-58 &mdash; Four aircraft with a 65 hp Continental YO-170-3 engine.
 * O-58 / L-3 &mdash; production order of 50, most used for training in the US.
 * O-58A / L-3A &mdash; Fuselage widened four inches and extended greenhouse canopy. 20 built.
 * O-58B / L-3B &mdash; Modified canopy and additional radio equipment. 875 built.
 * O-58C / L-3C &mdash; As O-58B/L-3B but with radio equipment removed for use as trainer. 490 built.
 * L-3D &mdash; Aeronca 65TF Defender. 11 aircraft impressed.
 * L-3E &mdash; Aeronca 65TC Defender. 12 aircraft impressed. Continental engine.
 * L-3F &mdash; Aeronca 65CA Defender. 19 aircraft impressed.
 * L-3G &mdash; Aeronca 65L Super Chief with side by side seating. 4 aircraft impressed. Lycoming engine.
 * L-3H &mdash; Aeronca 65TL Defender. 1 aircraft impressed) Lycoming engine.
 * L-3J &mdash; Aeronca 65TC Defender 1 additional aircraft impressed. Continental engine.
 * JR-1 &mdash; Three L-3Cs supplied to the US Navy.
 * TG-5 &mdash; 250 were built as training gliders for the USAAC.
 * TG-33 &mdash; TG-5 converted for prone pilot.
 * LNR &mdash; Three TG-5s supplied to the US Navy.

Operators

 * United States Army Air Forces
 * United States Navy
 * United States Navy

Museum displays
Aside from 17 L-3s (2 L-3, 8 L-3B, and 7 L-3C) that remain on the US civil registry as of July 2012, a number have also found their way into museums
 * National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio
 * United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker near Ozark, Alabama
 * Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan
 * Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas
 * Port Townsend Aero Museum at Jefferson County International Airport near Port Townsend, Washington (flown regularly)
 * Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio de Chile, Santiago, Chile
 * American Airpower Heritage Museum in Midland, Texas
 * Wings of Eagles Discovery Center in Elmira, New York
 * Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington
 * National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia
 * Alamo Liaison Squadron in San Antonio, Texas
 * Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas