planeoldsteve wrote:
Looking good! Is their a difference between the O-58 and the L-3, or is it like the birdogs change of designation from L-19 to O-1?
Steve
Steve O-58 and L-3 are the same as L-19 and O-1, however the O-58A and later L-3 are very different aircraft. Only 20 O-58As were built and all carry the military serial number as the Aeronca factory serial number. All other L-3 aircraft have a different factory and and military serial number. The O-58A weighs 60 to 70 lbs less than the L-3B and L-3C, the A has a greenhouse made of spruce and the later L-3s were steel. The A was equipped with Learadios, the other L-3s used RCA. The A was the only model that had a welded antenna reel lug welded to the upper diagonal tube, the B and C did not have this factory welded fitting.
The Army ordered the O-58A as an observation aircraft (not trainer) and specified it was not to have a rear throttle and no rear brakes. All other L-3s had rear throttles. The Spring of 1942 the Army began to modify some O-58As with rear throttles (L-3A).
The O-58A came with a Freedman-Burnham adjustable pitch prop, all other L-3s were fixed pitch. Except for the early L-3B serial numbers all L-3s had all wood wings and wood instrument panels, the A had aluminum ribs, leading edges and aileron cove and panel.
There are more differences but these are a few of the major ones.
Of the twenty O-58A aircraft built only two remain today and none are currently flying, ours will be the only airworthy example when completed. The O-58A reported to be in the Ft. Rucker collection is actually a replica made from a civilian TC-65 and carrying tail # 42-7798, 7798 actually is the other surviving O-58A and belongs to a Gentleman in Tenn.