Warbird Information Exchange

It's that time again!

Seeing the airplane that received the WWII Reserve Grand Champion at Oshkosh made me interested in the banana shaped Stinson L-1 Vigilant. Earlier this evening, I started updating the Survivors section of the Wikipedia article on L-1s.

The current list:

• 40-283 - L-1 under restoration by G & P.M. Turner in London.
• 40-3102 - L-1E on display at the Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida. This aircraft flew for the first time after restoration on 18 July 2013.
• 40-3141 - L-1 on display at the United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
• 41-18915 - L-1F on display at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in Anchorage, Alaska.
• 41-19031 - L-1 owned by James P. Harker of Blaine, Minnesota. This aircraft was previously owned by the Fantasy of Flight where it was used as a parts aircraft.
• 40-291 or 41-19039 - L-1A on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

A couple notes:

• I can't find any photos of the L-1 at the USAAM, anyone know of any?
• American Aero Services has pictures of an L-1 under restoration at their facility. I don't think it's old photos of the one from Oshkosh, because it is suggested that that airframe will be restored with floats. In addition, it mentions that it is "[o]ne of two fuselages currently at AAS". Can anyone clear this up?
• Does anyone have any more recent information about the L-1 restoration in Britain?
• Goodall claims that the L-1 on display at the NMUSAF is actually 40-291 rather than 41-19039. However, I can't find any other sources that corroborate this. Does anyone know which serial number is correct?
• I found an archived WIX discussion that claims there are eight surviving L-1s. Does anyone know of any others than the ones listed above?

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

Ober, which L-1 is the one that Brannock's mentor restored??

Attached is a photo of a Vultee L-1 Vigilant that I took at the Orange County, California airport circa 1958-59. IIRC, it seems to me that when I first saw it a few months before it had amphibious floats installed.

Per the Aero Vintage Tallmantz listings, that's the one owned by Paul Mantz (later Tallmantz); he also owned 40-291 which was registered one digit lower - N63229.

1981 photo of N63230 here.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)