For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:26 pm
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:08 pm
Thanks for the heads-up, this bird fascinates me to no end! Wonder why they're selling after so many years in the family?
"18 mph stall"
"18 mph stall"
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:58 pm
Aren't there Scout projects in Alaska as well?
Back in the '90s there is was one for sale in Trade-a-Plane...no price or details were given. Just a P.O. box in Alaska. I replied and never heard anything back.
I've lived these since I was a kid and read Peter M. Bowers' Boeing Aircraft since 1916.
Back in the '90s there is was one for sale in Trade-a-Plane...no price or details were given. Just a P.O. box in Alaska. I replied and never heard anything back.
I've lived these since I was a kid and read Peter M. Bowers' Boeing Aircraft since 1916.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Fri Jul 24, 2020 10:01 pm
I think this that one, was at Oshkosh last year.
Phil
Phil
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 9:35 am
All the Scout projects were owned by the same Alaska family. except for this one flyer, they were all sold to Mr. Harker in Minnessota. You know the same guy with the F-82E Twin Mustang project and two or three H model Mustang projects. So they have the remaining four projects in storage. Sadly, to make a market for something this rare, you actually have to get it into circulation and build interest. It would have been so much better and received so much more publicity if the other projects had gone to say, three different owners like Rod Lewis, POF, and the Fighter Factory. It's pretty much an almost unknown type at this point.
It won a Golden Wrench Award at Oshkosh and is flawless. It's fun to fly and stalls at 18 mph. I think the owner told me he's afraid to land slower than 26! It's also the last aircraft design to be built in the old Stearman factory in Wichita, albeit it is a Boeing.
It won a Golden Wrench Award at Oshkosh and is flawless. It's fun to fly and stalls at 18 mph. I think the owner told me he's afraid to land slower than 26! It's also the last aircraft design to be built in the old Stearman factory in Wichita, albeit it is a Boeing.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:39 am
I have my money on Kermit buying it. Seems like something he'd love to own and fly around the patch.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:40 am
Well that's different looking.
Too bad only a dozen were made. Looks like a fun bird.
wikipedia wrote:The Boeing L-15 Scout or YL-15 was a small, piston engine liaison aircraft built by Boeing in very small numbers after World War II. It was a short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft powered by a 125 hp Lycoming engine. The L-15 was an attempt by Boeing to expand its product line as World War II drew to a close, and Boeing's production of combat aircraft declined. Boeing decided against marketing the L-15 as a general aviation aircraft, and the twelve that were produced went to the United States Army for testing, then were transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska for various duties.
Too bad only a dozen were made. Looks like a fun bird.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:25 pm
Would be nice to see one in Fish and Wildlife Service markings.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 7:01 pm
old iron wrote:Would be nice to see one in Fish and Wildlife Service markings.
Most of the period photos I've seen seem to be of the same Army ship with apparently staged photos taken during trials showing it being towed by a Jeep.
This was before the competition that resulted in the Cessna L-19 becoming operational. That was an interesting competition with lots of contenders.
I wonder if they had gone ahead with the Scout if there would have been a Birddog...and how the Scout would have done in Vietnam?
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sat Jul 25, 2020 9:31 pm
Okay, may I clarify, as I understand it. The YL-15 just like the Convair L-13 was an attempt to bridge the gap Between fixed wing and the still unreliable and problematic rotary wing platforms. Boeing pulled out every STOL trick known at the time to get some ridiculously low air speeds. It also is designed for quick easy field maintenance. I think only one bolt holds on each landing gear. The wings fold and it can be towed behind a jeep.
The Cessns L-19 is an adaptation of the civilian Cessns C-170. Not saying the parts are interchangeable, but if you fly both, you can see the similarities. It was a very cheap alternative to the more complex, ultra STOL L-13 and L-15 I’ve also flown the L-17 Navion and Piper L-18 and L-21.. The Navion Had 185 hp and there’s no way you can call it STOL.
The Cessns L-19 is an adaptation of the civilian Cessns C-170. Not saying the parts are interchangeable, but if you fly both, you can see the similarities. It was a very cheap alternative to the more complex, ultra STOL L-13 and L-15 I’ve also flown the L-17 Navion and Piper L-18 and L-21.. The Navion Had 185 hp and there’s no way you can call it STOL.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:09 am
I agree the L-13 and 15 were STOL-oriented, and the L-16s (Aeronca Champs) and L-17 were "off the shelf" purchases for and not supposed to be STOL.
The L-14 was a modified Piper J-5 with Storch-like wing slats, greenhouse and gear. 800-odd were on order but cancelled at the end of the war. Some ships under construction were apparently finished and sold as civil aircraft.
The L-19 was to be a latter-day L-4, the Army wanted some short field capability, hence the huge flaps that were adapted to the later Cessna 170Bs (and Bs only). The L-19 used much of the 170 structure, but got the big flaps before the 170.
Yes, the Army wanted the '19 to have short field capability, but it wasn't the type's raison d'etre .
The requirement which led to the L-20 Beaver were for larger aircraft, not a two-seat "spotter" type.
It's said the first US military interest in the Beaver were for USAF rescue aircraft for Alaska to supplement the Cessna C-126s.
One source I have says the types considered included Beech Bonanzas, Twin Bonanzas, Aero Commander, Republic Seebee (some of which were ordered as the OA-15 and cancellled) and an early Hello Courier. The Beaver of course won.
Then the Army had a similar competition at Ft Bragg for a six seat STOL type. It appears it's main competition was the Twin Bonanza...which is hardly a STOL type. Beech eventually did sell the Twin Bonanza to the Army as the L-23, later developed into the "cabin class" Queen Air which was also bought by the Army as the L-23F/U-8F.
Sorry for the detour, it's just that I'm fascinated by L-types.
And getting back to my original point, I don't believe the L-15 was in the same competition as the L-19. In all my books, there isn't a great deal of information on the genesis of the Scout.
The L-14 was a modified Piper J-5 with Storch-like wing slats, greenhouse and gear. 800-odd were on order but cancelled at the end of the war. Some ships under construction were apparently finished and sold as civil aircraft.
The L-19 was to be a latter-day L-4, the Army wanted some short field capability, hence the huge flaps that were adapted to the later Cessna 170Bs (and Bs only). The L-19 used much of the 170 structure, but got the big flaps before the 170.
Yes, the Army wanted the '19 to have short field capability, but it wasn't the type's raison d'etre .
The requirement which led to the L-20 Beaver were for larger aircraft, not a two-seat "spotter" type.
It's said the first US military interest in the Beaver were for USAF rescue aircraft for Alaska to supplement the Cessna C-126s.
One source I have says the types considered included Beech Bonanzas, Twin Bonanzas, Aero Commander, Republic Seebee (some of which were ordered as the OA-15 and cancellled) and an early Hello Courier. The Beaver of course won.
Then the Army had a similar competition at Ft Bragg for a six seat STOL type. It appears it's main competition was the Twin Bonanza...which is hardly a STOL type. Beech eventually did sell the Twin Bonanza to the Army as the L-23, later developed into the "cabin class" Queen Air which was also bought by the Army as the L-23F/U-8F.
Sorry for the detour, it's just that I'm fascinated by L-types.
And getting back to my original point, I don't believe the L-15 was in the same competition as the L-19. In all my books, there isn't a great deal of information on the genesis of the Scout.
Last edited by JohnB on Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:37 am
JohnB wrote:I agree the L-13 and 15 ..... of the Scout.
Very informative post. Thank you.
Re: For sale 1949 Boeing YL-15 Scout
Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:26 am
JohnB, excellent post. There are different RFP’s (request for proposals) and the Army or D of D. will put their design specs out on the criteria. They are typically upgrading a platform or have a new need. For example, the L-4 was great but didn’t have an electrical system and couldn’t carry very much cargo, for example. I know on the Hiller Hornet helicopter, the Army wanted something that could pop up over the tree Lin’s or over a hill, take a peek and return. It only had about a 20 minute flight endurance.
The L-23 was IFR capable and could fly a Colonel and some staff members several hundred miles without having to stop to refuel. So, it would be nice to know what design competition each one of these represents. I will say this, and I’ve flown most of them, the fun meter peg increases as weight and complexity decreases.
The L-23 was IFR capable and could fly a Colonel and some staff members several hundred miles without having to stop to refuel. So, it would be nice to know what design competition each one of these represents. I will say this, and I’ve flown most of them, the fun meter peg increases as weight and complexity decreases.