Stinson Voyager / Sentinel

1942


LIAISON AIRCRAFT	Virtual Aircraft Museum / USA / Stinson

The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was the military version of the commercial Stinson 105 Voyager. Six Voyagers were bought by the USAAF in 1941 as YO-54s for testing, and quantity orders for Sentinels began in 1942, at first as O-62s before the designation was changed to 'L' for liaison in April 1942. Between 1942 and 1945, the USAAF ordered 3590 L-5s. The unarmed L-5 with its short field take-off and landing capability was used for reconnaissance, removing litter patients from frontline areas, delivering supplies to isolated units, laying communications wire, spotting enemy targets for attack aircraft, transporting personnel, rescuing Allied personnel in remote areas and even as a light bomber. In Asia and the Pacific, L-5s remained in service with US Air Force units as late as 1955.

Specification

CREW	2
ENGINE	1 x 185hp Lycoming O-435-1 4-cylinder air-cooled engine
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	916 kg	2019 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	10.36 m	34 ft 0 in
Length	7.34 m	24 ft 1 in
Height	2.41 m	8 ft 11 in
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	209 km/h	130 mph
Ceiling	6100 m	20000 ft
Range	805 km	500 miles

Comments

J Runfeldt, 11.12.2015 10:43

Do you solo this plane from the front or from the rear?

William Brink, e-mail, 16.12.2013 03:25

My first flight in a Stinson was in 1948. bought my own in 1972. A Voyger 3 in Irish linen.A beauty with a stall speed of40 knots due to slotted leading edge.This was a 1947 model

Don Macinnis, e-mail, 06.07.2012 08:15

have just found this site I flew many miles with a medico in north west New South Wales 1954 -55 in Stison that had a five pot radial.(?90hp) When on his rounds to smaller centres. A bit underpowered but was wonderful in thermals on the western plains even a bit hard to land in warmer weather on short strips Great fun to fly Not sure but but last heard that someone put it through a fence with four up near Newcastle NSW in 60's

ART PFALZER, e-mail, 04.07.2012 05:39

PAGE 2 OF MY CONVERTED 1941 STINSON VOYAGER 10-A TO A LYCOMING 0-290 ENGINE. SEE MY NEW E-MAIL ADRESS..THIS MODEL HAD 2 20 GAL. WING TANKS THAT MADE IT A WINDERFUL CROSS COUNTRY MACHINE. ALSO THE EXTRA H.P. FROM THE FRANKLIN 90 HP TO 125 HP PRODUCED FANTASTIC TAKE OFF. IT ALSO BECAME A GOOD 3 PLACE AIRCRAFT. TOO BAD THIS ENGINE WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE 10-A WAS USED ON LONG ISLAND IN WW-2 BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL FOR ANTI-SUB SURVELANCE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE 90HP STINSON IS CREDITED WITH THE SINKING OF 2 ENEMY SUBS WITH THE ATTACHED 100 PLUS POUND BOMB TO DAMAGE THE SUB'S AIR TANKS. I WAS IN THE CAP WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL IN WW-2.
MY FRIEND GILL ROBB WILSON WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE CAP AND IS REMEMBERED IN THE AIR FORCE MUSEIUM IN DAYTON OHIO. I HAVE SOME INTERESTING PHOTOS OF THE 10-A WITH THE LYCO. 0-290. I ALSO LOCATED N-45156 NEAR YONKERS NEW YORK. ANY INFO ON THIS AIRCRAFT ??MY NEW E-MAIL IS unc.art3@hotmail.com ALSO I AM A WW2 ARMY AIR CORPS VETERAN..TOO OLD TO FLY THESE DAYS. ALSO I LATER IN 1978 TIME FRAME I RESTORED A STINSON 108-3 WITH A LYCO. 190 HP ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE FAA NUMBER TO N-4 S V. THIS CAUSED SOME CONFUSION WHEN ONE WOULD CALL THE TOWERS AND THE TOWER WOULD INSIST THAT I SUPLY ALL THE DIGITS ON THE FIRST CALL. THIS STINSON N-4 SV IN NOW LISTED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS..HOPE TO HEAR FROM THE NEW OWNER. THE AIRCRAFT IS COMPLETELY METALIZED AND WITH THE WOOD STATION WAGON INTERIOR. PHOTOS ARE ON THE INTERNET .. ORIGINAL YELLOW.

John Dickerson, e-mail, 10.06.2011 02:47

Learned to fly and soloed in a Stinson Voyger 105 equipped with a Franklin 165 hp engine. Fantastic aircraft for all sorts of flying conditions. Nothing like shooting landings on the clowds and floting through the air going from one destination to another. The number NC97476 has been entered on the cover of all of my log books over the years.

Vernon Lewis, e-mail, 02.05.2011 17:21

I owned an 1947 Stinson Voyager which was metalized with a nogahide interiorand I installed an elt and navcom. It was a great airplane. Finally a fellow in Alaska wanted it and I sold it. It had a 165hp Franklin engine.

Art Schefler, e-mail, 28.03.2011 03:26

I learned to fly in an L-5 at Osan AB Korea. The aero club had two of them. I soloed after 8 hours. What a hoot!

Gene Vaughan, e-mail, 26.02.2011 06:09

I own and fly a 1942 Stinson L-5. Mine served in the Air Force (USAAF then USAF) from 1942 till 1956, then to CAP at Florence, S.C. till 1969, great plane and loads of fun till you get to the fuel pump. Approx. 12 GPH

C W KENNEDY 6996261, e-mail, 29.11.2010 23:57

US ARMY S-SGT FLEW AN L-5 ABOUT 900HOURS STATESIDE SUPPORTING COMBAT TROOPS IN TRAINING, COURIER, TRANSRORT OFFICERS PAYROOL MEDIC. BEAUTIFUL AIRPLANE

ART PFALZER, e-mail, 09.11.2010 06:16

I OWNED A STINSON 1941 10-A IN THE 1950 TIME FRAME. I HAD THE FRANKLIN O-200 BLOW A PISTON ON TAKE OFF AT DAVIS FIELD, ON LONG ISLAND. WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A NEW IN SURPLUS CRATE LYCOMING 0-290 -- 125 HP ENGINE, FROM CANCELLED PIPER L-14 CONTRACT. INSTALLED WITH A SENSENICH 76- PROP FROM 108-2 AND A SHORTENED COWL FROM A 150 HP MODEL 108. THE N # IS N-46156. BELEIVE IT IS STILL EXTANT .. HAVE MANY PIX AND 16 MM MOVIES . I AM A WW 2 AIR CORPS VET ..CONTACT TO CHAT.. THANKS

Col. Richard Gaines, e-mail, 25.09.2010 06:21

I flew Civil Air Patrol L-5s for several hundred hours in the mid 1950s. Great airplane. Loved the smooth controls (compared to our L-16s). At one point around 1956 my Covington, La CAP Squadron had three L-5's, one of which had large tires and med-evac capability. Great times with some great people back then. That led to 25 years in SAC.

Bert Norcross, e-mail, 23.09.2010 18:38

My dad, Jack Norcross, flew a Voyager for many years in the Northwest Territories of Canada--floats in the summer, skis in the winter.It was an incredible bush plane--tough, but somewhat underpowered on floats. Many times I saw him disappear around the river's bend trying to coax it off the step and into the air!

Don Lokchart, e-mail, 06.02.2010 18:17

Hey guys,
How about info on the 1939 Hw75, 1940 Stinson 10, and the 1941 Stinson 10A /when you do this you will be covering some really neat Stinsons.
Thanks,

Don

Dennis Goodrich, e-mail, 31.01.2010 06:23

Is the civilian aircraft supposed to represent the 105 Voyager? I humbly believe it is another Sentinel. The Voyager (really Model 10) was the BASIS for the Sentinel, but there are a boatload of differences.

paul cullman, e-mail, 23.12.2009 00:46

You are correct,almost on the engine. It is six cylinders!
Lycoming took their 0-290 engine and added two more cylinders.

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