[ARC5] Stinson L-5 Radios

[Robert Eleazer]

According to a reference I have, the light aircraft  L-ships were produced with those HF/LF radios but they soon found out that was not what was needed in combat.  So they were replaced with sets such as the BC-1335, BC-620 or BC-659.  That was true of the L-4, but I don't know if the L-5 had the radios refitted as well.

I recently read where a USN TBM was doing ground support at the invasion of Leyte Gulf and they had an Army L-5 pilot along to spot possible locations for light aircraft landing strips.  The ship called and told the TBM pilot to check out a potential location near the landing beach and to lower his gear so the US ships would know he was friendly.  Well, the only things flying around there with the gear down were fixed gear Vals, and a US destroyer and an LST fired well over 2500 rounds of 20MM and 40MM at him, which caused that Avenger to stop like it hit a brick wall.  They all survived, but I'll bet that L-5 pilot was glad to get back to his own little airplane.  I wonder what kind of radios the L-5's there carried.       

Wayne