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With best wishes,
Minard Thompson
IBDA President
was wondering if anyone could help me with finding a set of Rocket Mounts ? I just bought a L19 and have looked everywhere with no luck.
It is my understanding that a guy name Jon Mclindow here in Texas builds them. Dose anyone have his contact number or know where I can get a set of Mounts.
If you are a member of the IBDA, I believe his info is in the members section. There is a member list there once you’ve signed in
Hello everybody,
my name is Ken Baker and ever since, as a child, I built an Airfix model kit of the Bird dog I’ve dreamt of owning one. Well maybe today, by joining the IBDA, I’ve brought that dream a little closer.
I live in England and there’s a ton of work needed before I realistically stand any chance of seeing my very own Bird dog over here but, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” so here I go.
I’ll be making the most out of the info on this site to learn so everyone, please feel free to pass on any advice you think might help an old man (63) fulfill his childhood dream.
Regards
Hi Ken. Where do you live?
I was a Birddog pilot (Aloft 57) who flew out of Phu Loi in 1968-69. Love to chat with other pilots
saw this posted on the Facebook page.
https://eflyer.barnstormers.com/2021/689/featured-article/689-eFLYER-FA01.html?fbclid=IwAR3rpHB4Imt0ExclGO5UYzR5wJ0pDpGApZtSY_h0cC0hNMPfzgkitIOwcqg
has anyone applied for a field approval for using 8.50 x 6 tires on a super dog or an bird dog? any opinion on using a bigger tire thanks nick
May have drag problem on brake calipers. Heard you can get approved but will need double puck brakes also.
From an alaska birddogger;” I run 8.50’s and have double pucks, the Alaska Bushwheel version. They’re nearly exact duplicates of the Cleveland double pucks and they piggy back on that STC. Just bolt them on. For the 8.50’s everyone in AK uses the “big tire worksheet”, it’s a Fed approved way of installing bigger tires. Must be filled in by your IA but it’s no big deal to do. Unfortunately I won’t be home for a week to 10 days so don’t have access to my paperwork, but it’s how it’s done in AK and should be fine anywhere. “. For what its worth
Rec’d from a member.
i became a partner in an Birddog last summer. Due to Winter, our club closing due to the virus I had not flown in about a year. I live in Seattle and needed an instructor. The first CFI I found had flown L-19s 25 years ago in a glider operation. He quit after the first flight. He scared the crap out of me in a crosswind landing ending that flight. The second CFI was the “ace on the base” He criticized every landing attempt I made. He did no teaching, I was not guided to a proper sight image for landing. I learned nothing. I found a local who flies for Cub Crafters in Yakima WA. He teaches in a C-170, Top Cub, and has a Swift. My partner endorsed him in our Birddog. He had me soloing in about than 5 hours. I am now comfortable doing 3 point landings and wheel landings. The difference is; he is not only a CFII but a teacher, James Polivka. If your CFI teaches different than you learn, find a new CFI. I had not flown a tail wheel aircraft in 50 years. F
Hi,
I am looking for information about the six Iraqi AF L-19 Bird Dogs delivered in June 1958.
The Iraqi’s Bird Dogs had serial 415 – 420.
But what are the US-serials and when how did six these planes arrive in Iraq?
Rgd,
Jeroen
Holland
Don’t have any idea. Looked through Loveable One-Niner and didn’t find anything. will keep looking though. Do you know if they came from US
or possibly Italy or such?
Hi,
Found some additional information about Iraqi Bird Dog deliveries:
Washington, September 20, 1957.
Expedited MAP Deliveries to Middle East Countries.—Current status of the special action directed by the President to expedite shipment of undelivered programmed items to Middle East countries, with overriding priority to be given Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the sequence named, are as follows:
Iraq—Received by airlift August 28–31, 1957: 36 Mortars, 4.2″; 82 Recoilless Rifles, 106mm, with ammunition; 162 Radios; 6 L-19a Observation and Liaison aircraft. Majority of remaining programmed U.S. items will be delivered by sea by end October, and balance by end CY 1957.
Rgd,
Jeroen
several comments or ideas posted on birddog pilots group on facebook. Nothing definitive yet.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/328778504339776/721969825020640/?comment_id=723056714911951¬if_id=1599140552304265¬if_t=group_comment_follow&ref=notif
Ok gang, new question.
We’ve gotten our two dogs to Columbia, SC and I’ll be bringing one to TX for the restoration after I get home from this deployment. I was tooling around the historical pictures and found some of our aircraft 21487.
However, the tail number indicates 01744. Being an Army pilot I know that the numbers on the tail don’t always match what’s on paper but I was curious if there was something I was missing here and there is another number that I should have for her.
Good point Troy, thanks for that information.
Mike
If I remember way back when, An old factory overhauled engine in the can was 10-15k$ Price would depend on when removed, and how removed. Were they pickled correctly
or just yanked and sitting in a hgr for 5-10 years.
Curious as to what the cost would be for 0-470-11 engines with 300 hours and the other with 900 hours. No accessories, but the 300 hour engine is in the military shipping container (can) while the 900 hour engine is on a stand. Thanks
Mike Smith
Panama City, FL
mspcfl@comcast.net
I have a radio question. I need some ideas as to where y’all mount your radios and what brand/model do you have? I have an old King that I think belonged to Marconi and it is mounted under the instrument panel just above my left knee. I cant see it very well in its current location and instead of reinventing the wheel and experimenting with different locations I thought I might ask y’all where your radio is mounted……
Thanks in advance,
Jim Miles
N5298G
Hilltop Lakes , Texas 0TE4
I had a birddog adventure last summer folks might enjoy reading about over on “backcountrypilot. Org” . I flew the pponk powered dog “Over the top, Denali in a Birddog”. Some photos and just general fun, light reading. Note: it has always been a civilian Ector birddog so no trashing the non military panel, etc. Alaska in a birddog doesn’t get any better! 20,000 feet….
I would enjoy reading it. Fred
CAUTION – A number of aviation owners / operators / type club sites are reporting a huge influx of scam attempts. Most seem to be from an organized group that has targeted aircraft owners. Most scams are starting with responses to people looking for specific aircraft parts or avionics. Many of the scams seem to feature responses that have poor grammar, sentence structure, etc. It’s clear that English is not the respondent’s first language. So, BEWARE! And be cautious if offered items from an unknown, unverifiable source. If you’re at all uncomfortable with an unknown seller, ask for references.
TV Series “amazing mrs maisel “.
From Mike Weinfurter:
Just watch’d the episode. It’s the first of the new season called “Strike up the Band” which aired 5 Dec. Have to have Amazon prime video to see it. Our acft are in the opening scenes of the episode only.
Can somebody please tell me the width of the main gear(outer tire to outer tire), I need to know how wide the trailer needs to be.
Thanks, Larry
Mine with Geisse gear is 8’1″ give or take little. Some have put winch straps between legs to squeeze together some. without geisse gear you are probably about 5″
less in width. with horizontal on and elevators off, you are looking about 9′ so take that into account also.
Has anyone out ever put an O-470K or L,M in there Bird Dog, I’m looking to get away from my O-470-15 and not spend 100k+ Any information is appreciated.
Hi Keith… Private email on its way with info. After reviewing it, if you have any info you’ve developed, we’d appreciate an email update with the added information to my email address you’ll see on that private email. Thanks for your membership! aj
I am looking for information and feedback from anyone who has removed the firewall extended (forward/upper/middle) ‘cone’ in the engine bay and replaced it with a ‘deeper’ on that provides greater (at least 12 inches deeper) space in the instrument panel for more modern instruments, such as a Garman 430 GPS. It appears as if the original stainless steel part (about 12 inches wide x about 18 inches high) was steel riveted to provide an (originally) added 2 inches for the original vacuum driven artificial horizon. My plan is to cut the rivets and remove this firewall ‘mound’ and replace it with a ‘mound’ that penetrates deeper into the engine bay. This would make removal/replacement of accessories more difficult, I know, but I fly in Los Angeles, the most complex airspace on the planet. I need a minimum of a total of 12 inches for the (already removed from another airplane) 430W GPS. For you purists, don’t worry-I’ll keep all the original parts with replacement instructions for the next caregiver of N62TX. I’m sure SOMEBODY has already considered/done this, and I would even like to know the name of the metal shop that made the replacement ‘mound’, if available.
Sandro…
We do not have any information in the Birddog Archives about this STC. The following may not be new info for you: In reviewing it on the FAA website (as I imagine you have done), the STC is shown as “reissued” in 1980 to a Robert Williams in Udall, Kansas: PO Box 654, Udall KS 67146. There is no record of it later being surrendered or canceled or transferred to another individual or company. The same fellow with his wife Barbara had similar individual STCs for all other Cessna singles, including the ag aircraft. He holds (held?) 61 STCs for Cessnas and other aircraft. I found the STCs were being modified and updated as recently as 1995. This STC is Birddog-specific and does not apply to any other Cessna aircraft, so you’ll have to find a Birddog installation paperwork packet. Bush Conversions is shown as still in business and having two employees. Here’s its contact info:
Bush Conversions, Inc
117 East 1st Street
Udall, KS 67146
Phone: (620) 782-3851
If you have a conversion installed on your aircraft and your airframe log shows the installer (w/appropriate IA sign-off), date, work performed, etc, the STC is still valid IF your installation can be shown as conforming to the STC. But that documentation of conformity must be a permanent part of the airframe’s documents. As you likely know, the STC covers installation of leading edge cuffs, stall fences, aileron gap seals and modified wingtips. Presuming a 1980s installation, there may / may not be a 337 with associated paperwork for this installation on file with the FAA in Oklahoma City. While many did not file 337s for STCd installations, there were IAs with a different philosophy and they filed 337s on all airframe modifications, STCd or not. If this is related to import inspection of a US-registered aircraft into Canada, contacting Bush Conversions and purchasing a copy of your paperwork from their files is your best bet. I hope this is of help…
Hay thanks a lot Allen ,you have some good info, I will check that ,and let you know how it goes.
cheers
I am looking for info on the birddog Bush Stol kit ,does anyone have info on how it might be possible to contact the owner of the STC SA2857SW ,I hear that they are out of
business & I need the paper work for the installation on my bird.
it might nice if somebody can contact me if you have this Stol kit please.
Sandro 514-892-2542
I am looking for info on a 9052 and a 9054 propeller and the cruise numbers and T.O. length and where to buy them.
Thanks
Doc Clement
docclement44@yahoo.com
336-926-4182
Looking for current owner of N972A. Grandson of a previous owner looking to make contact. Can use the contact us tab to send info to keep private if you wish.
Hello Bird Dog Community!
I’m new and considering looking at an L19 maybe. I have about 9k TT PIC and probably 2.5K Tail Wheel, mostly Piper. I have been told the L19 has some ground loop tendency’s would like to hear prospective on that. Also what success has any operators had with larger tires on the L19? Any advice on what to watch for greatly appreciated. I have noted some of the upgrades on the “Super dog” I found interesting, anyone familiar?
Thanks all! – Jeff
Does anyone here know anything about the L-19 for sale by New Century Air Service in Kansas? It’s been for sale a while considering looking at it, any info would help, thanks
these days at the cost of overhauling a PS5C or any one of the other pumps, one should consider installing the gravity feed fuel system and just be rid of all those expensive maintenance costs once and for all… Gravity has been pretty reliable!
also keep an eye on the next Bark, some Big news from the birddog skunk works!
birddogsbynoyes.com home of the SuperDog I & II
Steve,
What does it cost to convert an O-470-11 to a gravity system?
Thanks
Dave
Talk with Steve Noyes- he’s done it. I think he can supply the parts and/or do the installation.
Hello, to all-
I just discovered that my Birddog, which I had restored and flown for 7 years (N305CR) and which was flipped on it’s back in a landing accident by it’s new owner (an American Airlines pilot who thought that he could fly anything but found out that he really couldn’t!) – is now hanging in the Museum aboard the USS Midway in San Diego, Calif. At least it is now safe and on display for Posterity! — Cheers!,
Charlie
Hi Charlie,
I just saw you old Birddog a couple of weeks ago. I was visiting my daughter in San Diego and we decided to tour the Midway. Your plane looks great suspended in the hangar deck. It’s painted to look like the one that landed on the Midway. Here’s a link to the Midway website and a photo of it.
Dave
https://www.midway.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bird-Dog-Exhibit-1024×576.jpg
In response to Mike W. Contact Aircraft Accessories in Oklahoma and see what they say. They’ve just O’hauled my 2 fuel pumps and they said they also did the PS series carbs so they may have an answer for you.
Cheers.
In response to Jim Miles. I just had my RG-9080 overhauled at Aircraft Accessories in Oklahoma. Not inexpensive…
I believe they said they had one core there in the event mine was no good so I’d suggest you give them a ring. I don’t have the number handy but google away.
They also said they have the parts and seals to overhaul the Adel aux fuel pumps and in fact are sending mine back to me now. Shawn is the guy to speak with about these. Also, not inexpensive…
I left a comment about burning Swiftfuel in a Birddog, is, has anyone used it in a stock Birddog with pumps and a pressure carb yet?
Looking forward to your responses.