ID Me #5

[Ashrunner]

Well, time to see if we can stump the group again. I found this image on the net a looooooong time ago and have since continued to look for information on it. I like the looks of the aircraft. If the photo looks funny, it is because I purposely removed parts of the image which would have made guessing what this aircraft is easier.

Along with the designation of the aircraft, do you know its intended purposes?

Ashrunner

[OldSalt]

The Boeing company's site says...

"The L-15 Scout was the last Boeing aircraft in the single-engine or small-aircraft market. The all-metal, light aircraft for ground observation was neither a bomber nor a four-engine aircraft, but its development was typical of the Boeing effort to diversify after World War II.

Boeing Wichita (Kan.) designed the L-15 for maximum visibility and good flight control at extremely low speeds. Intended for use by ground forces, it was easily dismantled and transported on an Army truck or in a C-97 transport.

The L-15 usually used conventional landing gear but twin floats could be installed for water landings and takeoffs. An outstanding aerodynamic feature was its use of flaperons, which were separated from the the basic wing structure and could be used as either wing flaps or ailerons.

Twelve L-15s were built between 1947 and 1949 but did not lead to any contracts."

[Amazyah]

I, for one, have no idea whatsoever. I don't know much at all about aircraft , in general, but this one is a really fascinating specimen!

The tail end looks like it is upside down!

The front end, body, and canopy remind me of a Cessna.

Very fascinating craft. I would like to have a model of this one!

Russell

[OldSalt]

And from aerofiles.com...
"L-15 Scout (Boeing-Stearman) (Model 451) - Liaison. 2pChwM; 125hp Lycoming O-290; span: 40'0" length: 25'3" v: 110/85/45 range: 250 ceiling: 12,500'. Inverted twin tails on a single boom with a short gondola fuselage; full-span flaps. Operated on wheel, floats, or skis. All 12 all went to US Forest Service in Alaska.
XL-15 1947 = POP: 2 prototypes [46-520/521].
Boeing YL-15 Factory line-up (Boeing)

YL-15 1948 = Production model. POP: 10 [47-423/432].

L-15B 1948 = 47 ordered and assigned s/ns, but cancelled [47-433/479]."

I guess the photo is more properly identified as the first prototype XL-15. Good one, Ash!!

[OldSalt]

And finally, from the Aviation Enthusiast's Corner (quoting Doc Brunquist of Anchorage, AK...)

"My father, Norm Brunquist bought a YL-15 from the forest service auction in the 50s. He has left us now but many are the memories of moose hunting and berry picking trips into the bush country of south central Alaska with him in the old Boeing Scout.

I last flew in one in Pennsylvania, with the owner McLeoud, (from whom you recived your beautiful example i belive ) in the only one currrently in flying condition that i know of. That was the fall of 1978. It was white and black, but my fathers was polished Aluminum as it came from the Army.

This is a fantastic Plane, with a indicated stall speed of 21 Knots, on a 125 lycoming and i will attest to you, it can fly the speed of a running moose. With the full length flaperons down it stands on its nose while continuing to fly horizontal looking like a dragonfly as many have said.

Dad predominately kept ours on floats and it did realy well with that configuration especialy for Alaska. We collected enough parts to construct at least one more and my brother Keith Bought another from down in Mexico, "EL BURRO".

Keith is furiously working this winter (2004) to get Dad's N4770C back in flying condition as he currently owns all known parts for the YL-15. Watch out for one soon at Oshkosh. Just a guess but knowing my brother.... "

Ash, maybe his brother finished it and it's alive and well just a few hundred miles from you...

[Ashrunner]

Very well done, OldSalt. I thought the bird might have gone a little longer, but you're correct. It is the Boeing XL-15.

If you or anyone else comes across and drawings (3-view type) of this interesting specimen, please point me in their direction. I am itching to add more than this photo and a few paragraphs of information to my research file of this aircraft.

Ashrunner

[RyanShort1]

I haven't been recently and do not have any plans to do so, but there is a hardback book that's about the size of a paperback but about twice as thick about Boeing at our public library here in San Antonio that has a 3-view of that aircraft. I think I might have a copy of it somewhere in a file, but it'd probably take a great deal of time to find it just now.
Anyway, if you'd like to look for the book, here's a link with the book title: http://www.bookfinder4u.com/search_t...ince_1916.html

Ryan

[RyanShort1]

Ashrunner,

I actually found it.
It's in the attached zip file.

Ryan

[OldSalt]

"Wings & Airpower" magazine, July 1994 had a article on the L-15. Back issues may be available here -

http://www.wingsairpower.com/backissues/date.shtml

I do not know if there is a drawing in the magazine.

[Amazyah]

That's a good drawing Ryan, thanks.

This looks like an excellent model for Nobi!!!

hint, hint.

Russell

[Ashrunner]

Ryan

Thanks for the image. I found some 3-views with cross sections at Bob's Aircraft Documentation and ordered them. I have decided I want this little bird to be my first aircraft model. It really is a cute thang 8v)

Ashrunner