The story
Stinson turned its civilian Voyager line into a tandem two-seat liaison plane, and factory workers nicknamed the prototype the Flying Jeep. It joined the Army as the O-62 and became the L-5 in April 1942. Stinson delivered 3,590 between November 1942 and September 1945, the second most used light liaison plane of the war after the Piper L-4 Cub. The L-5B added a rear hatch big enough for a stretcher, turning it into a front-line air ambulance. The Navy and Marines flew it as the OY-1 and OY-2, and the OY-2 saw heavy use in Korea.
Marine OY-1s were launched from LST-776 at Iwo Jima by the Brodie system, a "runway on a rope" that slung the plane from an overhead cable. The seas were too rough to catch them back aboard, so they landed on the island.
Quick answers
How do you identify a L-5 Sentinel?
High wing on struts, a tailwheel, and a tall, narrow fuselage with two seats in tandem under a long run of windows. L-5Bs have a modified rear fuselage with an extra-large hatch for a stretcher. A civilian Stinson 108 Voyager is a four-seat cabin plane, so its body is wider than the tandem L-5's.
What does a L-5 Sentinel sound like?
The steady drone of a six-cylinder Lycoming flat engine.
How fast is the L-5 Sentinel?
Top speed is 113 kts (130 mph).
How many passengers does the L-5 Sentinel carry?
Up to 1. A typical layout is Pilot and observer in tandem; L-5B carries a stretcher.
How far can the L-5 Sentinel fly?
Range is about 326 nmi.
How big is the L-5 Sentinel?
It is 24 ft 1 in long and 34 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the L-5 Sentinel first fly?
Its first flight was in 1941.
How many L-5 Sentinels have been built?
3,590 built.
How rare is a L-5 Sentinel in Bogey?
UNCOMMON. Not rare, but not every day either. Worth looking up for. Your first L-5 Sentinel catch is worth 50 points.
