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Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 in historical markings.

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Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 Sentinel!

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 in historical markings.

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 in historical markings.

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 in historical markings.

Help us repaint our Stinson L-5 in historical markings.

Ryan Short
Ryan Short
Ryan Short
Ryan Short
1 Campaign |
San Antonio, United States
$441 USD 7 backers
6% of $6,500 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

WWII Liaison Aircraft Picture

$20 USD
1 claimed

Liaison Book

$50 USD
4 claimed

Book and Recognition

$200 USD
1 claimed

Book, Recognition, and Logo

$500 USD
0 claimed

About the Alamo Liaison Squadron and our fundraiser

My name is Ryan and I'm a pilot and board member of the Alamo Liaison Squadron. The Alamo Liaison Squadron is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization recognized by the State of Texas as a “Flying Museum.” As a museum, our mission is to preserve the aircraft, and the legacy of the men who flew the “liaison” aircraft of World War Two. We are located just south of San Antonio, TX and maintain our aircraft at our home airport Cannon Field.

Our goal is to raise funds to repaint one of our “L-birds” - the Stinson L-5 that we maintain. The aircraft is still in relatively good condition, but the paint job is going to need some help in the near future. We believe that sprucing the aircraft up will encourage more people to join our squadron, will prove beneficial to it's long-term health, and will help us better accomplish our mission.

About the aircraft

The Stinson L-5 “Sentinel” was one of the series of “L-birds” or liaison aircraft that served in the US military during World War Two. Liaison aircraft served in a variety of roles including, but not limited to: Artillery observation, reconnaissance, aerial photography, medical evacuation, search and rescue, primary flight training, pilot proficiency, supply, mail runs, and more.

Our Stinson L-5 (serial number 44-17397) is unique in that it is one of only a handful of Stinson L-5 aircraft to return from overseas service during World War Two. It was one of a batch of aircraft that were shipped out into the Pacific Theater for service. We know that several of it's sister ships served with Liaison Squadrons in the Philippine Islands during the war, but we think that this ship may have been assigned to a group on Guam during the war, as it was purchase on Guam in 1947 from the US military as surplus. Jim Gray of the Sentinel Club has done some very helpful research on L-5 aircraft, and this is as much as we have been able to determine to this point.

Why should you be interested in our repainting efforts?

Besides the obvious need to maintain the aircraft, and keep it in operational condition, we would like to return the aircraft to authentic World War Two markings. You see, when this aircraft was last restored, it was part of a group with what was then known as the Confederate Air Force and it was painted in a very unique paint scheme. From that time, it currently wears a pseudo-desert brown paint scheme that was originally intended to honor veterans who served in the Middle East during recent US involvements in the region and the aircraft became known as “Warbug.” During the early part of the last decade the Alamo Liaison Squadron acquired the aircraft, and it is currently known as “Delfina” in honor of a lady who helped us purchase the aircraft (We do intend to keep her name on the aircraft after the repaint).

Of course, if we could find a photo of our aircraft during it's wartime service, this would be our first choice of paint scheme. If that is not possible, we would like to paint it either as one of it's known sister ships in the Philippines, or in the representative markings of another Liaison Squadron in either the Philippines, Okinawa, or the CBI. We have been collecting a number of photographs and information related to this in hopes of having an accurate paint scheme, and will submit the paint scheme finally chosen for review to various people in an effort to achieve good accuracy.

What We Need

Right now almost 75% or more of our squadron's annual funding comes from members. We are not a wealthy group by any stretch, but have managed to maintain our aircraft and keep the field operational for a number of years on a shoestring budget with the volunteer efforts of our members. We would like to raise at least $6500 in order to get a basic repainting job done on the aircraft. Of course recovering the aircraft would be even better, but it is not necessary at this point and would likely cost us in the neighborhood of $10,000. Assuming we do not reach enough funding to recover the aircraft we would be sanding down the current paint scheme very carefully, and repainting the aircraft. Aircraft paint is not cheap, but the greatest expense is of course the time involved in removing the old coat and repainting the aircraft. If we enough to simply reach our goal, we will start to work on the new paint job as soon as possible. If we receive enough funds to recover the aircraft, then we would probably start on that effort right after our annual events in the spring, with a goal of having the aircraft in display shape before the next major Texas airshow season (usually fall). If we do not reach our goal, we will set the money aside until we have reached the goal, or can match the funds from local sources that we will be seeking out. Of course, if any of you are in the San Antonio area, we would love for you to come visit our field, and see the aircraft.

We would also like to offer a free copy of our book: Box Seat Over Hell, written by our founders Hardy Cannon and Bill Stratton and recently republished for any donations over $50. We will mail the books out within a few weeks of the campaign's ending. The book tells the story of some of the “L-bird” pilots during World War Two.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you would like to donate paint, parts, or materials, we would of course be happy to provide you with a tax-deductible receipt. We are also always looking as a squadron for liaison pilot and aircraft memorabilia for display in the museum that we are currently working on as well. One other way you can help is to share this page with all of your aviation-minded friends!!

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