L-17.ORG

Introduction to the L-17

Note that L-17.ORG is undergoing significant maintenance and may have formattting or information inconsistencies.

The NAvion was the first civilian aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation, famous for producing legendary military aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang fighter, AT-6 Texan trainer, B-25 Mitchell bomber, and F-86 Saber Jet fighter.

The NAvion was a rugged aircraft with excellent short and rough field capabilities, good range, and capacity for 4 people along with reasonable cargo. NAvions are a dream to fly like all North American aircraft: light on the controls and perfectly harmonized in all axis of flight.

The same qualities that made it attractive to civilian buyers caught the attention of the U.S. Army that was looking for a "flying pickup truck" for "liaison" duties such as personnel transport and light cargo. Prohibited by the Key West Agreement from procuring fixed-wing aircraft, the Army requested the Air Force place an order for a military version of the NAvion. 83 aircraft were ordered in 1947 and given the military designation L-17. Faced with demand for the F-86, North American sold the NAvion design and tooling in July 1947 - along with about 60 uncompleted aircraft - to Ryan Aeronautical, famed producer of the Spirit of St. Louis as well as WW II trainers such as the PT-22 Recruit.

Ryan received an order for 158 upgraded L-17s in 1948 and a further order in 1949 for 5 more aircraft for the Hellenic (Greek) Air Force for a total of 163 aircraft. Ryan also subcontracted with Schweitzer Aircraft Company to upgrade 33 North American Aviation L-17s with Ryan features such as improved brakes, radios, and aux fuel. To track what were now 3 different types of L-17, unmodified North Amercian Aviation aircraft were designated L-17A, new Ryan aircraft were designated L-17B, and Schwietzer-modified North American aircraft were designated L-17C. The last L-17s were 3 "Super" L-17Ds (also listed as XL-22A or XL-22D) ordered in 1951, based on the new Ryan Navion Model B. This makes for a total of 249 L-17s with about 45 surviving today.

Please note that this page is under constant revision and updates. All suggestions, ideas, references, sources, etc. are welcome!

L-17 Documents

This is a library of associated L-17 documents other than Technical Orders including press releases, memos, articles, etc. NOTE that all documents are for historical interest only and are not to be used for any other purpose.

L-17 Technical Orders

This is a library of all Technical Orders relating to the L-17, freely available for download as they are U.S. government documents. NOTE that all documents are for historical interest only and are not to be used for any other purpose.

Registry

This is a listing of all L-17s and represents the current disposition as interpreted from official records such as FAA and international aircraft registrations, U.S. Air Force Individual Aircraft Record Cards (IARCs) and other sources. Information changes, and this list is constantly undergoing research, review and revision

• Aircraft in bold are believed to be intact, either in storage, restoration or flying.
• Aircraft in italics are dregistered or documented as lost.
• Aircraft with no emphasis have an uncertain fate in the currrent state of research or publishing.

NOTE that the quickest way to find a particular aircraft is often to use your browser's search function by pressing Ctrl-F and entering the manufacturer's S/N, military Serial No. (BuNo) or the aircraft registration.

North American Aviation L-17A/L-17C/QL-17

The L-17 is the orignal NAA-built L-17 ordered under contract W33–038–AC17631. 83 made, later designated L-17A.

Note that North American L-17s were civilian aircraft fitted with paint and radios as needed to meet military requirements. Lore, documented by numerous direct references including Chan King, indicates that completed NAvion aircraft were pushed into a storage lot. When the USAF requested an L-17 delivery, a NAvion was pulled at random from the lot, painted, fitted, and flown off. This is reflected in the North Amercian Aviation Memo dated September 23, 1947 detailing the specific North American NAvion manufacturer's serial numbers that were used to fulfill the military contract. Review will show that the serial numbers are random rather than sequential (as they are with Ryan L-17Bs) indicating they were not built in a sequential lot

The L-17C is a North American-built L-17A upgraded with Ryan Aeronautical L-17B compontents such as improved brakes, aux fuel and ARC-12 radios. The work was done under contract from Ryan Aeronautical at a fixed-rate by Schweitzer Aircraft with 35 converted. This teletype to Ryan July 2nd, 1948 identifies North American L-17A 47-1307 as the first L-17A to be converted by Schwietzer (under Ryan contract).

The QL-17 is a North American L-17A/C modified into a radio-controlled television drone by Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Company (TEMCO - also known as Temco Aircraft Corporation). 6 aircraft have been referenced as converted but to date evidience exists for only 3 L-17s converted.

Type	Military Ser. No.	Mfgr Ser. No.	Manufacturer	Civilian Registration	Owner Name & Location	Status
1947 L-17A 47-1297	North American Aviation NAV-4-861	N3178G Brandt Goetz San Jose, CA	Registered
L-17C	47-1298	NAV-4-862	North American Aviation	N2778A	Jerry Feather	Grand Junction, CO	Registered
L-17C	47-1299	NAV-4-872	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1300	NAV-4-873	North American Aviation	N8873H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1301	NAV-4-882	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1302	NAV-4-891	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1303	NAV-4-920	North American Aviation	N7243C			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1304	NAV-4-922	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1305	NAV-4-930	North American Aviation	N8930H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1306	NAV-4-931	North American Aviation	N4216A			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1307	NAV-4-932	North American Aviation	N7856C			Deregistered 5/7/1973 by the United States Air Force, Wichita, KS First North American L-17A to be converted to an L-17C by Schweitzer under contract with Ryan
L-17C	47-1308	NAV-4-935	North American Aviation	N5562V			Deregistered 02/03/1982 by Spencer Engineers, Inc. Houston, TX
L-17C	47-1309	NAV-4-936	North American Aviation	N8936H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1310	NAV-4-939	North American Aviation	N673BG			Deregistered 6/14/2017 by Diane Pierce Hemet, CA
L-17C	47-1311	NAV-4-942	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1312	NAV-4-943	North American Aviation	N6724C	Burton Ottow	Milwaukee, WI	Registered
L-17C	47-1313	NAV-4-945	North American Aviation	N2775A			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1314	NAV-4-946	North American Aviation	N6480D			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1315	NAV-4-948	North American Aviation	N5208N	Joseph Rice	Caldwell, ID	Registered
L-17C	47-1316	NAV-4-949	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1317	NAV-4-950	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1318	NAV-4-951	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1319	NAV-4-953	North American Aviation	N8953H/N7612B			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1320	NAV-4-958	North American Aviation	N8958H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1321	NAV-4-959	North American Aviation	N8959H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1322	NAV-4-960	North American Aviation	N9117R	Samuel Storms	Pflugerville, TX	Registered
L-17C	47-1323	NAV-4-961	North American Aviation	N10563			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1324	NAV-4-964	North American Aviation	N3177G			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1325	NAV-4-966	North American Aviation	N8966H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1326	NAV-4-967	North American Aviation	N1160V	Robert Blythe	Lakeland, TN	Registered
L-17C	47-1327	NAV-4-972	North American Aviation	N6459D			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1328	NAV-4-977	North American Aviation	N3179G			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1329	NAV-4-978	North American Aviation	N94575			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1330	NAV-4-980	North American Aviation	N9178R			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1331	NAV-4-981	North American Aviation	N333V			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1332	NAV-4-982	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1333	NAV-4-985	North American Aviation	N8985H	Felipe Irigoyen	Holtville, CA
L-17C QL-17	47-1334	NAV-4-986	TEMCO	N8986H			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1335	NAV-4-987	North American Aviation	N333W			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1336	NAV-4-994	North American Aviation	N3950A			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1337	NAV-4-1000	North American Aviation
L-17C	47-1338	NAV-4-1014	North American Aviation	N4014K			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1339	NAV-4-1015	North American Aviation	N555S	Dale Broz	Laredo, TX	Registered
L-17A	47-1340	NAV-4-1033	North American Aviation	N5419V			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1341	NAV-4-1041	North American Aviation	N9096C			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1342	NAV-4-1048	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1343	NAV-4-1049	North American Aviation
L-17A QL-17	47-1344	NAV-4-1050	TEMCO		U.S. Army Aviation Museum	Ft. Rucker, AL	On static display
L-17A	47-1345	NAV-4-1055	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1346	NAV-4-1058	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1347	NAV-4-1059	North American Aviation		United States Air Force Museum	Dayton, OH	Marked as Ryan L-17B 48-928
L-17A	47-1348	NAV-4-1060	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1349	NAV-4-1061	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1350	NAV-4-1062	North American Aviation
L-17A QL-17	47-1351	NAV-4-1063	TEMCO	N9646C	George Bass	Livermore, CA	Registered, Flying
L-17A	47-1352	NAV-4-1064	North American Aviation	N9190R	David Fraser	Lee, MA	Registered
L-17A	47-1353	NAV-4-1065	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1354	NAV-4-1066	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1355	NAV-4-1067	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1356	NAV-4-1068	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1357	NAV-4-1069	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1358	NAV-4-1070	North American Aviation	N2968C	Neil Hammond	Manhattan, KS	Registered
L-17A	47-1359	NAV-4-1071	North American Aviation	N555T			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1360	NAV-4-1072	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1361	NAV-4-1073	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1362	NAV-4-1074	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1363	NAV-4-1075	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1364	NAV-4-1077	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1365	NAV-4-1078	North American Aviation	N10552	Jed Homes Inc.	Lisbon, CT	Registered
L-17A	47-1366	NAV-4-1079	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1367	NAV-4-1081	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1368	NAV-4-1083	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1369	NAV-4-1084	North American Aviation	N4084K			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1370	NAV-4-1085	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1371	NAV-4-1086	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1372	NAV-4-1088	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1373	NAV-4-1089	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1374	NAV-4-1090	North American Aviation	N2774A			Deregistered
L-17A	47-1375	NAV-4-1091	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1376	NAV-4-1092	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1377	NAV-4-1093	North American Aviation
L-17A	47-1378	NAV-4-1094	North American Aviation	N75347			Deregistered
L-17C	47-1379	NAV-4-1105	North American Aviation

Ryan Aeronautical L-17B

The L-17B was built in a single production run of 163 aircraft by Ryan under U.S. Air Force contract W33–038–AC2156 (in some places abbreviated to as "AC-2156") based on their civilian Navion A model but purpose-built for the contract with all military equipment installed.

The original order of 158 aircraft was extended by 5 for the Hellenic (Greek) Air Force per the memo text below. It's interesting to note the date of the memo; Greek L-17Bs recieved the serial number prefix "49" for that year of order, but apparently only because Ryan staff had gone home for the holidays before acknowledging the order!

Specific L-17B service history is difficult to determine. The U.S. Air Force used Individual Aircraft Record Cards (IARCs) that detailed all assignments. The U.S. Army treated light aircraft like any other equipment like a jeep or a bulldozer, simply stating status on daily Readiness Reports. A great deal of analysis is under way for all these resources, but for the moment most of what we know (or think we know) stems from a 14 October 1948 Shipping Instructions memo that details lots for specific locations and means for delivery. Every L-17B IARC has the specific project number, so we can at least determine where the specific aircraft was initially shipped. From there, disposition can be verified solely by additional information on the IARC or in-theater photos or documents - including readiness reports. Where project assignments are known they're noted in the registry below. When more information is available a seperate project assignment list of military serial numbers will be created.

NOTE: Photos exist of what appears to be a pre-production demo version of the L-17B wearing '901" on the tail. It's unclear what aircraft this is or what became of it; this is under research.

Ryan Aeronautical L-17D (XL-22A)

The L-17D is the final L-17 model, based on the more powerful 260HP Ryan Model B Navion. There were 3 made for evaluation and were accepted by the U.S. Air Force, although no futher orders were placed. Little is known about these aircraft today; L-17.ORG is waiting on the Individual Aircraft Record Cards from the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Association.

We can see at least some of the design thinking in this 9 March 1950 Model Specification for a Navion B (With L-17 type equipment) study done by Ryan.

Three L-17D airaft were used in U.S. Air Force Project SOIAS (Sliding On Ice And Snow) in the winters of 50-51 and 51-52. This consisted of instrumentation installed in the aircraft to determine ski performance on ice and deep snow.