Stinson L-5 Sentinel

The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was a World War II liaison aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces, the Marine Corps and the Royal Air Force, built by the Stinson Division of Vultee, later Consolidated Vultee. It descended from the prewar HW-75 and Model 105 and was designed afresh as the Model 76 to Army and Navy engineering standards, first flying on 23 June 1941 and nicknamed the Flying Jeep by factory staff. A tandem two-seater with a six-cylinder 185 horsepower Lycoming O-435 engine, it was built of welded steel tube and fabric, using little scarce aluminum. From November 1942 to September 1945 Stinson delivered 3,590, making it the second most used light liaison aircraft of the war after the Piper L-4 Cub, and it served for courier work, artillery spotting, air ambulance duties and forward air control. The Navy and Marines flew it as the OY-1.