Finding Serial Number for a Aeronca L-3C

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Hello everyone,
My school is in the process of restoring the Areonca displayed at the D-Day memorial in Virginia and are having issues finding the serial number. Does anyone know where to look or is the tail number of the aircraft the same as the serial number given by the manufacturer?
Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[fubar57]

Welcome to the site. Do you have the tail number?

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Welcome to the site. Do you have the tail number?

Here is the one on it, but not sure if they changed it at all or not. Hopefully not.

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

According to the pic there - 16645.

National D-Day Memorial Honors World War II Forces, by Travel Writers

Yeah,but the one thing is i am not sure if the previous guy who recovered it changed the number or not. I got a feeling it changed given this list of serial numbers for a L-3 does not list it, (although they may never have received it in the first place). i am more so wondering where a data plate would be installed for a aircraft like this (If it even has one) we are just wanting to find the manufacturer serial number to confirm it is the actual serial number.
http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-bin/gzUsafSearch.pl?target=&content=Aeronca+L-3

 

[Wurger]

I see. The tail number would be 41-6645 then.

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Ok, thanks for the info, but what difference is there between 41-6645 and 16445 being the tail number (Just curious) This sadly doesn't help what we are trying to accomplish though. we want to more so verify the tail number and the manufacturer serial numbers match, and are trying to find the manufacturer data plate location on the aircraft.

 

[Wurger]

The tail number started with the year of assembling or getting into service as memo serves. The first digit was usually omitted. So if the number isn't fictional the full one should be 41-6645 and this would be the serial..

BTW the data palate could be somewhere in the cockpit. Or it might be either on the firewall at the engine compartment or in the baggage compartment sidewall ( if there is a such one )

 

[dick56]

Bill Pancake is the ultimate guru for old Aeroncas.
Bill Pancake: [email protected] (304) 788-1974
Also check out the Aeronca Museum website.
[email protected]
810-599-4035

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Thank you guys so much for this information. I am sending a email right now to Bill Pancake and see if he has any info. I will try to get back asap when we get info. Haven't see any Data plate, nor any signs of it being removed but who knows. will look in the areas listed

 

[vikingBerserker]

I don't think that is a proper military tail number. When I looked it up I got the following:

41-6645 was assigned to a P-47C
41-16645 - AT-6A
42-16645 - PT-17
43-16645 - Cancelled C-60
44-16645 - Cancelled A-30
45-16645 - Cancelled CG-4A

However, there is a 43-1663

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

I don't think that is a proper military tail number. When I looked it up I got the following:

41-6645 was assigned to a P-47C
41-16645 - AT-6A
42-16645 - PT-17
43-16645 - Cancelled C-60
44-16645 - Cancelled A-30
45-16645 - Cancelled CG-4A

Yeah, this was something we had in mind. we won't know 100% until we find the data plate. thank you for this information though.

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Update: so my instructors informed me it seems the data plate is not on the aircraft, does anyone know if Aeronca would of stamped the serial number somewhere on the fuselage of the aircraft or no? if they do stamp it some where does anyone know where it may be?

 

[jetcal1]

Is there any paperwork from when the aircraft was donated? Did it have a FCC radio license onboard?

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Is there any paperwork from when the aircraft was donated? Did it have a FCC radio license onboard?

I can check with my instructors about paperwork, as for a FCC liscense I am unsure, as there was not one in the aircraft and the L-3C's seemed to be more so trainers rather then actually used for recon.

 

[fubar57]

These guys restored an L-3B but they may be able to help...Aircraft Maintenance

 

[CATCH 22]

The tail number started with the year of assembling or getting into service as memo serves....

Just a small note: the serial number (s/n) shows the FISCAL year in which the a/c was ordered by the government. Since the US fiscal years start on July 01 and end on June 30 (next year) it is possible that airplanes with s/n starting with let say 41- were in fact built in 1942 etc.
I have seen photos of this particular a/c in the last 5-6 years and the number on the tail was always the same - IMHO this is a bogus serial. It could be a c/n (construction number) given by the manufacturer and wrongly used as a s/n but I doubt this as well. BTW one of the photos of the same a/c I've seen is very awkward - the national insignia under the right wing is wrongly positioned (or attached if it's a sticker):

This photo is 10 years old and things might have changed today.
All possible L-3 serials can be found on Joe Baugher's site:
USAF Serial Number Search Results

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Just a small note: the serial number (s/n) shows the FISCAL year in which the a/c was ordered by the government. Since the US fiscal years start on July 01 and end on June 30 (next year) it is possible that airplanes with s/n starting with let say 41- were in fact built in 1942 etc.
I have seen photos of this particular a/c in the last 5-6 years and the number on the tail was always the same - IMHO this is a bogus serial. It could be a c/n (construction number) given by the manufacturer and wrongly used as a s/n but I doubt this as well. BTW one of the photos of the same a/c I've seen is very awkward - the national insignia under the right wing is wrongly positioned (or attached if it's a sticker):
View attachment 511317
This photo is 10 years old and things might have changed today.
All possible L-3 serials can be found on Joe Baugher's site:
USAF Serial Number Search Results

Thanks for info. Good news is we are recovering the wings, so we will try and make sure we position the insignia correctly.

Update for everyone: sadly we don't have any paperwork and the people who donated it sadly are no longer with us. Thank you all though for the information you have given, as it has been both helpful and insightful.

 

[jetcal1]

I can check with my instructors about paperwork, as for a FCC liscense I am unsure, as there was not one in the aircraft and the L-3C's seemed to be more so trainers rather then actually used for recon.

Your aircraft may have been NORDO for sure, but remember a big part of being an A&P is sleuthing the paperwork. This is a good opportunity for a real world logbook review if it's available.

 

[Brennan Vilcheck]

Hey everyone Update on what's going on. Sadly we have no documents pertaining to the aircraft, logbooks, FCC license, etc. and the data plate seems to no long be in the aircraft. we know most manufacturers may stamp the serial number somewhere in the frame in case a scenario like this may occur and are looking for this location, where the serial number would have been stamped/etched into the frame. if anyone knows if Aeronca did something like this or not would be helpful.

 

[Wurger]

What about the engine? There should be the placard on it. Perhaps this could help