Stinson L-5 Sentinel

The Stinson L‑5 Sentinel was a single‑engine liaison and observation aircraft built by the Stinson Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. First flown in 1942, the L‑5 entered service as a rugged, low‑cost complement to the larger C‑47 and the Piper L‑4, providing frontline units with a versatile platform for artillery spotting, medical evacuation, courier duties, and short‑field reconnaissance. Its high‑wing, all‑metal fuselage and fabric‑covered control surfaces gave it a light yet durable construction, while the 185‑horsepower Lycoming O‑435‑C engine delivered a respectable 130 mph top speed and a useful ceiling of 15,000 feet. The aircraft featured large, hinged doors and removable wing panels for easy loading of stretchers, a simple fixed‑gear arrangement for operation from unprepared fields, and generous visibility from a bubble‑shaped canopy. Over 5,000 L‑5s were produced, many of which served in the European, Pacific, and China‑Burma‑India theaters, where pilots praised its reliability and short‑takeoff capability. After the war the Sentinel transitioned to civilian use as a bush plane and trainer, influencing post‑war liaison designs and cementing Stinson’s reputation for creating practical, dependable aircraft that bridged military and civil aviation needs.