L-4 "Carrier" footage..Italy

[O-1Driver]

Converted LST's with 200 foot plywood decks were used to launch Piper L-4s during the invasion of Italy and France. The L-4s would immediately begin to adjust naval gunfire as soon as they were airborne over the beaches.

Pretty good WW II videos.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/6...dent_flying-low_cub-planes-in-flight-over-sea

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/6...way-of-LST_boat-underway_planes-circling-ship

Steve

 

[Dave(Dangerous)Boynton]

Good stuff that Steve. I seem to remember Mike (stumpjumper) was working on something similier to these a couple years back.

Dave

 

[KellyB]

How were they recovered?
Or were they?

 

[O-1Driver]

How were they recovered?
Or were they?

The L-4 could stay airborne for three hours, after that they landed on the Beach Head or any open field or road they could find. Sometimes they were unfortunate and landed in mine fields.

If Stump can make us an LST with a deck I will put together a mission pack using the L-5 in ETO to recreate some of the Historical missions flown by the L-4 during Operation Torch and Operation Dragoon. Follow up missions during Operation Cobra would be included. The missions will require you to fly close enough to German guns and armor to trigger a artillery spawn that will destroy the German positions. After the goal is met you will proceed and land on a road or open field but I will mine many of them with a new land mine that targets aircraft so be careful.

The L-5 was never used as a tactical aircraft because it was too heavy, it was relegated to liasion duties while the L-4 bore the brunt of the Combat operations.. It weighed nearly a 1,000 lbs more that the L-4 and could not operate alongside the Artillery Battalions near the front lines. The L-5 would mire down up to the axles on soft fields.

Steve

 

[KellyB]

The L-4 could stay airborne for three hours, after that they landed on the Beach Head or any open field or road they could find. Sometimes they were unfortunate and landed in mine fields.

If Stump can make us an LST with a deck I will put together a mission pack using the L-5 in ETO to recreate some of the Historical missions flown by the L-4 during Operation Torch and Operation Dragoon. Follow up missions during Operation Cobra would be included. The missions will require you to fly close enough to German guns and armor to trigger a artillery spawn that will destroy the German positions. After the goal is met you will proceed and land on a road or open field but I will mine many of them with a new land mine that targets aircraft so be careful.

The L-5 was never used as a tactical aircraft because it was too heavy, it was relegated to liasion duties while the L-4 bore the brunt of the Combat operations.. It weighed nearly a 1,000 lbs more that the L-4 and could not operate alongside the Artillery Battalions near the front lines. The L-5 would mire down up to the axles on soft fields.

Steve

Sounds like risky business at best. Talk about taking one for the team!

I like your mission scenario; I for one will look forward to it.