I have recently bought a share in the Cessna Birddog (O-1E, L19 or C305C) that was originally in French service.
I want to establish the history of the aircraft, particularly its French military service.
It was delivered direct from Cessna to Algeria in 1957. It must have had an accident as there is a plate saying it was repaired at Bleda in 1960.
It was sold onto the civil market, as F-GFVE, the first log book I have starts in March 1987. It was operated for many years at Fayence, doing glider towing, before being sold to England. It stayed on the French civil register until 2004 when it was put on the FAA register as N134TT.
I would like to obtain any history available, markings, code letters etc and to hear from anyone associated with the aircraft.
By: avion ancien - 21st May 2013 at 18:20
On the DGAC website the following information is given concerning the ownnership of F-GFVE since its entry onto the French civil register:
Aéronef radié le : 13/02/2004 pour le motif : IMMATRICULE A L’ETRANGER
Hypothèque : Non
Aucun locataire
Aucun acheteur/exploitant
Propriétaire
Personne Adresse Ville Date d’enregistrement
TOTAL SUPPORT INC. UK LTD 43 OVERSTONE ROAD, HAMMERSMITH 00000 LONDON W6 OAD 26/10/1999
Précédents propriétaires
Personne Adresse Ville Date d’enregistrement
BLANC LUDOVIC CHATEAU DE MALPIERRE 55140 RIGNY-LA-SALLE 10/03/1999
ASSOCIATION AERONAUTIQUE PROVENCE COTE D’AZUR AERODROME 83440 FAYENCE 02/10/1989
FEDERATION FRANCAISE DE VOL A VOILE / FFVV 29 RUE DE SEVRES 75006 PARIS 16/10/1987
but I suspect that this is already available from the logbook. Beyond that, the information given there is limited to:
Constructeur CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY Port d’attache DUNKESWELL
Modèle d’aéronef CESSNA 305 C Région
N° série 24541
Description AVION
Masse Max
Puissance
Construit en 1957
Might I suggest that if you wish to obtain more information concerning its pre-French civil registry life and its military service, you could do a lot worse than post that enquiry on the aviation history forum at http://www.aerostories.org/~aeroforums/forumhist/index.php.
By: viscount - 21st May 2013 at 17:19
French Army (ALAT) aircraft histories are not easy to find in English language sources. Only source in my bookcase is Paul Jackson’s ‘French Military Aviation’, pub MCP 1975.
He states that ALAT received a total of 145 O-1 aircraft, comprising of a batch of 90 and of 36 new examples, along with 19 ex-US Army aircraft. He lists all the serials, in all cases the constructor’s number is used as an identity, but very few have any details known. Certainly 24541 is listed, but with no details as to service. An appendix does match unit call-sign batches to some units/bases. All ALAT call-signs being in the F-Mxxx series.
Not the easiest of tasks you are undertaking – I do hope that others have access to the information you are seeking regarding the background to your aircraft and construction of a ‘time-line’ airframe history.
By: l.garey - 21st May 2013 at 13:29
Welcome to the forum! Sorry I can’t help with your questions, but we are in touch about a related matter!
Cheers
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May 21, 2013 at 1:20 pm