Canadian Warplanes 5: Cessna L-19 Bird Dog

Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, Canadian Army

Cessna 305 Bird Dog, RCAF L-19A (16), (Serial Nos. 16701-16716), L-19E (9), (Serial Nos. 16717-16725), for a total of 25 aircraft.

The Canadian Army originally called No. 1 Air Observation Post No. 1 Air Observation Post Flight (Type A) (Army Component), Royal Canadian Artillery.  This was changed to No. 1 Air Observation Post Flight (Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery) on 15 Feb 1957.  Both used the same abbreviation of No. 1 AOP Flt.

No. 1 AOP moved to Hemer, Germany in March 1960 at Fort Prince of Wales and where it was redesignated as No. 1 Air Observation Post Troop.  They were attached to the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery as part of 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group.  No. 1 AOP Tp moved to Lahr in southern Germany in 1970 with the rest of the Brigade and on 1 Oct 1972, No. 1 AOP Tp and the three other Army aviation elements within 4 CMBG; including the Command and Liaison Flight 4 CMBG HQ, Aircraft Repair Platoon 4 Service Battalion and Helicopter Reconnaissance Troop, C Squadron Royal Canadian Dragoons, were amalgamated and became No. 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron.

(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Cessna L-19 Bird Dog (Serial No. 16714), fitted with 4 chute equipped bundles of 125 lbs each for aerial re-supply exercise.

(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Cessna L-19A Bird Dog (Serial No. 16711), Rivers, Manitoba. Pilot (Student)  Lt. Dave Rowlandson, checks flap of his L-19 A aircraft during pre-flight check.  Note everything around him is green, including his helmet, but he is wearing RCAF wings.

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Cessna L-19A Bird Dog (Serial No. 16714), Canadian Army, Light Aircraft School.

(DND Photos via James Craik)

Cessna L-19A Bird Dogs, Canadian Army.

(Canadian Army Photos)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog (Serial No. 16724) in flight, Canadian Army.

(Canadian Army Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Cessna L-19A Bird Dog (Serial No. 16706), Canadian Army, ca 1970s.

(Author Photo)

Cessna L-19A Bird Dog (Serial No. 16706), shown here at CFB Petawawa, Ontario, ca 1977.

(Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog (Serial No. 16733), Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Artillery Spotter Plane in flight over Oromocto, New Brunswick, July 1973.

(DND Photo PCN 67-1075)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dogs (Serial No. 16733), and (Serial No. 16724) Canadian Army, possibly CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick.

(Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog (Serial No. 16717), Canadian Army,  Royal Canadian Artillery Spotter Plane.

(New Brunswick Military History Museum Photo)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog, pilot shaking hands with General S.V. Radley-Walters, Base Commander CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick, 6 July 1973.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235776)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog spotter aircraft, Canadian Army with 4 CMBG, Germany, 1964.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4235777)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog (Serial No. 16720) spotter aircraft, 4 CMBG, Germany, 1964.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4234462)

Cessna L-19E Bird Dog (Serial No. 16702).

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Eye In The Sky .... Standing ready for instant take-off is a Cessna L-19 light reconnaissance aircraft of the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Such aircraft were used extensively by Canada's NATO Brigade in Germany during recent training exercises on Luneburg Heath, south of the German port of Hamburg.

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