Interstate L-6

Interstate L-6
description
Type of use	Observation and liaison aircraft
Armament	no
crew	A pilot and an observer
Dimensions
length	7.15 m
span	10.82 m
height	2.13 m
Wing area	16.15 m²
Weights
Empty weight	500 kg
Maximum weight	748 kg
Motorization
Engine designation	Franklin O-200-5
power	102 hp (start)
Flight performance
Top speed	183 km / h (at 5,500 feet)
Use radius	869 km
Service ceiling	5,030 m

The Interstate L-6 (until 1942: O-63 ) was a light liaison and reconnaissance aircraft used by the US Army from 1940 to 1945.

The Interstate Company began manufacturing aircraft in 1940 with the S-1B Cadet , a light high-wing tandem seater version. When the USA entered the war at the end of 1941, the US Army ordered 250 S-1B aircraft and designated the military version as the O-63 . It was the last pattern before 1962 that received the letter O for "observation". Like all other O-planes, the O-63 was renamed in 1942, in this case the L-6 . The engine of the L-6 suffered from an overheating problem that could never be completely solved, so the L-6 produced fewer units than the other light liaison aircraft known as "Grasshopper". The L-6 was used exclusively in the USA as a courier aircraft, liaison aircraft and for training and did not come to war in Europe or Asia.

After the war ended, the production rights for the Cadet were sold to Harlow Aircraft .

production

Acceptance of Interstate L-6 by the USAAF:

version	1942	1943	TOTAL
L-6	11	240	251
L-8	8th		8th
TOTAL	19th	240	259

See also

• List of aircraft types

Web links

Commons : Interstate Cadet  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Manufacturer history

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Statistical Digest of the USAF 1946, p. 100 ff.