MILITARY CESSNA

Restoring a LC-126

One of the lesser-known US military aircraft is the Cessna LC-126. In 1949, through the offices of the USAF, the Army made a request for an off-the-shelf purchase of 15 Cessna 195 light aircraft. These were to be used for evaluation in the liaison and light cargo role. The aircraft received the unusual designation of LC-126A and in 1951, a further order for 63 similar aircraft was placed with the designation LC-126C and these planes were utilized as instrument trainers. A further five machines were ordered by the Air National Guard as LC-126Bs. All variants were powered by the Jacobs R-755-11 radial of 300-hp.

For the past five years, Ted Steffens has been restoring LC-126C s/n 51-7012/N1ZB and has finished the aircraft in its original Army markings. When Ted stripped the paint from the aircraft, he found the original serial and markings etched into the aluminum. Interestingly, this aircraft never flew as a civilian aircraft and last operated with the Army flying club at Fort Ord, California, in the early 1970s. A first post-restoration flight is expected in the near future.

Copyright Challenge Publications Inc. Jan 2006
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