Cessna L-19A Bird Dog

The L-19 Bird Dog, designed by Cessna, was built for the US Army as a light observation aircraft with deliveries starting in 1950. In Canadian Army service, the L-19 was used as a spotter plane for artillery targeting as well as other duties. Twenty-nine Cessna L-19s were acquired by the Canadian Army as artillery spotters and general liaison aircraft. They were used to observe and direct the accuracy of the Army’s artillery fall. In Canada, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets used former CAF L-19 aircraft equipped with a rig to tow Schweizer gliders for the Air Cadet gliding program.