Fletcher FL-23 liaison aircraft

[brontolino]

Hi,

Anyone has the related articles and drawings of the Fletcher FL-23 (competitor of the Cessna L-19 for US Army observation aircraft in the '50)?

I find on the web only a photo of the Fletcher FL-23 at aerofiles.com and the related articles on wikipedia. Can you indicate (possibly scan) some book or articles published about this aircraft?

Thanks in advance

 

[Artie Bob]

IIRC, the FL-23 was the cover aircraft on an issue of Model Airplane News in the early 50s, I should have the issue, will try to dig it out. There would have been an article with photos and 3-view. There was at least one more Fletcher a/c that flew and that was the FD-25.

Best regards,

Artie Bob

 

[robunos]

this from 'scrap book of scale, 3-views & nostalgia volume 2' an aeromodelling book by Bill Hannan, page 16:-

...the Fletcher FD-25 Defender. First flown in 1951, the FD-25 was designed by John Thorp, of "Sky Skooter" fame, as a potential "COIN" fighter for close in ground support work.
The prototype...was constructed largely of magnesium, but later editions employed the more conventional aluminium.
Powered by a Continental E225 engine, the FD-25 had a usable speed range from 41 to 187 mph, and was able to carry a large variety of external armament in addition to it;s two .30 cal machine guns.
The distinctive exhaust stacks are the visual manifestations of the unique Fletcher "jet-cooled" augmenter system which added approx. 35hp to the engine output.

A comprehensive description (with photos and a 3-view) may be found in the January, 1965 issue of Air Progress magazine.

does anyone here have this article?

cheers,
Robin.

 

[Jemiba]

from Taschenbuch der Luftflotten 1954, the FL-23.

 

[brontolino]

I 'm very pleased for your contribution to search photo and drawings of Fletcher FL-23. Thanks to all menbers for their information about these less know aircraft. I hope to see (if possibly) the related article from the magazine Air Progress on FL-23.

Brontolino

 

[Triton]

Photograph of Fletcher N122A from 1950 found on eBay.

URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/FLETCHER-FL-23-LIAISON-PROPOSAL-N122A-CRASHED-/310242801801?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

Seller's description:

Rare 8 X 10 black and white Fletcher photo of N122A, the experimental liaison aircraft proposed by Fletcher in 1950 that was destroyed in a crash. The contract went to the Cessna 305. Someone at Fletcher wasn't paying attention - the negative is exposed backwards.

 

[Stargazer]

Topics merged.

 

[ZacYates]

I have a friend with a photocopy of the Model Airplane News cover and article, I'll see if he can do me a copy. In the meantime I found a page with a colour scan of the cover and two images from John Thorp's patent for the design.

 

[walter]

Maybe of interest. The FL-23 received several modifications early in the test programme. Attached photo (sorry for the bad quality) shows her with
a prominent dorsal fin, extended top of the tail ,plane. streamlined u/c strut fairings and N122A also received a larger (side) engine intake.