Guys,
I decided to keep both L-3s the L-3C and the L-3A and restore both of them. Today we were removing some stuff from the fuselage on the L-3C to get it ready for bead blasting and found provisions for a mast antenna and fixed antenna wire to the vertical fin not the rudder. My C model does not have the lug or antenna reel mounting tabs for the AVA-120 reel antenna that my A model has. My L-4B also came from the factory with a fixed antenna installation for a portable radio. The Aeronca L-3C was set up in similar fashion. Apparently neither aircraft were intended to have the normal radio equipment consisting of the RCA or Lear radios and reel antenna but did in fact have provision for a portable radio and fixed antenna. The photo of the L-3C serial # 43-1657 is at the Aeronca factory and has the antenna installed and attached to the fin and you can make out the ceramic insulator as well as the mast. My L-3C is serial # 43-1612. This explains all of the photos we see of L-3 and L-4 aircraft with the fixed antenna installed but no visible radio. They were new and the Army had not installed the radio yet most likely a BC-659 or equivalent.
Note the fixed antenna installation on my L-4B and the manual page that notes provision for a fixed antenna.
Best Regards,
Steve
I decided to keep both L-3s the L-3C and the L-3A and restore both of them. Today we were removing some stuff from the fuselage on the L-3C to get it ready for bead blasting and found provisions for a mast antenna and fixed antenna wire to the vertical fin not the rudder. My C model does not have the lug or antenna reel mounting tabs for the AVA-120 reel antenna that my A model has. My L-4B also came from the factory with a fixed antenna installation for a portable radio. The Aeronca L-3C was set up in similar fashion. Apparently neither aircraft were intended to have the normal radio equipment consisting of the RCA or Lear radios and reel antenna but did in fact have provision for a portable radio and fixed antenna. The photo of the L-3C serial # 43-1657 is at the Aeronca factory and has the antenna installed and attached to the fin and you can make out the ceramic insulator as well as the mast. My L-3C is serial # 43-1612. This explains all of the photos we see of L-3 and L-4 aircraft with the fixed antenna installed but no visible radio. They were new and the Army had not installed the radio yet most likely a BC-659 or equivalent.
Note the fixed antenna installation on my L-4B and the manual page that notes provision for a fixed antenna.
Best Regards,
Steve
