Ryan Aeronautical L-17 Navion

American military services used the L-17 from the late 1940s through the early 1960s for liaison, reconnaissance, light cargo and forward air control (FAC) missions. Six even became target drones. Designed for civilian aviation and first flown in 1946, North American introduced this aircraft as the commercial NA-154 Navion. The United States (US) Army Air Forces went on to order 83 military versions under the designation L-17A.

Later, Ryan Aeronautical Company, having bought the design and manufacturing rights from North American, built 164 improved L-17B Navions for the US Air Force before production ended in 1949. Eventually, 35 A-models were converted to L-17Cs with improved brakes and greater fuel capacity. During the Korean War, several US Air Force L-17Cs were used as FAC aircraft. All US Air Force L-17s were redesignated U-18s in 1962. While in service, the Navion gained the nickname “poor man’s P–51” since it shared several of the Mustang’s stout design features, but no common parts.