Liaison aircraft
A liaison aircraft is a small, mainly militarily occupied but usually unarmed aircraft that is the connection ( hence the name ) to ensure other units or higher-level management bodies and thus support the interaction of forces. The areas of application are artillery observation, commander and courier transport, combat field reconnaissance, medical transport, observation of troop movements, transporting light cargo and similar tasks. Most liaison aircraft have been developed from small, lightweight machines of general aviation and are also used in civilian versions in general aviation. In general liaison aircraft have the capability to launch short Behelfspisten and landing ( STOL ). In World War II they had a high prevalence. In today's military aviation liaison aircraft have a decreasing importance, since their functions are better covered by other technologies such as helicopters, drones and satellites.
Liaison aircraft types
Germany
- Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
- Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun
- Heinkel He 46
- Dornier Do 27
- Dornier Do 28 Do 28 D Skyservant
Great Britain
- Westland Lysander
- Taylorcraft Auster AOP
Poland
- Lublin R -XIII
Soviet Union
- Yakovlev Yak -12
- Polikarpov Po-2
- Polikarpov R-5
Czechoslovakia
- Zlín Z -43
United States of America
- Vultee L-1 Vigilant
- Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
- Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper
- Piper L-4 Grasshopper
- Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- North American / Ryan Navion L-17
- Cessna L-19