Aircraft N5170G Data

I've recently moved to our new home at Mallard's Landing Airpark (GA04) Locust Grove, GA and N5170G is with us and she is doing well.

I'm happy to say that I have bought 70G (Dec 09) and have it home in the Memphis, TN area. It's in very good condition. 6 new overhauled cylinders, and when I got it home I ended up having to overhaul the carburetor. Seals hadn't been changed since 1968!! So should be enjoying her as the weather warms up.

After flying O-1s as a forward air controller in SEA in 1969-70 , I was a T-38 instructor pilot at Reese AFB, TX. After volunteering to be the Reese liaison to the local CAP unit, I was told the unit could acquire an O-1 for nothing from the State CAP HQ if they could find someone to teach them to fly it. Of course, I agreed to do that, and soon picked up the bird and flew it back to Lubbock where I checked several members out in "our" new aircraft, N5170G. During the next year I probably put about 150 hours on the airframe, including participation in three CAP-directed searches. My association with the CAP and 70G ended when I left Reese for my next assignment. However, during a trip to Lubbock couple of years later I wandered out to LBB to see it the airplane was still there. It was sitting in an open hangar, but had a decided list to one side, which I assume was the result of a ground-loop accident (I saw the results of several of those in Southeast Asia. Knock on wood: during my roughly 700 hours in O-1s, including more than 500 combat hours flying out of very short, narrow strips, I never ground-looped -- even when landing once on a slick, wet metal runway in a 20-30 knot gusting thunderstorm crosswind!).
I loved the O-1s -- they always treated me well, including twice over Cambodia when engines quit because I was so busy putting in airstrikes that I forgot to switch fuel tanks every 30 minutes, as was the standard practice. To my great relief, both engines fired back up immediately when I switched to the wing still containing fuel.
I've often wondered what ever became of 70G, and am very happy to see her still flying! Please give her a loving pat on the glareshield for me.
I have a couple of pictures of 70G flying in CAP colors; I can scan and send them if you'd like.
Take care, and fly safe.
Cheers-
Gary