New L-17Bs at the Ryan factory.                                Photo courtesy Mark Cyrier

The L-17 Registry tracks the current status of surviving L-17s. Entries are sorted by North American Aviation or Ryan Serial Numbers, followed by the military Serial Number. Below is a short digression on military serial numbers, or you can go right to the Registry.

Aircraft Identification
Military aircraft during the Korean War era typically displayed three identifying numbers:

Military Serial Numbers are assigned for each aircraft. In the Korean War era military serial numbers have two numbers separated by a hyphen, for example: 48-1007. 48 represents the year the order was placed for the aircraft and 1007 represents the individual sequence number assigned to a specific aircraft. The serial number appears on the aircraft data plate and usually in a text block painted on the left side of the fuselage near the cockpit known as the Technical Data Block that contains service branch, aircraft type and other information.

Tail Numbers are an abbreviation of the Serial Number displayed on the vertical tail consisting of last digit of the year from the Serial Number, followed by the sequence number. For the aircraft at left, North American L-17C 47-1318m the tail number is 71318. Sequence numbers of less than 3 digits would be padded with leading zeros as this was typically used as the radio call sign, i.e. "Army 318, cleared to land."

 

 

 

"Buzz Codes" were often painted on aircraft to allow easy identification from a distance. The impetus of this was pilots making low passes, know as "buzzing", and the desire of civilians to complain about it and needing to identify the culprit. Koran War Era buzz codes consisted of a two-letter type identifier followed by the last 3 digits of the sequence number.  L-17A/C aircraft used the code LJ, L-17B aircraft used LD. The aircraft at left is a quandary; it's Ryan L-17B 48-943, yet displays the buzz code LJ-943!.  The buzz code was painted as large as possible on the fuselage and typically under the left wing.  For L-17s after the Korean War era, the buzz code for Army aircraft was usually shortened to an A- followed by the last three digits of the sequence number, for example: A-943.

 

For more information, see Joe Baugher's excellent web site:
 USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present

Verifying L-17 Serial Numbers
Verifying serial numbers requires matching a manufacturer's serial number with the corresponding military serial number. Sources for this can be difficult, as often the military data plate is missing as well as all other information such as logbooks, etc.  This is particularly difficult for the L-17 as it was produced in both military and civilian versions with very few difference between them.

Registry
The registry consists of all existing L-17 aircraft using information from FAA and international aircraft registries. If you would like to update or delete your information please email the webmaster. A complete list of all L-17s by military serial number is available for download in the L-17 Registry Database.

Photo Type Mfgr. S/N Military
Ser. No.		 Civil Reg. Owner Location Status/Notes
  L-17A NAV-4-861 47-1297 N3178G Goetz Brandt  San Jose, CA Registered
  L-17A
L-17C 		 NAV-4-862 47-1298  N2778A Jerry Feather Grand Junction, CO  Registered
  L-17A
L-17C 		 NAV-4-939   47-1310  N673BG Diane Pierce  Hemet, CA   Registered 
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-943 47-1312  N6724C Burton Ottow  Milwaukee, WI   Registered 
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-948 47-1315  N5208N Lee Rice  Caldwell, ID   Registered 
    NAV-4-953   N7612B United States Army Ft. Sheridan, IL Registered
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-960  47-1322  N9117R Samuel Storms PFlugerville, TX Registered 
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-967  47-1326 N1160V Robert Blythe  Lakeland, TN   Registered 
  L-17A NAV-4-978 47-1329   Travis Ward Klamath Falls, OR Registered
Under Restoration
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-981   N333V United States Army Arlington, VA Registered
  L-17A NAV-4-985 47-1333 N8985H Felipe Irigoyen
Estrella Warbird Museum		 Holtville, CA Registered
Under restoration
  L-17A
L-17C		 NAV-4-1015  47-1339  N555S Dale Broze Larado, TX Registered 
  L-17A
QL-17		 NAV-4-1050 47-1344   U.S. Army Aviation Museum Ft. Rucker, AL In storage
  L-17A NAV-4-1059 47-1347   U.S. Air Force Museum Dayton, OH Display
Marked as Ryan L-17B 48-928
  L-17A
QL-17		 NAV-4-1063 47-1351 N9646C Timothy Smith Livermore, CA Registered
  L-17A NAV-4-1064 47-1352 N9190R David Fraser Lee, MA Registered
  L-17A NAV-4-1070 47-1358 N2968C Neil Hammond Manhattan, KS Registered
  L-17A NAV-4-1078 47-1365 N10552 JED Homes Inc Lisbon, CT Registered
  L-17A NAV-4-1092   N2771A United States Army Department Fort Mccellan, AL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1628 48-922 N4179A W. Thornberry McCordsville, IN Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1630 48-924   Norbert Dybows Hamburg, NY Previously registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1631 48-925 N999S William Raulers Titusville, FL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1635 48-929 N2341 William Gould Belleville, IL Registered
L-17B  NAV-4-1638 48-932 N236CS Charles Baughn Hershey, PA Registered
Korean War service validated by photograph
  L-17B  NAV-4-1639 48-933 N842JW John Wells Lake City, FL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1644 48-938 N4903E Gary Hall Fayetteville, GA Registered.
N4903E landed in the trees in Georgia on 5-14-00 after a fuel pump failure at 1400'. No one was killed. NTSB number MIA00LA157.
  L-17B  NAV-4-1646 48-940 N4971E Sale Reported Galt, CA Registered
L-17B  NAV-4-1650 48-944 N8068E Glenn Murphy Camptown, PA Flying
Korean War service validated by photograph (one of many)

Served with the 3rd Infantry Division. Unit identification by Del Coker
  L-17B  NAV-4-1653 48-947 N4294C Daniel Sauter San Bruno, CA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1654 48-948 N5042K James Downard Bremen, OH Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1657 48-951   Wendell Fender Stockton, CA Previously registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1661 48-955 N999L Joseph Robinson Pocahontas, AR Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1664 48-958 N9509Z JED Homes Inc. Lisbon, CT Registered
L-17B  NAV-4-1668 48-962 N1017B Sale Reported Clayton, GA Registered
Korean War service validated by photograph
  L-17B  NAV-4-1672 48-966 N5594A Mark LaRue Leander, TX Flying
    NAV-4-1673   N5041K David Heath Winona, MS Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1675 48-969 N6489D Roy Thomas Bessemer, AL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1679 48-973 N1017B Sale Reported Oklahoma City, OK Painted in civilian colors and located at Tarrant County Jr. College in Ft. Worth, Texas. It is used in the A&P class on rigging.
  L-17B  NAV-4-1680 48-974 N7733C Ron Paliughi
Ron's Blog		 Fresno, CA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1685 48-979 N9064R John Rayburn Baytown, TX Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1688 48-982 N7727C Howard Bohl Temecula, Ca. Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1690 48-984 N10327 Thomas Luberda Lansing, IL Registered
Destroyed in windstorm, 2004
  L-17B  NAV-4-1695 48-989 N5040K Delvin Fruit Miami Beach, FL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1696 48-990 N4913E Sale Reported Wilson, NY Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1699 48-993 N7735C Burt Barr Nikiski, AK Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1702 48-996 N6589D Tim Smith Topeka, KS Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1703 48-997 N8664E J Duff Denver, CO Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1705 48-999       Previously registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1707 48-1001 N7748C Registration Pending Haleiwa, HI Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1713 48-1007 N77BH Bill Lattimer Monroe, WA Flying
Under Restoration
  L-17B  NAV-4-1714 48-1008 N4929E Joseph Davidson Kansas City, MO Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1715 48-1010 N3366G Joe Chadwell Tullahoma, TN Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1717 48-1011 N8222E William Martin Nashville, TN Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1721 48-1015 N805Z Robert Fitzgerald Lacey, WA Flying; military colors!
  L-17B  NAV-4-1727 48-1021 N2995C American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum Midland, TX Registered
L-17B  NAV-4-1736 48-1030 N4238A Thomas Gordon Loveland, CO Registered
Korean War service validated with Readiness Report and unit identification by Del Coker

Served with the 1st Cavalry Division

 
  L-17B  NAV-4-1737 48-1031 N7728C John McConnell Carmichael, CA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1739 48-1033 N4780C Fairbanks North Star Borough School Fairbanks, AK Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1748 48-1042 N5426V Robert McGuffey Kennewick, WA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1752 48-1046 N555U Department of the US Army Cascade, MD In storage at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum
  L-17B  NAV-4-1760 48-1054 N4986N U.S. Army Ft. Monmouth, NJ Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1766 48-1060 N10133 Mark Cyrier Hurst, TX Flying
  L-17B  NAV-4-1768 48-1062 N6850C Air Service Caravan Co Inc. New Bedford, MA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1771 48-1065       Previously registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1773 48-1067 N8RC Terry Stonitsch Petone, IL Flying, Civilian colors
  L-17B  NAV-4-1774 48-1068 N715CT Registration Pending Hudson, FL Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1775 48-1069 N1069P Sofia Byrne Manchester, NH Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1781 48-1075   Bruce Balough
MAPS Air Museum		 Canton, OH Previously registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1783 48-1077 N7803B Dan Metz Louisville, KY Flying
  L-17B  NAV-4-1784 48-1078 N4951C Johannes Verhoel Concord, CA Registered
  L-17B  NAV-4-1787 49-1965 N20000 Wade Finley Lonoke, AR Registered