7BCM/L-16A Serial Numbers

[williamc]

I have compiled a list of 174 7BCMs still registered with the FAA. I have determined that not all 7BCMs were sold to the military and designated L-16As. I believe that there were 524 manufactured and 509 went to the military. I know that 7BCM-417 and 7BCM-420 went directly to the civilian market. If you know of other 7BCMs that are not L-16As please let me know. If you know both serial numbers for your plane I would like to add them to my list. If you are looking for a 7BCM s/n or a military s/n I may be able to help you.

Bill, Carolina Champ Pilot

[joea]

Thanks Bill!

[Lostdutchman]

N2502B 47-1170 7BCM395 I have copies of the original paperwork from the airforce listing the duty station for my aircraft. I also received a copy of the emblem from the training wing my plane was used in. If I can figure out how to post them on here I will try to get them up.

[williamc]

Thanks Jason, I now have 7BCM and military s/ns for 27 L-16As. I have five more guys looking up their numbers. At this point I estimate that that there are probably at least 75 L-16As still flying. The remainder of the 174 registered are either distroyed, civilian or L-16As in some state of disrepair.
Bill

[drjeff]

I am currently restoring N75369, LH-965, a 1947 Aeronca L-16A. If the wife would let me.........I'd be flying before the end of Summer!

[williamc]

Thanks Jeff, My research indicates your Aeronca serial number should be 7BCM-180. Can you confirm that number by any of your records or the FAA CD. Thanks.
Bill

[drjeff]

will check today.

[drjeff]

Bill,
I pulled my records from Maxwell AFB and find the following:
A.A.F. serial number: 47-965
contract number: AC-17620
project or lend lease requistion number NGDL5161
available 09-29-47
accepted 09-29-47
delivered 09-29-47

I also looked thru the FAA's CD and do not see anything other than 7BCM.
what did the 180 stand for??

There is a gentleman that lives about an hour north of me that has an L-16 that is only one or two sn's off from mine. He currently has his in civilian attire. As soon as mine is flying, I plan to park them next to each other for a reunion. They had to be on the same line together back in '47

[MikeB]

Jeff,
I'm thinking the 180 must be the applied serial number (7BCM-180). For example: mine is 7BCM-405.

Mike Berg

[williamc]

Jeff,
The 7BCM-180 is the serial number assigned by Aeronca Aircraft Corporation when the plane was built. The s/n 47-965 was added after the military took delivery. Some L-16As are registered with their military s/n and some with their Aeronca s/n. I have no idea why but I suspect it was because there was inadaquate instructions when the military agencies disposed of the planes. I know there are definitely some nice L-16As, with good military history, registered with Aeronca s/ns and vice versa.
I know of two L-16As near your s/n. 47-962 is in North Carolina and 47-970 is in Missouri. It would also be nice to know the numbers of the L-16A that is north of you.
Have a great day, I hope you can find your number.
Bill

[MikeB]

I don't know how readable this index will be but it looks like my L16A and Jeff's were on the same contract number (AC-17620) and project number (NG DL 5161) even though they are a few months and numbers apart. I suspect it was a common contract number but for what I don't know. Either from Aeronca to the military or ?????. The rest is almost "Chinese" to me other than I can see it was assigned to the Milwaukee CAP and it appears the Chanute (Illinois, I assume) training center. Maybe they had control over it. I think the second column from the right are dates but the rest don't make a lot of sense. Maybe someone else can decifer it.

Mike Berg

[sburke]

I have N6404C 1947 L16A (7BCM-296) . This aircraft was sold to the Utah wing of the Civil Air Patrol in Salt Lake City, Utah for $1.00 by the US Air Force in Salt Lake on 30 March of 1956 with 167 hours on the aircraft according to my old logs, in 1963 it was still with the CAP but with over 2200 hours. I do not have the military serial number if there ever was one. The number on the 1956 bill of sale document is 789734. It looks like the aircraft had very little use from 1947 through 1956 while in the US Air Force inventory.

[Lostdutchman]

Its kind of hard to read but my airctaft was in the 3585th pilot training wing.

[williamc]

Jason, nice record and sqd patch picture. Probably will help others interpret their records. Here's an update on s/n search. There are only 169 7BCM's on FAA records. Of those 8 have had their registration revoked, 3 have their certification terminated and 5 are in question. I believe their are 15 civilian 7BCM's, I know the numbers of 2 so far. I have ordered the CD's of 2 suspects,will post results.
Bill

[sburke]

Bill,

Here is the answer that I received from Tom Lauria the Archivest from the USAF AETC AFHRA/RSA ;

According to our aircraft data cards, only aircraft #47-1076 and #47-1079 ever served with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in Utah. Both data cards are virtually the same, showing each aircraft going from the US Air Force to the National Guard. Both aircraft went to the CAP in 1952.

So we have narrowed the military serial number down to one of two.

Regards,
Sam N6404C 1947 L16A (7BCM-296) Ser No. 47-107(6 or 9)