The CAF Joe Foss Squadron flies a Stinson L-5B which served as an artillery spotter for the 71st Infantry Division in Europe during World War II.

The Squadron keeps the amazing life story of Joe Foss alive in the Sioux Falls area, at the airport named for Foss.

Additionally we have captured oral histories of several other local veterans.   We also remind people of the huge Sioux Falls Airbase that trained half of the aircraft radio operators that served in the European Theater of Operations.

The Squadron has no public facility to tell the stories of our local Greatest Generation, we use our L5 to begin our conversations with our visitors.  

This aircraft is 76 years old.  She requires a total restoration.  Please note the details below:

Airframe:
Aircraft last recovered/restored Aug 1973. Restoration is 48 years old.
Fuselage requires complete disassembly, sandblast, inspect all steel structure, repair/replace as necessary. Overhaul landing gear shock assemblies, Replace all fuselage stringers. Replace/upgrade brake master cylinders for effectiveness and conversion from DOT3 fluid to 5606 fluid. Replace control cables, pulleys, and all hardware. Replace electrical wiring as required.
Wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers: Remove existing fabric, open wood structure as required for cleaning, inspection, and repair/replacement of wood structure.
Control surfaces: ailerons, flaps, elevators, and rudder, remove existing fabric. Clean inspect repair structure as required.
Cover entire airframe paint/detail and reassemble aircraft.

Engine:
Engine Lycoming O-435C was last overhauled May 1978. Engine has 1522 hours and 43 years SMOH. Lycoming lists 1200-hour TBO for the O-435 series. All cylinders have been overhauled since the last major.
Engine will require a major overhaul in the not-too-distant future. Parts are difficult to obtain but we have several cores to work with.
Costs:
The following are for sending the aircraft and engine to an outside restoration/overhaul facility. Estimates are very difficult to make until everything is fully open for inspection. Consequently, we have a wide window of estimated cost. Estimate airframe costs range from $40,000 to $80,000. Engine overhaul cost to be 30,000-$45,00. This results in a total between $70,000 to $125,000 to complete a full restoration of airframe and engine.

Please help us keep our historic aircraft telling these important stories to future generations.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!