The L-15 Scout was the last Boeing aircraft in the single-engine or small-aircraft market. The all-metal, light aircraft for ground observation was neither a bomber nor a four-engine aircraft, but its development was typical of the Boeing effort to diversify after World War II.
Boeing Wichita (Kan.) designed the L-15 for maximum visibility and good flight control at extremely low speeds. Intended for use by ground forces, it was easily dismantled and transported on an Army truck or in a C-97 transport.
The L-15 usually used conventional landing gear but twin floats could be installed for water landings and takeoffs. An outstanding aerodynamic feature was its use of flaperons, which were separated from the the basic wing structure and could be used as either wing flaps or ailerons.
Twelve L-15s were built between 1947 and 1949 but did not lead to any contracts.
| First flight: | July 13, 1947 |
|---|---|
| Model number: | 451 |
| Classification: | Liaison-observation aircraft |
| Span: | 40 feet |
| Length: | 25 feet |
| Gross weight: | 2,050 pounds |
| Top speed: | 112 mph |
| Ceiling: | 16,400 feet |
| Power: | One 125-hp Lycoming 0-290-7 engine |
| Accommodation: | 2 crew |