U-6A Beaver

U-6A Beaver. . , Originally known as the L-20A, the Beaver was designed by DeHavilland (Canada) and began production in 1948. The aircraft was designed to operate in the rugged backcountry of Alaska and Canada and therefore had features suited to fulfill that role. The STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) capabilities of the aircraft made it ideal for areas where full length landing strips were not available.

In 1949, the Army started looking for a new utility aircraft to replace their Cessna's. It was the Beaver that won out to become the new plane in the Army's Inventory. The outbreak of the Korean War led to hundreds of aircraft being ordered. In 1962, the L-20A Beaver was renamed the U-6A Beaver.

The Beaver could fill a variety of roles to include transporting or dropping personnel, dropping supplies, laying wire, and reconnaissance. The U-6A would be part of the Army aircraft inventory from the Korean War through post Vietnam. DeHavilland discontinued production of the U-6A in 1967. At the end of its service, 1,657 of the aircraft had been produced with 900 of them going to the U.S. Army.

The U-6A Beaver on display was assigned to the 20th Transportation Company, 520th Transportation Battalion, 34th Support Group, which served in Vietnam from May 3, 1967 until March 15, 1971. The 34th General Support Group provided support to the 101st Airborne, Americal, 4th Infantry, 24th Infantry, and the 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) divisions. The U-6A Beaver was sent to Fort Eustis after its time in Vietnam. The Transportation School Aviation Support Branch would use it for training until 1970, when it was transferred it to the U.S. Army Transportation Museum.