US Army de Havilland L-20A Beaver

The de Havilland Canada L-20A (DHC-2) “Beaver” is a single-engine high-wing propeller-driven short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft developed and manufactured by de Havilland Canada.  The Beaver has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used for a wide variety of utility roles, such as cargo and passenger hauling, crop dusting and as a utility transport aircraft for the US Army.  The Army version was later redesignated U-6A in 1962.

This DL-20A Beaver aircraft number 0-16539 was assigned to support the New Mexico Army National Guard in 1960.  It had a variety of uses from medical to search and rescue. This type of aircraft was also used by Sandia Corporation in 1974 for special weapons tests. One of the US Army Beavers is shown parked at the Albuquerque Airport.