Warbird Information Exchange

Bringing the subject out of another post, this is an issue that occasionally comes up on WIX... was P-38 44-53087 an F-5G or was it a civilian modification of a fighter nose?

Looking at this photo, maybe the answer is "both." The EAA website says it saw limited action as a fighter, then was sent back to be converted to a night fighter but the war ended before it could be sent back. They go on to say that Spartan Air Services put the bubble nose on. Further, this aircraft was owned for a while by my uncle, who told me it was not a military nose.

But it does look like an F-5G that had the tip of its nose replaced with a new bubble (since a photographer would now sit in the nose). Maybe this is the only modification that Spartan made? Maybe it was sent back from the war for photo recon conversion rather than night fighter?

I've never seen a photo of this nose in military service. Droop Snoots have a nose more like a Mosquito.

Any thoughts?

[img][img]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm284/BCalmes/44-53087nose.jpg[/img][/img]

http://museum.eaa.org/collection/aircraft/Lockheed%20P-38%20Lightning.asp#TopOfPage

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p38registry/p38-4453087.html

It started life as a P-38L-5-LO converted to P-38M. Spartan Air Services LTD bought it in 1951 and added the nose you see in that picture. After service with them it was bought by Hycon Aerial Surveys 1956. Then sold to Cartwright Aerial Surveys in 1958 which is what your picture shows.
So it was never a "G".

Mike

Thanks. Those keystone-shaped side windows are similar to the oblique camera ports on the F-5G, so I wondered.

a few years ago. I seem to remember taking pictures of a blue one when I was at DM years and years and years ago!

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P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S: Took hammer away from midget.

If I remember right that one went to France and was destroyed in a fire.

Mike

Nope, At EAA Museum in Marge markings.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p38regis ... 53087.html as per above post.
Rich

I think Mike was referring to the one at Pima in the '80s.

Bill

This one destroyed in that fire.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p38regis ... 53247.html
Rich

Thats the one I was talking about.

Mike