Reconnaissance P-38's ...

[Mark Allen M]

The (F) types ... according to Wiki, Sources, Fold3 archives, SDASM archives, my own stuff.

F-4 100+ reconnaissance aircraft based on P-38E
F-4A 20 reconnaissance aircraft based on P-38F
F-5A 180 reconnaissance aircraft based on P-38G
F-5B 200 reconnaissance aircraft based on P-38J
F-5C 123 based on P-38H
F-5E 605 P-38J/L conversion
F-5F - reconnaissance aircraft based on P-38L

Part 1


25th PRS F-5D Nadzab New Guinea


Lockheed F-4 being prepared in a hangar in c 1942


Lockheed F-5 lighting "Stinky"


F-5A 42-13301 "Stinky 2" of B Flight, 9th Photo Recon Sq


A Lockheed P-38 Of The 90Th Photographic Reconnaissance Wing Parked In A Revetment At An Air Base Somewhere In North Africa


F-5B 42-67375 "Miss Virginia" E of B Flight, 9th Photo Recon Sq


F-5B 42-68226 "Junior" of the 28th Photo Recon Squadron taxies out for takeoff from Yontan airstrip, Okinawa, 10 July 1945


North Africa-Lockheed F-5 taking off on a photo reconnaissance mission


The Lockheed L-5 Lightning 'Rose Marie''Timber' Of The 90Th Photo Reconn Wing, At An Air Base Somewhere In Italy


8th PRS F-4 37 "Hellsapoppin Hepcat" at 14 Mile strip


Eager Beaver II F-4 8th PRS 14 Mile airstrip Port Moresby


8th PRS F-5-A-02 getting maintenance 14 Mile strip Port Moresby


F-5E 44-23271 Ruth of the 9th Photo Recon Squadron.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Fri May 09, 2014 2:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Part 2


F-5E 43-28600 of the 9th Photo Recon Squadron.


Two Pilots Of The 9Th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron Pose Beside A Lockheed F-5 At An Air Base Somewhere In India.


Lockheed F-5, Photographic Plane, Receives Repairs At Meeks Field, Iceland. 2Nd Service Group, 9 August 1943


F-5B "Missouri Outlaw" (serial unknown) of the 28th Photo Recon Squadron


Sgt. Thomas Bowen Of Memphis, Tn., Opening The Cowling Of The Lockheed F-5 "Snooper" In Which Large Reconnaissance Cameras Are Mounted


F-5ALightning of the 15th PRS 1944


8th PRS F-5A 02 Pilot Ben Armstrong 6th PRG CO


F-5 Lightning being inspected by British Members of Parliament


F-5A 42-13301 "Stinky 2" of B Flight, 9th Photo Recon Sq


F-5B 42-68272 "Lucky Lu" of the 28th Photo Recon Sq, Saipan


F-5B 42-68272 "Lucky Lu" of the 28th Photo Recon Sq, Saipan


F-5B 42-68272 "Lucky Lu" of the 28th Photo Recon Sq, Saipan


F-5B 42-68273 assigned to a Free French Air Force photo reconnaissance unit


F-5E 43-28608 of the 31st Photo Recon Sq, 10th PRG was lost on a low level reconnaissance run 22 January 1945


Frantic a Lockheed F-5

[Mark Allen M]

Part 3


Lt. T.B. O'Bannon Of Germantown, Penn., A Lockheed P-38 Reconnaissance Pilot Of The 7Th Photo Group, Stretches Out On The Wing Of His Plane Between Missions. Mount Farm, England


9th Photo Reconnaissance Squadrons F-5s. Snooky an F-5E-2-LO


Camera technician at work on camera in nose of Lockheed P-38. CORSICA. 7 August 1945


F-5B 42-67375 of the 9th photo Recon Squadron


Lockheed F-5 returned to its base in North Africa, from a photo reconnaissance mission

[Mark Allen M]

Part 4


Lockheed F-5 Lightning Taking Off From Lingayen Airstrip, Luzon Island, Philippine Islands, 17 May 1945. These Planes Operated Over Formosa


Lockheed F-4 Lightning flying along the coast of Queensland c 1943


North Africa-Lockheed F-5A photo reconnaissance plane on a mission over enemy territory in North Africa


North Africa-Lockheed F-5A photo reconnaissance plane on a mission over enemy territory in North Africa


North Africa-Lockheed F-5A photo reconnaissance plane on a mission over enemy territory in North Africa


North Africa-Lockheed F-5A photo reconnaissance plane on a mission over enemy territory in North Africa


F-5 and Mt Fuji c 1946


F-5 and Mt Fuji c 1946


Lockheed F-5 Lighting


20 July 1944 An F-5B of the 28th Photo Recon Squadron lands at Saipan

[Warbird Kid]

Awesome shots! Thanks for posting! Im still looking for any shots of armed F-5s. Maybe with a couple of 50's still installed in the nose to give the pilot some bite in case he got into trouble?

[Mark Allen M]

Part 5


F-5Bs of the 28th Photo Recon Squadron on Kwajalein, July 1944.


F-5Es of the 3rd Photo Recon Group at Florence, Italy. the Group was based here 17 January to 26 August 1945


F-5Es of the 8th Photo Recon Sq on Motabu airstrip, Okinawa


8th PRS F-4's at 14 Mile Strip Port Moresby


F-5's Chofu c 1946


F-5A serial 42-12981 of the 7th PRG at Mount Farm (AAF-234). On 8 June 1944 this aircraft was lost on a reconnaissance mission

[Mark Allen M]

Awesome shots! Thanks for posting! Im still looking for any shots of armed F-5s. Maybe with a couple of 50's still installed in the nose to give the pilot some bite in case he got into trouble?

I don't think you'll find any of those. As I see it in some of the posted photos, there looked to be no room for weapons.

[Mark Allen M]

Part 6


Lockheed F-5A flashes past enemy installations at 300 ft., on pre-landing Recce flight near Anzio, Italy

And a few used for aerial surveying, racing, etc.


Lockheed F-5G 44-53045 NX21765 No 63


Lockheed P-38L 44-27026 NX70005


Lockheed F-5G No 25 Reynolds Little Bomb Shell


Lockheed P-38 43-50281 17th in 1946 at 261 MPH average No 82 NX33698


Lockheed P-38L 44-27231 N79123 Palwalki IL


Lockheed P-38 N68394 Race No 25 (Looks a bit like an F7F)


Lockheed P-38 N68394 Race No 25 (Looks a bit like an F7F)

Guess that should do it ... other than to play a few tunes ...


8th photo recon Squadron F-5B Miss Carol I (serial unknown) as a backdrop for their performance

[Snake45]

Very cool pics, but no 8AF or 9AF F-5s?

[51fixer]

F-5B 42-67375 of the 9th photo Recon Squadron

Interesting to see what looks like an Oil Cooler from a T-6 used as what appears to be a heater. Probably used coolant from one of the engines.
I remember the cockpit was heated by small coolant lines running along the floor.
Mark, If you find any stateside training pics look for 43-67543 IIRC. This was one I worked on way back. It was an early P-38J that was converted to a F-4 in TX and served training in OK and TX. Lefty ended up with it stored at his base in TX until Stephen Grey purchased it.

[Chris Brame]

Part 6

Lockheed P-38L 44-27231 N79123 Palwaukee Airport, Wheeling IL

Probably taken when Earl Reinert's brother Ray owned it; Earl had a photo of himself in the cockpit taken when he was a skinny 17-year-old - wish I had a copy.

[Mark Allen M]

I suppose these "Droop Snoots" fit in to this thread a bit.


Radar Equipped Lockheed P-38 Lightning Reconnaissance Plane Takes Off, Its 'Droop Snoot' Nose Crammed Into Special Electronic Devices


P-38J Droop Snoot assignment to the 401st Ftr Sq, 370th FG.


P-38 converted to bomb aiming with a Norden Bomb sight and a plexiglass nose


Ground crewman at a base in Belgium prepare to bomb-up a droop snoot P-38 Lightning


'Droop-Snoot' P-38J 43-28352 Lady Lou


Droop Snoot P-38J assigned at one time to the 55th Ftr Sq, 20th FG (coded KI-C underscored) now carried the prop spinner colors of the 402nd Ftr Sq, 370th FG.


44-23401 maybe (Lockheed P-38J-20-LO Lightning)


30 September 1944 Personnel of the 327th Service Squadron pose in front of a Droop Snoot P-38J assigned to the 430th Ftr Sq, 474th FG at Peronne airstrip (A-72), France.

[Flat 12x2]

Very cool pics, but no 8AF or 9AF F-5s?

There were a couple snuck in there, the 7th Photographic Group at RAF Mount Farm, Station 234
some more



7th PG. 22nd PS. U.S.A.A.F. P38/F5 42-67378 1st. Lt. Blickensderfer
Date: 19th January 1944
Unit: 22nd Squadron, 7th Photographic Group
Serial: 42-67378
Pilot: 1st. Lt. Wendell W. Blickensderfer 02044634. U.S.A.A.F. Killed
Took-off from Honiton airfield on ferry flight to base, Mount Farm, Oxfordshire. (Station No.234) Aircraft crashed in bad weather into Depot/ signal box at West Wycombe Station, reason unknown.

[Flat 12x2]

F-5E 2-LO Lightning, 43-28333, 333, “Lanakila”, 27th PRS, 7th PRG, 8th AF, Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, 1944

[Flat 12x2]

Initial 7th PRG C.O. Major James Hall briefing pilots. Lt. Walter Dale Shade is the person obscuring the right fin/rudder of the F-5. Pilot on the far right front, sideways on with hands in pockets, is Lt. Arthur Waldron who was killed 5 February 1944 on a test flight in 42-67326




Force landed in Switzerland
43-28616, F-5E-2. 7 PG, 13th PS, USAAF.