Curtiss P-36A 38-139 SP2 'Old Texas' ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7879

Looks to be a stateside training P-36.
Any idea what training field was "SP"?
Almost looks like a plastic model.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7879

"SP" coded aircraft seemed to have been based at Spence AAF, GA

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2022 9:52 pm

WOW! Paging jdvoss! The Old Texas name is interesting as his Fuselage Codes site lists Eagle Pass, Texas as having used OD P-36s as well (but coded "EP"). Unfortunately Baugher has no details on 38-139.
Thanks for finding this one, Mark! :supz:

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2659

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src ... pr1942.htm
420420 P-36 38-139 62PS 56PG Bendix Field, NJ LACGC 3 Van Kleeck, Harold H USA NJ Bendix Airport, NJ

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src ... un1942.htm
420629 P-36A 38-139 75ABSq Spence Field, Moultrie, GA LAC 3 Reed, Robert W. USA GA Spence Field, GA

hurricane_yank · **Joined:** Wed Apr 02, 2014 9:33 pm **Posts:** 450

I believe that is a model - no?

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7879

No model.

Dave Hadfield · **Joined:** Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:31 pm **Posts:** 1672

That would be such a great airshow airplane today.

Maneuverable, predictable, supportable (with either an 1820 or 1830), easy on gas, and almost unique. It has everything except top speed (which doesn't matter in an airshow environment) and a simple undercarriage (which you can learn to deal with).

After flying the P-40 for a few years, I'd love to fly the P-36.

Eric Brown sure liked it.

Paul Stroud · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2022 5:09 am

https://vintageaviationecho.com/display ... s-hawk-75/

A good article by Brian Smith on flying TFC's Hawk.

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:40 am

About 25 years ago, my father, who was aging out of the flying warbirds part of his life announced "Well, the warbirds movement is over." I disagreed at the time. Some phases are pretty much gone forever as I inventoried his sentiments. There are no longer any WW II or Korean War pilots flying warbirds or air racers, for example. Also, there are no more syndicates of owners commissioning shops to have a half dozen replicas constructed. It has been more than twenty years since some guys built the replica ME-262's, Fw-190s, Oscars,& F3Fs.
It would be great to see a limited run of the P-36, P-43 Lancer, Buffalo, and Heinkel 51. We could also use a couple of static or flying Kyushu J7W Shinden. The market could also easily absorb a dozen Mitsubishi Zeros, the russian rebuilt ones fetch a very high price. So, we have lost the entrepreneurial , creative side of the movement. The good news is there's another P-51D rolling out of the shops every week!

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2022 10:44 am

marine air wrote:

About 25 years ago, my father, who was aging out of the flying warbirds part of his life announced "Well, the warbirds movement is over." I disagreed at the time. Some phases are pretty much gone forever as I inventoried his sentiments. There are no longer any WW II or Korean War pilots flying warbirds or air racers, for example. Also, there are no more syndicates of owners commissioning shops to have a half dozen replicas constructed. It has been more than twenty years since some guys built the replica ME-262's, Fw-190s, Oscars,& F3Fs.
It would be great to see a limited run of the P-36, P-43 Lancer, Buffalo, and Heinkel 51. We could also use a couple of static or flying Kyushu J7W Shinden. The market could also easily absorb a dozen Mitsubishi Zeros, the russian rebuilt ones fetch a very high price. So, we have lost the entrepreneurial , creative side of the movement. The good news is there's another TF-51D rolling out of the shops every week!

jdvoss · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2022 2:21 pm

I initially agreed with Mark in that it was a nice plastic model. The background had been 'fogged out' and was not characteristic of an aircraft ramp i.e. other aircraft parked nearby, no evidence of tarmac usage, oil drip spots, tie down rings, parked support vehicles etc. All just too clean.

Zeroing on the aircraft propellor blades I note that they have the standard stenciled white painted nomenclature which is all too much fine detail for a plastic model. So in spite of the awkwardness of the photo I will give the photographer credit for photo authenticlty. Hopefully, I will run across another photo of this aircraft.

JDVoss
http://www.fuselagecodes.com

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Curtiss P-36A 38-139 SP2 'Old Texas' ...

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