As part of my continuing research of the P-38, I have traveled to see several P-38s in person.   These pages contain close-up shots as I walked around and studied the planes.   My goal is to eventually see and photograph all remaing P-38s.  

I  believe this may be the largest collection of the up-close, walk-around photos of the P-38 on the net. 

Pages 1 - 3 : P-38L, EAA Museum in Oshkosh, WI.

Pages 4 - 7: P-38F*, Lost Squadron Museum in Middlesboro, KY

Pages 8-10: P-38J* and P-38L*, Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA

Page 11 : P-38L, Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA

Pages 12 -13: P-38L*, Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, OR

Pages 14-16: P38L, Evergreen Air Museum, McMinnville, OR

Pages XX-XX: new photos of "Glacier Girl: and "Ruff Stuff" coming soon

*In flying condition

EAA MUSEUM: "Marge"

The plane is actually a P-38L (probably -5-LO, since they were the most numerous and it has the fuel pump blisters found on the -5), despite being painted as the famous P-38J-15-LO flown by the Ace of Aces, Richard Bong.  In addition, it has a few other minor discrepancies relative to an actual war-time P-38L. Most -- if not all -- the irregularities suggest that the aircraft was once or (may still be) in flying condition:

Other than these minor items, the plane is in great condition and appears very authentic.  I was particularly pleased that the museum curators have the dive recovery flaps deployed and the Fowler flaps extended a little (MANEUVER setting, possibly?)   Both these features are worth highlighting, considering their effect on the performance of the airplane.

THE LOST SQUADRON MUSEUM: "Glacier Girl"

"Glacier Girl" is a P-38F-1-LO.  Recovered from Greenland in 1992, where it had been buried under 200 feet of snow and ice, this early-model Lightning has been perfectly restored to exactly how it looked and worked coming off the Lockheed line in 1942. 

On Oct 26, 2002, I witnessed its first flight in Middlesboro, KY and documented it in an on-line article.  The photos on these pages were taken several hours before the first flight while the aircraft was still in its hanger.  Even though the restoration crew was making last-minute preparations to the craft, they were gracious to allow visitors to roam about and take close-up photos of this historic plane.

On July 23, 2003 I returned to Middlesboro for more photos. Bob Cardin, the restoration project manager, graciously gave me free reign around the plane, and took many detailed photos of the cockpit for me with my camera (guests are not allowed on the plane). 

You will notice a few differences between the Oct 2002 and July 2003 photos.  In particular,  the signage is now complete.  For example, compare the undersides of the wings and note all the part labels  in the July 2003 photos.

Incidentally, I am showing only medium resolution slightly-compressed JPG images.   I am keeping the high-res originals for my own purposes.  Plus, only a select few of the cockpit photos are presented here.  I am saving the best for my own purposes.

PLANES OF FAME: PORKY II & unnamed P-38L

On Dec 23, 2003, while visiting Southern California with my family over the holdiays, I snuck away for a half day to see Porky II at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA.  To my delight, there was another P-38 there too!  Both planes were quite accessible, allowing me to take some great photos of the empennage and other spots I had wanted to study closer than on the other P-38 trips.  I was very impressed with the "openness" of museum.  I could tell the curators really wanted their visitors to experience the planes as much as possible.  Both planes are in flyinf condition, making this a real treat!

Porky II was being worked on and I had a nice opportunity to see some of the innards of the P-38 engine compartments.  (I was very happy that the mechanic didn't seem to mind me taking so many pictures and being so close to the plane.)  Also, Porky II had its external tanks mounted.  The second P-38 (an unnamed P-38L-5, N79123) was outside and appeared like it had just been flown.  A cloth covered the canopy, as the weather was a bit rainy.   Even so, to be able to walk inhibited around a P-38, as if it were just some typical GA aircraft at you local airport, was quite a thrill!

I noted a few minor discrepancies in these two planes, relative to actual wartime P38s.   Porky II, a P-38J (the real Porky II was an H) had authentic-looking guns but did not have shell ejector chutes.  The P-38L-5 was missing its outboard fuel pump blisters and its dive recovery flaps, and its 'guns' appear to be simple rods or cylinders, giving the appearance of guns from a distance.  Minor discrepancies such as these are easily understood when one considers these are airworthy aircraft. 

MUSEUM OF FLIGHT: "Lizzie V"

The new "Personal Courage" wing of the Museum of Flight (at Boeing Field) has this P-38L-5 up on stands, as if in flight.  This provides a rare opportunity to closely study a P-38 with gear up.  However, the lighting conditions -- while dramatc to the museum patron -- make photography very difficult.  I much prefer the natural lightning in the main wing of the museum. 

This Lightning is dressed as "Lizzie V," a P-38L-5 flown by Capt. John Purdy of the 433rd FS/475th FG in the South Pacific.  Unfortunately, because the lighting, it is difficult to get a good sense of the light blue markings on the natural metal skin, or to photograph the entire plane without trouble.  Even so, I was delighted to see the Fowler flaps partially deployed -- more so than any other museum P-38 I've seen close up.  As a result, many of the photos are of the flaps.  The addition of a mannequin pilot allowed one to get a sense of scale. 

There were a few minor descrepencies with this restored plane relative to a wartime P-38L.  For instance, the guns appeared to be simple machined metal rods or cylinders and there were no shell ejector chutes.  A small fin of sorts protuded from the underside of the nose, where a long antenna would normally be.  It was also missing its external stores pylons.   Also, I noted a signage error: the plane was marked as a P-38L-10-LO -- there was no '10' production block. 

Tillamook Air Museum: "Tangerine"

In the quiet town of Tillamook, OR -- a town famous for its cheese -- tucked away in a huge, former WWII Navy dirigible hanger, sits one of the last P-38s in flying condition, "Tangerine."  The original "Tangerine" was a P-38F and was flown in the MTO by Lt Ervin Ethell, father of the late waribird aviator & historian Jeffrey Ethell. (This plane is featured in one of Jeff Ethell's videos, which was made not long before he was tragically killed flying another of Tillmook Air Museum's P-38s.)  This "Tangerine" is a P-38L-5. 

Access to this plane was limited to its front and left side, due to a Corsair parked next to it, and the tent wall behind it.  (All the WWII warbirds were contained in a tent within the hanger.)  No step ladders or second story vantage points were availble.  Lighting was pretty good, albeit artificial.  However, it was raining hard the day I visited and very humid inside the hanger.  As a result, I had some difficulty with condensation on my lense.

It's a little unusual to see a late-model P-38 -- a P-38L-5 -- in olive drab paint, though understandable considering its namesake.  Other than missing shell ejector chutes, I found very few other descrepencies with this plane, as compared to a typical wartime P-38L-5.  I was particulaly pleased to see the drop tanks, and took care to photograph them well.

Evergreen Air Museum: "83"

A few hours after visiting the Tillamook Air Museum I arrived at the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville, OR, the new home of the famous "Spruce Goose" -- the world's largest aircraft.  It also has a very nice P-38L-5 on display.  The lighting in the museum is natural and by the time I arrived the weather had cleared up, making it ideal for photography.  Access to the plane was available from all sides except the rear, and bounded by a rope.  There was no second story vantage.

This P-38L-5 is dressed for the PTO, showing off 24 kills.  I am unable to identify exactly whose plane this was made to represent.  Perhaps it might be representing Gerald Johnson's, who did fly a P-38 with "83" on its nose and who did achieve 24 kills during WWII (20 in P-38s).  I was particularly pleased to see the oil cooler exhaust vents on the engine nacelles open, something I hadn't seen on the other planes.   A registration number on the tail seemed to suggest that the plane was once in flying condition -- perhaps it still is. 

Minor descrepencies: left pylon does not have gun camera housing, no shell ejector chutes, possibly a little more "shine" on the alimunum skin that what one would have seen on a wartime P-38L. 

THE PHOTOS 

I offer these photos for any and all P-38 enthusiasts, model builders, "warbird" fans, etc.  Enjoy!

Click below to begin.

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