Flying P-38's?

I was at Kissimmee and Fantasy of Flight about a year and a half ago, and would be surprised if any one of those two P-38s is close to flying now.

The FOF example has had its booms cut off just behind the wing at some point which means very major repairs, and the Kissimmee example couldn’t even be recognised as one when I saw it!

Edited to add images:

Kermit Weeks’ example:

Kissimmee example:

Both photos taken early 2002.

Originally posted by Scooter
Fantacy of Flight is Orlando Florida was restoring one last I heard……I believe they found it in South America a few years back.

This would be the Kermit Weeks aircraft listed in the post of HAWKERSFINEST above.

Fantacy of Flight is Orlando Florida was restoring one last I heard……I believe they found it in South America a few years back.

A discussion on one of the air race forums suggests that the McGuire P-38 is no where near flyable. Apparently the damage from its gear retraction on the ground while owned by Levitz has yet to be repaired and includes spar damage as well as a bent boom. I thought the photo below, taken from the Museum’s web site, was taken after McGuire purchased the aircraft but apparently not.

I have had a quick count up and reckon there is approx 10 P38s that could fly at the present or ” with a bit of work on them “

P38L John Mcguire
P38L Jack Erickson
P38L Lone Star
P38J Planes of Fame
P38F Glacier Girl
P38L CAF
P38L (F5G) Yankee Air Corps
P38L (M) Ex Doug Champlin
P38L Evergreen
P38L Paul Allen/????

There a few in the world with spares permitting that could well fly one day including.
Kermitt Weeks
Lefty Gardner
Tom Reilly/KISSAMEE
Paul Allen (EX PNG ACES a/c 22 kills ?)
Early model in oz (was for sale)
Plus others that have recently come out of PNG,some of the photos i have seen suggest a lot of work but well capable.

I’m not quite sure what the status of the MoF machine is at the moment.Although the CAF issued a press release stating that they had purchased the aircraft,it seems that part of the deal involved the P82 Twin Mustang project and the remains of Scatterbrain Kid.The problem here is that the USAFM apparently own the P-82,meaning that the CAF were in no position to exchange/sell it!The legal wrangles and discussions are going on at the moment so I think the P38 may still be MoF property.

Flying P-38’s

Jon Maguire’s machine is supposed to be airworthy…although it probably won’t be flown any time soon. The same can be said for Yanks Airmuseum’s -38. The MoF machine was traded/sold to the CAF in exchange for the P-82…don’t know the details. The remains of Scatterbrain Kid are out there as well for possible rebuild…again not sure of the details.

Jim

Although no longer flown I think the ex-Champlin now MoF P-38M could be listed as airworthy. Let’s hope MoF do the right thing and put her back into nightfighter configuration. (fat chance I suppose)

Hi Mark,
This month’s Flypast concentrates on the P38 and includes an article on Glacier Gal aswell as P38M nightfighters and a survivors listing.It’s well worth a look if you can get hold of a copy.
From that listing,it appears that only 4 are currently classed as airworthy-Glacier Gal,Porky II (Ex-Joltin’ Josie),Tangerine and Putt Putt Maru.One or two others are kept in as good as airworthy condition and one is rumoured to be joining The Fighter Collection here in the UK this year,although how much truth there is to this who can say.