Is Kent nice at this time of year?

Not an uncommon accident in a P-40. Pilot has to hand pump the gear after using the electrically driven hydraulic pump. Gear is only held down by hydraulic pressure, if pilot does not ensure the system is completely pressurised (using the hand pump) there may be insufficient pressure to hold the gear in position. Similar accident occurred with Mike Spaulding’s P-40 in Australia a couple of years ago. Either that or it is mechanical failure. Not sure why the controller feels compelled to call the local PD everytime there is an accident.

A forum, by it’s nature. Is not a place for secrets. Only last week moderator Bruce locked a thread because the poster knew information but was prevented from posting it. Because it was a secret. We all have secrets, most of us dont go on open forums and boast about them. So telling the forum that you have information about “The Pitt Spitfire” but are not allowed to share it …? It’s deserving of moderator comment. And Moggy, a moderator who is actually posting as a moderator.

Wondy, apparently the P-38H-5-LO 42-66841 “Scarlet Scourge” has been sighted being trucked around England. We are waiting for the Classic Jets Flying Museum in Adelaide, Australia to confirm this. It has been on display at their museum for some years now. The thread seems to have been hijacked when Daniel suggested that “We aint seen nothing yet” and Flakbait suggested that Daniel was referring to the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society(HARs) restoring three P-38s in Australia.Which has been reported previous.

So now you are up to date. I guess the question that most interests us, is whether 42-66841 has changed hands or is it being restored to flying condition in the UK(or both).

Peter,
That looks like the storage yard outside the Precision Aerospace Productions hangar at Wangarratta in Victoria. And, very difficult to confirm from this angle, but I’m guessing that is Rob Greinert’s P-38G-5-LO 42-12847 “DUMBO” which he recovered from the Terapo airstrip in Gulf Province PNG. Cant recall the Identity of Gerry Yagen’s P-38 project that was also at Wang, but he did have the empennage of P-38H-5-LO 42-66905″”Japanese Sandman II” ( the centre section is still at the Dobodura Air Base in Oro Province PNG). The P-38F-5-LO that HAR’s is doing for the PNG National Museum is 42-12647 “Dottie From Brooklyn”. Not sure what the identity of the third P-38 they have been advertising through Classic Wings will be, but they do have a significant spares holding.
The arrival of P-38H-5-LO 42-66841 in England took me by surprise. Will be interesting if it’s there for restoration or been sold. I would have thought the PNG Government would have attached some restrictive conditions to it’s export.
Great photo. Thanks.

Bruce,They no longer own that airframe.

Bruce alluding to a 2nd P-38 with the CJFM is referring to P-38H 42-66534. This aircraft went MIA on the 18th of January 1944 with Lt John Weldon. With the assistance of Capt Richard Leahy, I visited the Crashsite in the mid 1990s, I believe I was the first European to do so. It force landed intact and was burned by the pilot, who has never been located. CJFM recovered and exported the wreck back to Adelaide, it was advertised for sale through Courtesy Aircraft and was purchased by a Delaware registered company( the owner being a Mr Thomas). This restoration project consisted only of tail booms, empennage and outer wings. No centre section. This cannot be the P-38 sighted in the UK unless major advancements have been made since the purchase. And then it would have had to come from the USA, not Australia.