Warbird Information Exchange

OK...NO LAUGHING

I came into possession of a print of a P-38 that I need some background info on.
The tail number is 423314 which the WRG page identifies as follows:

Serial #: 44-23314

Construction #:
4318
Civil Registration:
N29Q
N38BP
N138AM
Model(s):
P-38J
TP-38J
Name: Porky II
Status: Airworthy
Last info: 2003
History:
Hancock Field School of Aeronautics, Santa Monica, CA, Sept. 1945-1954.
- Instructional Airframe.
Jack P. Hardwick, El Monte CA, Apr. 1954-1959.
- Registered as N29Q.
- Open Storage, Lavern-Brackett Field, CA.
Ed Maloney/The Air Museum, Claremont (later Ontario then Chino), CA, Dec. 1959-1987.
- Airworthy, 1961.
- Static Display, 1962-1987.
Robert J. Pond, Spring Park, MN, 1987-1988.
- Restored to airworthy, Chino, CA, 1987-1988.
- First flight July 22, 1988.
- Flies as 423314/Joltin' Josie.
Robert Pond/Planes Of Fame East, Minneapolis-Flying Cloud, MN, 1988-1989.
- Registered as N38BP.
- Flies as 423314/Joltin' Josie.
Palm Springs Air Museum, Spring Park, MN (later Palm Springs, CA), Oct. 1989-1998.
Air Museum, Chino, CA, Sept. 18, 1998-2003.
- Registered as N138AM.
- Repainted as Porky II, 2003.

(Was repainted as 23 Skidoo in '06)

The print credits PoF so I can only assume the pilot is probably Steve Hinton.
Although the history of the a/c doesn't indicate that it saw any combat, it's marked with the white ring arouond the nose and the yellow spinners and nacelles of the 20th FG, 79th FS of WWII based at Kings Cliffe, England.
It has no other identifying markings. I understand that an owner can paint an a/c any way he wishes. Just thought this was a bit odd. (A paint scheme that only partially identifies it's squadron/group.)

I KNOW some of youse troops can clear this puzzlement up for me.

Ah 'preciates it.

Mudge the semi-confused

_________________
Land of the free because of the brave

I don't know the details, but I do know that the last 2 paint jobs (Porky II and Skidoo) were sponsored. I believe the people who sponsored the paint jobs also selected the scheme

Guess I didn't describe it well enough. This a/c is bare metal. The only paint is the white ring around the nose just behind the gun ports, the yellow spinners and nacelles, and invasion stripes.

Mudge the curious

_________________
Land of the free because of the brave

I'll see what I can turn up tonight, I have a book on the restoration of this airplane I haven't had a chance to read yet. The paint you describe is the Joltin' Josie scheme. I seem to remember(a dangerous thing) that it was named after the owner's wife.

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Dan Johnson

From what you describe it sounds as though the photo could be shot when the plane was being painted. I am not aware of N38BP having worn the white band around the nose, but it could easily have had it at one stage. Any PoF painter with insight on this?

T J

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Make my day, punk!

I could be all wrong on this but I seem to remember that the P-38 was bare metal and marked up as "Mama's Boy" for a brief time which is identical to what Mudge describes. This would be prior to receiving the overall silver "Joltin' Josie" scheme.

Mr. Mudge,

Here is some more (but interesting) info on this a/c's change of colors that I was unaware of.

Seems that after Joltin Josie it was painted for a brief time as Maj. J. T. Robbins second
of 4 P-38s. Robbins was 4th leading P-38 ace in the Pacific with 22 victories and later
became a Lt. General.

It was then changed to Porky II.

Pictures of a/c changing paint HERE
Scroll down to about middle of page to

Day 1 - 22 January 2003

Yes, below the cheerleaders???

Mudge, not sure this answers your question but interesting and adds more to a/c history.

Bill

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Bill


Website

I just had a quick look through "P-38 Lightning: Restoring a Classic American Warbird" by Jesse Alexander. There are some photos of 44-23314 on its first trip to Oshkosh in 1988 it is bare metal with invasion stripes, yellow cowlings/spinners, a white band around the nose and the Joltin' Josie nose art. Perhaps the photo Mudge has was taken when all the other markings were applied but before the nose art was added. According to the book, it was repainted overall silver in May of 1989.

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Dan Johnson

Interesting, I never knew of that short-lived scheme before 'Porky II'. I wonder how long it was in this sceme for, the reason for the change, and whether it ever flew in that scheme.

Same plane!

OK...mystery solved.I just found a shot of Joltin' Josie and my a/c is the same one but without the nose art.

Thanks for all the info. I knew I could count on youse troops.

Mudge the mollified

_________________
Land of the free because of the brave