AAF/USAF P-38 Fini Flight

[Ken]

When was the last operational P-38 sortie flown by the Air Force? Was there any retirement fanfare, ceremony, or photos? Did it hang around long enough to be designated F-38?

On a tangent, besides the P-38 at UH Dulles (and Glacier Girl), are there any other time-capsule quality Lightnings out there in a museum?

[Steve Nelson]

Of course, Glacier Girl's sisters are still waiting under the ice in 100% original configuration. Not sure I'd count GG as a "time capsule." She's magnificent of course, and was restored to original specs, but nevertheless was completely rebuilt. I'd have to check the registry, but I think pretty much every P-38 still around has either been modified for civilian purposes at some point, or has been restored from wartime wrecks.

I looked over the U-H bird last summer..it was really cool to see a completely original WWII aircraft. I can't wait til they get Flak Bait assembled and on display (and away from grubby-handed tourists.)

SN

[mlenoch]

Have the left over (replaced) pieces of GGirl been saved? I hope they have not been disposed.
They would make great artifacts or display pieces on their own.
VL

[Steve Nelson]

When I visited GG's hanger in Middlesboro back in '95, they had some original skin panels and a vertical fin hanging on the wall. They also had the original instrument panel as a separate display. I've got some snapshots, but I'd have to dig them out and scan them.

SN

[mustangdriver]

I have a piece GG that I bought from them. At one time they were selling some of the original skin for funds for the museum.

[JimH]

I would say that the two airframes that were owned by Bruce Pruitt were fairly original before restoration. What is the history of the Planes of Fame machine? Other than being stripped of paint it looked fairly "surplused" back in the early 80's.

jim

[Jack Cook]

When was the last operational P-38 sortie flown by the Air Force?

Easy...1961 Capt Les Knapp USAF was assigned to fly P-38L s/n 44-53232
to the AF museum from Kelly AFB, TX. It was the last official flight of a AF P-38

[Ken]

Easy...

Interesting, but ... I had asked "operational", as in when they stood down the last unit and sent to airplanes to pasture. Did they have a Phantom Pharewell or Thud Out of sorts?

Good for Alex Trebeck, but the NMUSAF bird was a one-off sortie. (And that bird wears Royal Frey's markings, as we discussed off-line .... )

[The Inspector]

Did everyone go brain dead? What about the P-38 recovered in the Aleutians and currently looking very fine in the Museum @ Hill AFB in Utah?

[hang the expense]

49th fighter group in Korea around 49 or 50.?

[Jack Cook]

The P-38s were gone the the far east fighter groups by winter 46 mostly earlier.