South American P-38/F-5 question

[jamesintucson]

I'm trying to ID the nose section pictured below. It is supposed to have come off a F-5 but it doesn't look like any F-5 nose I've ever seen with the possible exception of XF-5D. Can anybody confirm its from an F-5 or ID the logo painted on the side?













Thanks,
James

[Mike Bates]

That is the Hycon Photo Nose. Developed by Hycon Aerial Surveys.
Will have to look and see how many may have recieved this conversion.

Mike


Image is out of Jeff Ethell's book P-38 Lightning in WWII Color.

[Dan Johnson II]

All the information I'm posting is from Michael O'Leary's book "Thunderbolt and Lightning. Hope I don't ruffle any feathers by posting the photo from the book

It appears that's the nose that was on F5G-6-LO 44-53015 registered as N9957F and operated by Hycon Aerial Surveys. It bounced around a number of places and Dennis Erickson bought it and had the nose removed and replaced it with an F5 nose. Dave Tallichet later purchased it and had a fighter nose put on. It eventually ended up on a pole at McGuire AFB.

The nose was apparently removed in Minneapolis. Where did it turn up?

Image from the book. it was later painted silver btw. You can see the markings and the blue in the photos you posted.

[Mike Bates]

P-38L-5-LO 44-26761 (Converted to F-5G) had that nose and was operating in Paraguay and was damaged and abandoned in 1965. Later recovered by Bob Diemert in 1974 the purchased by Kermit Weeks in 1981.

Any info as to where and when those photo's are from?

Mike

[hang the expense]

That nose section was in the MARC backyard when I worked for David around 90 and 91. There were tons of goodies back there as well.

[jamesintucson]

Thanks everyone. I was sure someone would know. Looks like it was everybody but me.

The photos were taken Monday morning at Pima. MARC is letting us use the nose in an exhibit on aerial reconnaissance. They just said it was an F-5 nose so it was a little disconcerting when something different from what I was expecting showed up over the weekend. Now I'll have an idea what to put on the artifact label.

Thanks again for all the help.

James Stemm
Assistant Curator
Pima Air & Space Museum

[Tulio]

The emblen reads:

"Servicio Geodesico Interamericano." This means, Inter-American Geodesical Service / Survey.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. through the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army and Air Force (IIRC) provided aerial mapping services to several nations in South America, to cover the gaps in maps that existed of the region.

Now, this is pure speculation, and by the use of the logo on this photo Lighting, is there the possibility that the airplane was contracted for mapping work by the U.S.? It would seem to be so.

When I was learning to fly back in the early 80s, there were aerial charts of Central America for example, where areas over Nicaragua, showed the legend "relief data incomplete" still showing.

From my childhood in Guatemala, I recall seeing De Havilland Beaver (U.S. Army) in high visibility markings of white and bright orange, with the same Servicio Geodesico Interamericano emblem.

I have in my collection, a photo of a Hiller helicopter (Raven?) underslung a Guatemalan AF's UH-1H, and on the Hiller's boom, the Servicio Geodesico's titles also appear.


I would like to respectfully ask for permission to copy and post these photos in our web page (www.laahs.com) and see if we come up with more answers.

Could you please, provide:

1. Your permission for me to copy and post the photos?

2. The name of the photographer, and the location and date, if available?

Thank you!


Tulio

[Curtis Block]

So I'm looking at these photos and it appears to me that there is a separate instrument panel in the nose of this modification? Correct me if that's wrong.

[Tulio]

If you look at the blue Lightning's photo, there are several flags from Latin American countries, amongst which I recognize those of Panama, Guatemala and Peru.

Saludos,


Tulio

[Mike Bates]

From what I have read there were atleast 3 planes modified with that nose by Hycon. Will have to do some more reading and see what else I can find.

Mike

[HELLDIVERS]

Hi This P-38 was owned and flown by Wally Erickson of Minnesota not Dennis Erickson

[jamesintucson]

The emblen reads:

"Servicio Geodesico Interamericano." This means, Inter-American Geodesical Service / Survey.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. through the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army and Air Force (IIRC) provided aerial mapping services to several nations in South America, to cover the gaps in maps that existed of the region.

Now, this is pure speculation, and by the use of the logo on this photo Lighting, is there the possibility that the airplane was contracted for mapping work by the U.S.? It would seem to be so.

When I was learning to fly back in the early 80s, there were aerial charts of Central America for example, where areas over Nicaragua, showed the legend "relief data incomplete" still showing.

From my childhood in Guatemala, I recall seeing De Havilland Beaver (U.S. Army) in high visibility markings of white and bright orange, with the same Servicio Geodesico Interamericano emblem.

I have in my collection, a photo of a Hiller helicopter (Raven?) underslung a Guatemalan AF's UH-1H, and on the Hiller's boom, the Servicio Geodesico's titles also appear.


I would like to respectfully ask for permission to copy and post these photos in our web page (www.laahs.com) and see if we come up with more answers.

Could you please, provide:

1. Your permission for me to copy and post the photos?

2. The name of the photographer, and the location and date, if available?

Thank you!


Tulio

Tulio,

PM sent. Thanks a lot.
James

[Dan Johnson II]

Hi This P-38 was owned and flown by Wally Erickson of Minnesota not Dennis Erickson

Yep, my mistake. Misread it. Walter Erickson is the name mentioned in Mr. O'Leary's book.

[T J Johansen]

That is the Hycon Photo Nose. Developed by Hycon Aerial Surveys.
Will have to look and see how many may have recieved this conversion.

Mike

Am I correct in thinking that the three original Hycon 38s to get the slim, longer nose were N69902, N91300, and N9957F?

T J

[Mike Bates]

[/quote]
Am I correct in thinking that the three original Hycon 38s to get the slim, longer nose were N69902, N91300, and N9957F?

T J[/quote]

Yes from what I have read those are the 3.

Mike