Pima's P-39 Finished

[bilwor]

The paint scheme is from an actual P-39 that flew with the 110th TRS. See url below:
http://forum.armyairforces.com/FindPost/220964
bill word

[mustangdriver]

When I first started there she was a pile of parts on the floor. Russ, and the Cumberlands put in a ton of work on it. By the time David pulled it, she was on her gear.

[jamesintucson]

Bill's photos show how these planes looked when they were pulled out of the jungle in the 70s. Neither of the ones he showed were the one we started with though. This one actually had quite a bit of very good work done on it a MAPS before it came here. So that gave us a head start. Since we used probably 75% original parts in it, few of which could probably be trusted in a flyer, it would take a very large amount of work to put it in the air. I'm afraid the only way it would ever fly is if you've got a really big slingshot.

James

Well, I found my answer at the pima site, it was indeed our P-39.

The aircraft was being restored to flight by Air Heritage Inc. until it was pulled out in 2007, I believe. So a lot of that work was done by us. You can see it here in 2002.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p39-p63r ... 18814.html

It looks great though. Always wondered where it ended up.

Of course it was Air Heritage. I confused it with one of the other planes we got from MARC.

James

[flightsimer]

Bill's photos show how these planes looked when they were pulled out of the jungle in the 70s. Neither of the ones he showed were the one we started with though. This one actually had quite a bit of very good work done on it a MAPS before it came here. So that gave us a head start. Since we used probably 75% original parts in it, few of which could probably be trusted in a flyer, it would take a very large amount of work to put it in the air. I'm afraid the only way it would ever fly is if you've got a really big slingshot.

James

Well, I found my answer at the pima site, it was indeed our P-39.

The aircraft was being restored to flight by Air Heritage Inc. until it was pulled out in 2007, I believe. So a lot of that work was done by us. You can see it here in 2002.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p39-p63r ... 18814.html

It looks great though. Always wondered where it ended up.

Of course it was Air Heritage. I confused it with one of the other planes we got from MARC
.

James

It's not hard to do lol. Those MARC planes are like the aircraft version off the oldest profession in the US, they have been through so many different organizations.

[Thomas_Mac]

That P-39 looks fantastic! Any insight on the exhaust stacks? Looks unique to most fighters with a V-12, always looking to learn more!

Thomas,

There isn't anything particularly special about the P-39's stacks as far as I know. There were two different kinds used a round style and a more fish tailed type. I don't know if one had any real advantage over the other. I do know that for some reason the ones for the right hand side are harder to find than the lefts.

James

Thanks for the insight James, they caught my interest as they were pretty hard to see in the picture. That is one great looking P-39

[Noha307]

Since we used probably 75% original parts in it, few of which could probably be trusted in a flyer, it would take a very large amount of work to put it in the air.

Woo! I always love to hear it.

Any chance we could have a short summary of what was new build and what was original? (major assemblies, no need for intricate detail) Also, do you mind clarifying what you mean by original? (i.e. Does original mean from that particular airframe or rather any P-39 parts from the WWII period?)

[cooper9411]

Congratulations on a job well done. Judging from the pictures looks like real quality workmanship.

[Ken]

The paint scheme is from an actual P-39 that flew with the 110th TRS. See url below:
http://forum.armyairforces.com/FindPost/220964
bill word

That is awesome. James, any comment as to why the pin-up was altered vs the original pose?

Airplane looks great, especially considering the starting condition. By the way, forgive me if I missed it, do we know the original serial of the airplane contributing the most parts to the static?

Ken

[Asterperious]

James is off for a few weeks, so I'm not sure when he'll see this thread - the P-39n was 42-18814 as recovered by Charles Darby in 1974, it was a 71st airframe in the dump at Tadji.

The door art is a minor issue. our painter took a bit too much 'artistic' license and in a few months we'll have him redo it, but we don't want to bring it up too soon and hurt his feelings.

[JTEvansGD]

Hello all! I am the one who posted the picture of the pilot, JT Evans, of the original artwork used on this plane. Any update on whether or not this lady is going to be made more authentic? And how does one figure out to a S/N for a plane that a specific pilot flew? This was not his plane, but which one was? It was not destroyed in a crash while he flew it, and it was set aside for the P-40 that took it's place. Theoretically it could/should be out there somewhere.
Lori Stevens
JT Evans' Grand Daughter

[JohnTerrell]

Lori, the "door art" was updated quite recently, as seen in these photos:
http://clintonfelker.blogspot.com/2015/ ... p-art.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/planecura ... 6/sizes/k/

[jamesintucson]

Hello all! I am the one who posted the picture of the pilot, JT Evans, of the original artwork used on this plane. Any update on whether or not this lady is going to be made more authentic? And how does one figure out to a S/N for a plane that a specific pilot flew? This was not his plane, but which one was? It was not destroyed in a crash while he flew it, and it was set aside for the P-40 that took it's place. Theoretically it could/should be out there somewhere.
Lori Stevens
JT Evans' Grand Daughter

Lori,

As John's links show you we did have the art repainted to more closely resemble the original. We think it is a great improvement.

Tracking down specific serial numbers is more of an art than a science. The best way is photographs that show the serial number painted on the tail of the aircraft along with specific markings like nose art that prove the plane's identity. Unfortunately, for the 110th and many of the other units in New Guinea this doesn't work because the serial numbers were painted over when the tails were painted white and not always replaced. Some pilots kept track of which planes they flew on particular days while others did not so, if he kept a personal diary or log book and you still have it the numbers might be in there. The unit's records are another source. There were supposed to be records kept of who flew which aircraft each day but they often do not survive and when they do often refer only to the unit's ID of the aircraft, in the case of your grandfather's P-39 that might mean that it would simply say he flew #30 on such-and-such a day. Cross references of serial numbers to unit ID numbers should have existed but record keeping wasn't always very good.

The P-39 we have was not a crash based on the photo I've seen of it at the time of its recovery. It was most likely one of the ones abandoned when the unit upgraded to P-40s.

James

[ALOHADAVE]

Where is the manufactures master data plate located on the P-39?

[JTEvansGD]

Post subject: Re: Pima's P-39 Finished Reply with quote
Lori, the "door art" was updated quite recently, as seen in these photos:
http://clintonfelker.blogspot.com/2015/ ... p-art.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/planecura ... 6/sizes/k/

JohnTerrell,
Thank you so much, I appreciate the efforts you took to be true to the original! This does look so much more like the Girlie in the photo - who looked a bit like my grandmother.

I hope to get to the museum this year to see it in person!
Best regards,
Lori Stevens

[JTEvansGD]

Lori,
As John's links show you we did have the art repainted to more closely resemble the original. We think it is a great improvement.
Tracking down specific serial numbers is more of an art than a science. The best way is photographs that show the serial number painted on the tail of the aircraft along with specific markings like nose art that prove the plane's identity. Unfortunately, for the 110th and many of the other units in New Guinea this doesn't work because the serial numbers were painted over when the tails were painted white and not always replaced. Some pilots kept track of which planes they flew on particular days while others did not so, if he kept a personal diary or log book and you still have it the numbers might be in there. The unit's records are another source. There were supposed to be records kept of who flew which aircraft each day but they often do not survive and when they do often refer only to the unit's ID of the aircraft, in the case of your grandfather's P-39 that might mean that it would simply say he flew #30 on such-and-such a day. Cross references of serial numbers to unit ID numbers should have existed but record keeping wasn't always very good.
The P-39 we have was not a crash based on the photo I've seen of it at the time of its recovery. It was most likely one of the ones abandoned when the unit upgraded to P-40s.
James

James,
Thank you for having the artwork repainted more like the original! It is great! The information on the S/N is good to know, though as it is, don't know how helpful, lol. So this plane, could technically be his, we just don't know.
Here is a link to my ancestry account that has a picture of my grandmother, certainly a bit of a likeness to the girlie on the plane.
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/62497/pe ... 8&pgpl=pid

Thanks again for your work on this plane!
Lori