P-38 / Photo Reconnance

[jscott1]

Back in 54/55 time frame my brother was working at
Sky Harbour in Phoenix. AiResearch had a P-38 that
had mods made to the motors. I believe they were
testing TurboChargers on it. It had a faceted flat glass
nose on it with cameras. Dose anyone know anything
about it or what happened to it?



jscott1

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance



While at the sprawling Stead Airport over the past month and a half or so.. many rumors of what is and might be hidden in the many hangars there were waifting on on the daily desert breeze..

One especially tantalizing tale, a tale of a twin boomer (P-38) that some enterprizing person was hanging (or had hung) a pair of Griffon's on did make it our way...

Now, before you go and shoot the messenger here... we can only report what we see and hear after all.. Even if, sometimes, what we hear might sound like an empty beer can rattling across the ramp.. might look like the shadow of the mythical jackelope moving swiftly behind a sagebrush in the distance... but... Report what we see and hear is all that we can do isn't it, after all..

If you listen carefully, keenly, especially, if... you happen to be the one who cast said can adrift, you *might* just be able to capture the essence of the fleeting desert winds that are such a part of the special place that is Stead airport...

Listen carefully.. Shadows? Tumbleweeds?.. Photo evidence? Even if we had it.. would anyone believe it?

I think not...



Reno 2007....

[jscott1]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

I was thirteen at the time as I stared up at the odd nose.
It was there at the time, or as well as my 65 year old mind
can remember.

Jscott1

[Apteryx]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Droop-Snoot P-38 HERE

[Danimal1]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

I was raised in PHX and remember very well what your talking about. Not only did they have a P-38 with a turbine on it, that had a 707 that sported a turbine under the pod as well for testing. What a sight that was. My brother flew for Garrett (Allied Signal) for a while, let me see what I can do.
Those were nice days in PHX, late 50's early 60's.

[Scotty]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Along about that same time, early-mid 50's there was also a red P-40 based there for a short time. It was awsomewatching him take off on 8L. Lift off'hold low picking up speed, retract the gear and at the end of the runway HAUL BACK ON THE STICK. Wow what a sight. There was also a PBY (civilian) rumored to be owned by a retired admiral , that carried a motor launch under one wing.
You other oldies know anything about them?
Scotty

[spinner]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Mike Dillon of Dillon Precision had a red P-40 at Sky Harbor in the early 60's. Dont know if Mike had it in 50's. Wonder if the foto Lightning was one of the ones that Pruitt had in Sacramento that wound up with Jack Erickson for rebuild in the90's. Jeff Ethell bought it in one of those in Oregon a few years back.

[stuntflyr]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Dillon's P-40 was there from '67 to '70.
(It was bellied in at Casa Grande in 2004!)
I think the Pruitt airplanes were from Mark Hurd in Santa Barbara, I begged my Dad to buy one, "they don't fit in the hangar, you can't push them by yourself, they are gas guzzlers, they have all the complexity of a piston powered prop plane coupled with all the complexity of a jet (he did have some good lines), etc...".
Garrett had a neat On Mark Marksman that they later donated to a south Phoenix high school, so no one can ever fly it again. Same as the ARCO DC-3 that Mr. Price took such good care of .
Chris...

[spinner]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Wonder where the Kittyhawk wound up?

[stuntflyr]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

N1226N is still with the CAF I think.
Chris...

[Skyracer]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

.....and at the end of the runway HAUL BACK ON THE STICK.

Oh damn....here I go picking nits again. The P-38 had a wheel, not a stick. "HAUL BACK ON THE WHEEL" just doesn't sound as exciting though .

[Air Race Addict]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

Oh damn....here I go picking nits again. The P-38 had a wheel, not a stick. "HAUL BACK ON THE WHEEL" just doesn't sound as exciting though .

I think he was talking about the P-40?

[Skyracer]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

I think he was talking about the P-40?

OH!!! (duh)

I will now self-administer 20 lashes with a cat-o-nine wet noodles.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: P-38 / Photo Reconnance

OH!!! (duh)

I will now self-administer 20 lashes with a cat-o-nine wet noodles.

No worries. Everyone is allowed to do this sort of thing once in a while. Don't beat yourself up TOO bad.