P-38 @ Reno '82

[speeddemon]

I have some photos at home that were taken on Sunday morning in Reno '82. Ridge Runner III had crashed the day before, and a pile of the wreckage was sitting in the hangar immediately west of Aviation Classics (don't even remember if it is THERE anymore). In my pictures, there is the stripped down carcas of a P-38 sitting on its landing gear--no wings, no nose, and no booms or tail--but there are other parts against the back wall. Obviously in the middle of an extensive rebuild.

For the life of me, I have never been able to figure out what airframe it was. Lefty's raced that year. Gary's was in 'storage' in Fort Lauderdale. Bill Ross' plane was still in his posession, and I think the M model had found its way into the Champlin collection by that point. There weren't a whole lot of others around back then.

I'm not looking for a 'who's-who' of 'it could have been's'. I'm just curious if anyone KNOWS who's plane it was, and what it is now.

Kevin Grantham....where are you?????

I'll try to scan and post a shot of the airframe in the hangar tonight.

[Chad Veich]

Re: P-38 @ Reno '82

Probably P-38L s/n 44-53186 which was owned by Frank Taylor during that time period. Later to Doug Arnold and now with the Evergreen collection.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: P-38 @ Reno '82

I remember seeing portions of a P-38 there in the early 80's, but they were outdoors in a chain-link fenced area on the far right side of the field, just past the military static display area and next to the hangars. It might be the same parts.

[mscott107]

Re: P-38 @ Reno '82

I do believe Chad is correct on the S/N and location. I remember when I was 12 or 13 going out and crawling all over that P-38 and the A-26 that was in the yard with it. That was when I was the shop kid / helper until they finally gave me a real job! Sure do miss those days, we had allot of cool warbird stuff around the hangar then. One time the guys were digging through a shipment of parts and crates and came across a complete Merlin in the crate in the back of the hangar, that was "0" timed on the tag!!! Needless to say it was sold within three phone calls! That was the same time they building a Super T-6 for I believe it was Gary Levitz.
Scott......