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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Lockheed L-22 / P-38 Lightning
    Latest Model:P-38L-5-LO Lightning
    Last Military Serial:44-53170 USAAF
    Construction Number:422-8425
    Last Civil Registration:N61121
    Compressed ID:Lockheed P-38L-5-LO sn 44-53170 USA...
    Latest Owner or Location:United States Army Air Force

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a P-38L-5-LO by Lockheed at Burbank, California, USA.

    Circa 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-53170.

    By 30 August 1946

    To unknown owner with c/r N61121.

    From 30 August 1946 to 2 September 1946

    Raced as #27.
    The race was from Van Nuys, CA, to Cleveland. Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Bendix Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was James Redwine. Did not start in the B Feature race.

    1947


    Photographer: Dave Ostrowski Collection

    1947


    Photographer: Bruce Fraites Collection
    Notes: In 1947 there was a dedicated race for that would be only P-38 Lightnings. John Thompson from Teterboro, New Jersey was one of those looking for glory in this race. He modified his P-38 by removing the turbocharges and intercoolers and rerouting the exhaust thru pipes just under the wing. The nose was modified in a way that really looks like it would be slower rather than faster. The plane was overall yellow with black trim. Photo from the Bruce Fraites Collection.

    To unknown owner with c/r N61121.

    By 30 August 1947

    To unknown owner with c/r N61121.

    From 30 August 1947 to 1 September 1947

    Raced as #27, named Teterboro Special.
    Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the SOHIO class. The primary pilot was John Thomson. Qualified in 22nd place with an average speed of 330.882 mph. Raced in the B Feature race. Finished in 4th place with an average speed of 328.739 mph.
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     P-Screamers, The History for the Surviving Lockheed P-38 Lightnings (c) 1994 Pictorial Histories Pub by A. Kevin Grantham
    Individual Contributors
     Mike Henniger
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