Looking for serial #s for Gerald Johnson's P-38s

[Davecww1]

Wondering if anyone knows of a resource that would list the serial number of the P-38's that Johnson flew in 9th FS and 49th fighter group. Steph was able to find a chart for Tommy Lynch, showing date of each victory, aircraft shot down and Serial number of aircraft he was flying. Just wondering if anyone has a record of what aircraft Johnson was flying and the date of each victory.
Dave

 

[MIflyer]

Have you read the book "Jungle Ace?"

 

[SaparotRob]

Have you read the "Jungle Book", Ace?

 

[Greg Boeser]

Have you read the "Jungle Book", Ace?

Damn, I've got that lying around here somewhere.

 

[Davecww1]

Have you read the book "Jungle Ace?"

Yes I have that but don't recall that it listed any of his serial numbers. Will take a look to see if there is a table in the back.

 

[MIflyer]

I did not see a table but there are some pictures. Is there a website with data on the 9th Fighter Squadron and 49 FG?

I have the Squadron book on the 49FG and quite a bit of other P-38 material.

 

[MIflyer]

Here is a scan of the pages out of the Squadron book on the 49 FG. He also scored kills with P-40's and even when he went to P-38's he occasionally would go fly some P-40 missions with other squadrons.

 

[Davecww1]

Here is a scan of the pages out of the Squadron book on the 49 FG. He also scored kills with P-40's and even when he went to P-38's he occasionally would go fly some P-40 missions with other squadrons.

View attachment 708129View attachment 708130

Yes I have that book as well but once again no serial numbers are shown for any of his P-38s. I would like to build a model of one of his P-38s, probably the one in the top photo, but the serial number on the tail is not shown. Just the 42 on the side facing us, the opposite side would have the last 2 digits of the serial number.

 

[Wurger]

P-38E-2-LO Lightning s/n. 42-12655 redesignated as P-38F-2-LO on June 17, 1942 and then redesignated as P-38F-5-LO on August 12, 1942.

P-38F-5-LO "Sooner" Serial Number 42-12655 Nose Number 83 assigned to Johnson on November 5

the info source: Pacific Wrecks

 

[Davecww1]

Thanks, but I'm looking for one of the later P-38 J or L versions that he flew as illustrated in the Squadron book on the 59th Fighter Group. Very odd how could they redesignate an E-2 to an F-2 and then to an F-5? Makes no sense, as even if they upgraded some parts the serial # should still be an E-2.

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves the E varinat was the base for the F. So there shouldn't be any trouble with redesignation. The differences between the F-2 and F-5 were minor rather than major.
Looking at the pics of the P-38L-5-LO "Barbara" the serial was 44-?54??. Unfortunately all available images of here are of poor quality and it is quite difficult to work out the serial.
IMHO the serial could be 44-25460, 44-25463 or 44-25813.

 

[le_steph40]

If we look closely on the "black 83", landing light on the port leading edge like the L models but small hole for gun camera on the nose like the J models. No fuel pump visible and the first 3 digits are 423, so SN starting with 44-23---. So probably a J-25 model or an L-1; these 2 models were very close to each other apart for the engine. Due the period and the statut of the pilot, I think more probable a L-1 model but it's only a supposition

Victories claimed on Pacific Wrecks website

 

[Wurger]

That's possible as well. But there is P-38L-5-LO in the line above. The serial for the 5-LO batch started with 44-25---.

 

[le_steph40]

I don't understand Wojtek, no J-5 in 44-23--- range....
The landing light in the port leading edge appeared during the late J-25 series and the hole in the nose disappeared at the beginning of the L-1 series.

 

[Wurger]

Oh. sorry just a typo. Certainly the P-38L-5-LO

Edited.

 

[le_steph40]

No L-5 in the 44-23--- range in my docs.
As memo serves, only the firsts 165 L-1s kept the hole in the nose but gun camera in the port pylon

 

[Wurger]

No L-5 in the 44-23--- range in my docs.

And therefore I said the 44-25--- because the P-38L-5-LO can be noticed in the line with the US Army type ...

As memo serves, only the firsts 165 L-1s kept the hole in the nose but gun camera in the port pylon

IMHO that's not too strange. Actually the P-38F-5-LO "Sooner" Serial Number 42-12655 Nose Number 83 that also was assigned to Johnson, was the P-38E-2-LO Lightning s/n. 42-12655 redesignated as P-38F-2-LO on June 17, 1942 and then redesignated as P-38F-5-LO on August 12, 1942.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Why the redesignation? Was this the serial number being assigned a new block #? Or was it an E that was modified to F-2 standard, which then was redesignated F-5?
I believe this is what GrauGeist was referring to when I brought up the 54th FS in Alaska.
But the 54th's a/c were a much earlier block, 41-2xxx, and were redesignated RP-38E in October 1942.

 

[GrauGeist]

The P-38Es that were pressed into emergency service, were upgraded to the P38F-1-LO with some fixes and being fitted for drop tanks.
Otherwise, the majority were designated "RP", some were used for testing and about 100 were converted to F-4-1-LO configuration and even then, most of those were used for training as RF-4s.

 

[Greg Boeser]

The E and F had different engines. The F weighed considerably more than an E. Cloe mentions the 54th birds being winterized, and plumbed for drop tanks, which is the modification Baugher mentions as the -1 mod for the F series. But not re-engining. 54th aircraft are listed as RP-38Es starting in late '42. They are still in squadron service into 1944.