P-38L at Lackland AFB

[robarker]

Does anyone know the tail number of the P-38L on display at Lackland AFB, TX? It is displayed as (4)3-78538. This does not appear to be a valid number, but I find it on several websites.

[L-5jockey]

Several sites report it as a replica, but I believe it was a wind tunnel test, airframe. It is reported as never having a USAAF contract number.
It may also have been built up from spares, for the NACA tests (again no assigned contract number).
NACA used a full-scale P-38 airframe in the Langley 30 x 60-foot wind tunnel, and they also used a 1/8 scale model to solve flutter tests, that killed several pilots c.1941.


John

[red750]

Note to Admin:- Is there any way these oversized forum images can be reduced to fit a laptop screen? A normal laptop can
only display 1/8 or 1/12 of this image. It must be downloaded and reduced in a photo editor to view the whole image.
Alternatively, like many other forums, reject any image more than 500kb as too big. Photos in the Aircraft and Airport sections are resized.
The amount of the image visible on my screen when it opens is shown in the red box on this image. (Scroll right)

Regards,

Peter.

[robarker]

Thank you for your information.

[red750]

An alternative suggestion is to display the image to fit the screen, and expanding to full size when image is clicked upon. This method is used on other forums.

Peter.