Justin Taylan 2004
Aircraft History
One of 63 L-5 models converted to photo-reconnaissance.
Its Lockheed construction number is 8187. It is
one
of one
of 63 F-5Gs
modified
from P-38L-5s. It is number 308 of 370 F-5Gs in all. The Army Air Corps
retired it to Kingman, Arizona on February 5, 1946.
Post War Service
Kargl Aerial Surveys
of Midland, Texas registered it as NC62441 on May 17, 1946 and sold
it to Aero Exploration Co. of Tulsa, Oklahoma in December 1947. Mark
Hurd Aerial Surveys of Minneapolis, Minnesota changed its registration
to N62441 on January 2, 1953. AiResearch Aviation of Los Angeles,
extensively modified it for Mark Hurd Aerial Surveys in 1954. It
was given a two
seat, pressurized cockpit and the camera compartment in the nose
was enlarged. Mark Hurd Aerial Surveys changed its registration to
N501MH
in March 1958. Byers Airways of Seattle, Washington bought it in
April 1965 and sold it to Pacific Aerial Surveys of Seattle, Washington
on
May 24, 1965. Pacific Aerial Surveys changed its registration to
N517PA in December 1965. Wally D. Peterson of Manson, Virginia acquired
it
on May 21, 1969 and sold it to I. N. Burchinall, Jr. of Paris, Texas
on August 27, 1971. David M. Boyd, of Tulsa, Oklahoma bought it on
April 3, 1973 and spent two years rebuilding it, installing the nose
of a Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. N. Merrill Wien and Richard A.
Wein of Fairbanks, Alaska acquired it on February 28, 1981 and based
it
at Chino, California.
Display
Yanks
Air Museum acquired it in 1990, and have it on display to the
public.
P-38
