Canadian Warplanes 5: Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Aerial Survey)

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3562610)

Lockheed P-38 Lighting in aerial photo survey service in Canada, with a de Havilland Hornet in the foreground. None were flown by the RCAF but many were flown in winter flight tests in Canada during the Second World War and afterwards by aerial survey companies.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3562609)

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-27005), Reg. No. CF-GSP, in aerial photo survey service in Canada.  This Lightning crashed on landing, and then skidded off an iced runway at Minneapolis-Northern Ordinance Corp airfield Minnesota on 25 November 1951.  It was broken-up.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 3584683)

Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning, converted to F-5G, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-26996), c/n 422-8000, ex Reg. No. N53752, shown here with Spartan Air Services Ltd, Ottawa, Ontario, Reg. No. CF-GCH, 20 June 1952.  This aircraft is currently with Vintage Fighters LLC, Caldwell, Idaho, Reg. No. N7723C, painted in D-Day markings.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3562608)

Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Spartan Air Services Ltd, Ottawa, ca 1955.

Lockheed P-38 Lightnings that carried a Canadian Civil Registration.

All were flown for Photo Mapping and most flew with Spartan Air Surveys.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-26761), Reg. No. CF-GXE, now with Kermit Weeks in Florida.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Reg. No. CF-HDH, only used for spare parts and struck-off register on 2 Dec 1955.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53087), Reg. No. CF-GDS, now with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Aviation Foundation, Oshkosh Wisconsin.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53183), Reg. No. CF-GCG.  This Lightning broke-up while executing a steep dive during a test flight and crashed into MacGregor Lake, Quebec on 17 March 1955.

(J. Harry Lewis Photo, via the Yukon Transportation Museum, Whitehorse, Yukon)

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53184), Reg. No. CF-GKH.  This Lightning was destroyed in a crash near Dawson City, Yukon on 31 July 1953.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-27005), Reg. No. CF-GSP.  This Lightning crashed on landing, and then skidded off an iced runway at Minneapolis-Northern Ordinance Corp airfield Minnesota on 25 Nov 1951.  It was broken-up.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-27025), Reg. No. CF-GSQ.  This Lightning went to Spain where it was registered as EC-ANU.  It was scrapped in Madrid after being struck-off register on 17 Oct 1969.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53193), Reg. No. CF-NMW.  This Lightning, registered in the US as N38PS, crashed on 1 Aug 1978.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53206), Reg. No. CF-HDI.  This Lightning crashed near Ottawa-Uplands, Ontario on 2 May 1955.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-27205), Reg. No. CF-JJA.  This Lightning went to Argentina, registered as LV-HIX.  It crashed after takeoff, at Ezeiza, Argentina in 1964

Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-53045), converted to F-5G-6-LO, Reg. No. CF-HSC.  This Lightning crashed on 25 June 1956.

Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning, converted to F-5G, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-26996), Reg. No. CF-GCH. Now with Vintage Fighters LLC, Caldwell, Idaho.

(Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame Photo)

Lockheed P-38 Lightning with Spartan Aviation, May 1956.

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