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New P-38 Restoration to Fly Soon

Bomber_12th

Bomber_12th

SOH-CM-2025
The P-38F 42-12652 "White 33" is nearing completion at Westpac Restorations, and is anticipated to be flying by the end of September.

This aircraft originally served with the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, of the 5th Air Force, based at New Guinea. It was part of one of the first groups of P-38's delivered to the Pacific. The aircraft became operational on September 17, 1942, assigned to pilot Kenneth Sparks, and given the nose number "33" in white. On December 31, 1942, Kenneth Sparks was flying the aircraft on an escort mission over Lae Airfield, when over the target Sparks engaged a Japanese Zero, shooting it down. During this action Sparks was involved in a mid-air collision with another Zero, which damaged the P-38's right aileron and wing tip, but tore off part of the Zero's wing, sending the Zero crashing into the ocean. Kenneth Sparks was able to get the damaged aircraft safely back to base where it was then repaired. Later the aircraft was assigned to the 431st and 433rd Fighter Squadrons of the 475th Fighter Group. (It is thought that a number of P-38 pilots, perhaps even some of the great P-38 aces, likely flew this P-38 at one point or another, due to it being one of the first in Theatre, and possibly used as a transitional aircraft). The aircraft continued to be operational, from New Guinea, until early 1944, when it suffered a nose wheel collapse and was written off.

The aircraft was stripped of usable parts and then abandoned at Finschafen Airfield (New Guinea). After the end of the war the aircraft was then buried in a pit along with a number of other abandoned aircraft on the airfield. In 1999, the pit was discovered and the aircraft were removed (the others included the P-38J "Jandina III" 42-103988 (also under restoration to fly), and three razorback P-47D's). "White 33" was shipped to Westpac Restorations around 2003/2004, and a restoration to airworthy began.

Today, the aircraft is owned by Jim Slattery, who has an ever growing collection of WWII and vintage aircraft, which are already flying or are under restoration to fly (including two matching Tigercats, an F3F, a PBY, a Brewster-built Corsair, an SB2C-1A Helldiver, an SBD-4 Dauntless, a B-23 Dragon, and more). The restoration of this P-38 is phenomenal. It is the most comprehensive and most authentic P-38 restoration ever done (even more-so than "Glacier Girl"). It has functioning turbochargers, which will make it only the second P-38 flying with operational turbochargers (the other being the Fagen Fighter's P-38L).

Here are some recent images shared by Westpac Restorations on Facebook. Just a couple days ago, the aircraft rolled on its landing gear for the first time in over 70-years. On-hand to witness it, was retired Col. Frank Royal, 100-years of age, who was the commanding officer of the 39th Fighter Squadron for which "White 33" was assigned to. Col. Royal actually flew this aircraft during the war. (Note that the shiny metal in these photos is not polished, it is simply new/mill-finish. The entire aircraft will be primed and painted soon, in the original markings it wore during WWII while assigned to the 39th FS, complete with shark mouths on each engine nacelle.)







Here's a clear view of one of the operational turbochargers. As per original, there is actually a small section of armor plate that sticks up on the inward-facing side of the turbocharger, which is there to provide protection from the turbo fan if it were to disintegrate.

 
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Here is just a small indication of the complexity of a P-38 restoration. (Note that the yoke seen in this photo is not correct to the P-38F, and is/was only there temporarily so that all of the control surfaces could be rigged.)



And this photo just indicates the level of detail of the restoration, where in which all of the original factory stamps, markings, and graffiti were documented and reproduced wherever found during the restoration - most of which will never be seen.



This is an original wartime photo of the very same aircraft, taken after the damage to the right wing which occurred during combat action on December 31, 1942 (the aircraft's pilot, Kenneth Sparks, is the individual atop the wing). Note the sharks mouth on the engine nacelle - these markings, which will be applied again, will really make this aircraft a standout when the restoration is completed.

 
Wow! A related story: Way back in the early days of FS9, I painted dcc's P-38F in this scheme. Not long afterwards I received an e-mail from a woman who said she was related to Ken Sparks, but I don't remember how. She was surprised anyone knew anything about him and his plane and wanted to know how I knew of him. As a WW-II historian and certified P-38 nut, I told her this, and about FS9 and the community here who are all interested in such things. I wish now, that I still had that e-mail.
 
The first reunion that Col. Royal had with the aircraft was back in 2012 (and as the article states, all just by chance happening), and it has been great to see the project amp-up and push towards completion so that Col. Royal will hopefully be present to see the aircraft flying again as early as next month. Also in 2012 there was a reunion of some of the last members of the 39th FS, with Col. Royal, together with "White 33", from which these Westpac photos were taken (unfortunately I can't recall who the other 39th FS pilots were).

(Note that in this photo you can make out some writing on the original un-restored cockpit gondola - this being the name of Lt. Jerome A. Gettler, who ended up being the last pilot assigned to this aircraft during the war, when it was part of the 433rd FS, 475th FG. Jerome Gettler was still alive and well when the aircraft was recovered and the restoration began, but sadly he passed away in 2012.)



This illustration shows pretty accurately how the aircraft will look when painted.



Here is another neat shot from the roll-out this past week. As I recall reading a long time ago, Westpac got all of the jigs and left-over parts from the Glacier Girl restoration to aid in the restoration of this aircraft (there are some items that are in this aircraft that were left-out of the Glacier Girl restoration). Westpac has also been restoring a later-variant P-38 for the Flying Heritage Collection (one can only imagine how authentic/complete to original WWII-configuration that aircraft will be!), and they have an extensive amount of P-38 components and major airframe sections to restore a few more P-38's to flying condition in the future, which is their plan.

 
For those that haven't kept up with this project on Facebook, it continues to rapidly near completion - first ground runs and taxi tests will be taking place very soon.

As I've stated before, the aircraft is being completed more authentically and more complete (WWII production original) than even "Glacier Girl" - all armor plating, armor glass, gunsight, radios, functioning turbos, etc.







 
Yeah, it will definitely be Steve Hinton with the test flight duties. Steve also did the test flying for the Westpac-restored Tigercat (and other past Westpac restorations), owned by the same individual that owns this P-38 restoration. Steve is also one of only two people who have flown the only other airworthy P-38F, that of course being "Glacier Girl", and Steve did all of the test flying on that aircraft as well. (If by "Steven", you refer to Steve's son, he has yet to graduate up to the P-38 - however, this summer he did add P-47 to his logbook for the first time, and Spitfire and P-40 last year. The next most experienced P-38 test pilot, after Steve Hinton, is Kevin Eldridge.)

BTW, here is another recent news piece on the P-38 restoration and Col. Royal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Na-IU-RM0
 
First engine runs are planned to take place early this week!

Here are a couple more recent photos of the cockpit. Obviously in a restoration like this, parts/materials from the original aircraft can only be found "here and there" in the restored aircraft - in the case of the cockpit, some of the original parts include the kick/skid plates on the floor, and the control column (what the yoke mounts to).



 
Twilight Zone...

"WE STOOD IN A group beneath the four heavy machine guns and cannon clustered wickedly in the nose of the big fighter. To each side of the gleaming waxed surface shone a spinner and silvery propeller blades. From nose to tail the airplane glistened with the beauty only repeated hand waxing can impart to a winged machine. Colonel Revis Sirmon of the Confederate Air Force climbed into the cockpit. He strapped in, went through the checklist, looked out for the hand signal the props were clear. Sirmon hit the starter for the left engine. Never did a husky Allison turn over smoother or faster, never did one of those big engines purr more softly, a deep-throated growling rumble that astonished everyone with its low beat [emphasis included by me]. Then the other set of blades whirled in the bright sun, the second engine rumbled with the same authoritative manner, and the machine was alive, dipping ever so gently on the nose strut as the power tried to ease her forward. There was an air of disbelief about it all. You had the feeling of standing somewhere in the Twilight Zone, the years stripped away like pages of a book turned back-ward, because this was the summer of 1968 and that beautiful winged creature trembling with restrained power was a twin-engine fighter of a war, an era of flight, long past..."

Caiden, Martin, Fork-Tailed Devil; The P-38 Lightning, 1971.

:untroubled:
 
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