The Collings Foundation has reported that their newly acquired P-38 Lightning will make its first airshow appearance at the Los Angeles County Airshow at Gen. William Fox Field in Lancaster, California on March 24-25.
As previously reported, The aircraft (S/N 44-53186) was intended for use in photo reconnaissance but was stored in Arizona following the end of WW2. After being declared surplus, it was acquired by a succession of companies, including Kargl Aerial Surveys, Aero Exploration Co and Mark Hurd Aerial Mapping, before being parked in 1963. Over the following years the P-38 passed through the hands of several additional owners before being acquired by Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, which restored the machine to pristine condition and placed it on display in 1997.
In 2014 the aircraft was offered for sale and was soon acquired by the Stow, Massachusetts-based Foundation. It has since undergone maintenance, flight evaluation, and preparation at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino.
The machine will reportedly be on static and flying display during the event and will be the only Collings Foundation aircraft in attendance.
(via Collings Foundation Photo: Articseahorse via Wikimedia Commons)
