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Bolivian P-38 Lightning


Mikkel

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Hello!

I'm trying to build a few latin American P-38's and the Bolivian one is on my to do list. 

According to my Google fu, the Bolivian goverment bought one, wich crashed into a Dc-4, killing all onboard...

 

I want to know What kind of P-38 it was, did it receive Bolivian markings?

 

hope you guys Can help!!

 

-Mikkel

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Wiki discusses the accident.  It sounds like the P-38 (44-26927) was still a civil-US registered aircraft, not delivered to Bolivia.  Joe Baugher's website has this to say:

 

44-26927 (MSN 422-7931) to RFC Jan 4, 1946. The aircraft was flown later in 1946 to Seymour, Indiana, where it remained until October 01, 1949, when it was purchased by Universal Air Marine and Supply Company for the Bolivian Government. It is believed while at Seymour, Indiana the aircraft was registered as NX26927 and participated in the National Air Races. The owner was listed as Howard LeVier of Kalamazoo, Michigan. On October 03, 1949 the aircraft was flown on a ferry permit from Seymour, Indiana to Schrom Field, Maryland. On November 01, 1949 on a acceptance test flight flown by the Bolivian pilot the now undocumented aircraft was involved in a midair collision with Eastern Airlines Flight 537. (N88727, ex 43-17165 a C-54B-10-DO, MSN 18365/DO138) while both were on an approach to runway 03 at Washington-National Airport. From the C-54B, 4 crew, 51 PAX fatal. From the P-38, the Bolivian test pilot survived, both aircraft were destroyed. It was (at the time) the worst plane crash in the history of civil aviation. The P-38 pilot was accused of causing the accident, later tried and cleared of the charges, which now is believed to have been an ATC error.

 

Note that this serial is within a series delivered as F-5G-6, though some were converted to P-38M.

Edited by gingerbob
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