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| USAAF 5th AF 35th FG 39th FS  John C. Dunbar 1943  Bruce Hoy 1980  Richard Leahy 1985   Justin Taylan 2003 |
Pilot Lt. Hamilton C. Laing (survived) Force Landed September 2, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 222-7281. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38G-5-LO Lightning serial number 42-12847. Disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 35th Fighter Group (35th FG), 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS). Nose number 37. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. John C. Dunbar and crew chief Raymond "Ray" B. Chartrey. Nicknamed "Dumbo!" in capital letters with action lines above and below named and painted by Dunbar,, his nickname in the squadron. The nose art was Walt Disney cartoon character Dumbo on the side of the left side of the nose, a pink elephant trialling nuts and bolts in a cloud of dust. Dunbar named the plane and personally painted the nickname and nose art on the nose. This aircraft flew combat missions over New Guinea. Mission History On September 2, 1943 took off piloted by Lt. Hamilton Laing on a mission. Low on gas and with one propeller out, this aircraft force landed at Terapo Airfield. Pilot unhurt in the crash. Wreckage The wreck was rediscovered in 1980 and reported to Bruce Hoy at the PNG Museum. Two trips were made to the wreck on May 24 and June 7, 1980. On June 13, 1980 the nose section was recovered by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the PNG Museum and transported to Port Moresby. Later, this nose section was attached to the nose of P-38F Lightning 42-12647 on display at the museum. Later, Bruce Hoy visited John Dunbar in the United States and presented a gun blast tube from the wreck to him. During 2002, the rest of the aircraft was salvaged by Robert Greinert / HARS and exported to Sydney and stored in a hangar at Bankstown Airfield until 2004. Then, moved to Precision Aerospace, where it is stored outdoors. According to Greinert, he recovered it "for use in future restorations". Reportedly, this wreckage is now owned by Gerald Yagen. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Hamilton C. Laing NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John C. Dunbar NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Raymond B. Chartrey USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38G-5-LO Lightning 42-12847 "12847 restoration project from PNG salvage, at Bankstown, Australia. At Precision Aerospace." World War II and Post War Aircraft Wreckage in Territory of Papua and New Guinea and Dutch New Guinea , appendix, Other Known Wreckage - Lightning 42-12847 - alongside [Terapo] airstrip" PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-38G Lightning 42-12847 Classic Wings "P-38 to be restored to fly in Australia" Issue 50, June 2005 Papua New Guinea (PNG) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report to National Parliament Inquiry into the national museum and art gallery and the sale and export of the swamp ghost aircraft, September 2006 "P-38G “Dumbo!” 42-12847 (2002 salvaged by Greinert to Australia, Precision Aerospace)" Thanks to John C. Dunbar for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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