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Re: Pictures and story from my "spy" visit NASM Udvar-Hazy

Posted by Ryan Keough on Fri Oct 17, 2003 11:11:43 PM

In reply top Re: Pictures and story from my "spy" visit NASM Udvar-Hazy posted by Steve T on Fri Oct 17, 2003 10:07:10 PM

Steve,

It looks like a Nick from what I see. Referring to the WRG Japanese a/c listings they both look the same, but I notice that the front part of the canopy seems to resemble the Nick more (note the pane seperation on the Nick in respect to the pilots side windows compared to the unseperated panels on the Irving). Also I note the antenna-like protrusion just behind the pilot's head on the top-left part of the canopy in the side profile on the Nick in WRG and the same thing poking out of the tarp on the fuselage picture I took. Also it was mentioned to me by my friend Doug who escorted me there that he thought he heard it was a Nick (which I based my ident on).

If only I had more time to snap a few more shots!

Ryan Keough

: Rob et al--
:
: I for one was delighted at the sight of the "unrefinishe
: d" P-38 in the "spy pix". I well remember looking at this
: P-38 twenty years ago in the annex display at Silver Hill.
: ..and thinking later what a pity it was that it would some
: day look pristine. How neat to be wrong! Here is a P-38 EX
: ACTLY as it was...frozen in time, as it were. Of course wi
: th many restoration projects this option doesn't exist: an
: d I certainly won't complain at the sight of a pristine P-
: 38 at an airshow or in a museum...but in this case the opt
: ion WAS there, that 1944 paint was still in reasonable con
: dition...kudos to NASM for keeping it just the way it was.
:
:
: Ryan--was the Japanese twin actually the "Nick"? Or was
: it the J1N "Irving"? If it is indeed the "Nick" that's a g
: rand surprise: I had thought the "Nick" had been deaccessi
: oned many years ago when the Smithsonian had to downsize i
: ts aircraft collection.
:
: Great report and pix...makes me keen to hop a flight to
: DC!
:
: Cheers
:
: S.

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