P38 crash landed in Italy
 

Do not know if this is already known, I found today this clip about a crash landed P38 somewhere in Norther Italy. Judging by the vegetation and clothing, the time span is Spring-Summer 1944
the partially visible serial number reads P38 H-5-LO 42-67---

https://patrimonio.archivioluce.com/luce-web/detail/IL4000090339/7/il-ritrovamento-aereo-statunitense-abbattuto.html?startPage=40&jsonVal={%22jsonVal%22 :{%22query%22:[%22*:*%22],%22fieldDate%22:%22dataNormal%22,%22_perPage%22:2 0}}

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

hello,

you're right, it's a P38H-5-LO.
but please give us the link again, it's not working ...

or search with:
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3a.html
they range from 42-67000 till 42-67100 ...


regards
ghost

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

Possibly James L Rodolff, P-38, 42-67067 crash landed and taken prisoner near Massa Lombarda on March 28, 1944.

Search For Rodolff:
http://www.historicdogtags.com/world-war-22.html

http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_talamini.htm


UPDATE: Or maybe not.

This link apparently shows Rodolff's plane on the ground and it does not seem to be the same plane as in the video (search for Rodolff):

http://www.aereiperduti.net/anni/1944.php

(Rodolff's plane seems to have all its propellers while the plane in the video has one engine torn up.)


Another possibility is Kenneth Hartwig, also lost on March 28, 1944 in the same area. His plane was 42-67035. He was also a POW. Trying to find exact details of his loss.

The plane in the video appears to have number "11" on the tail boom. That "might" put it in the 27th FS, 1st FG. Both Hartwig and Rodolff were in the 27th FS. The 27th marked their planes in that manner.

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

Rolland

Pity the film is of such bad quality.
Seems to me you are on the right track. Serial number looks much more like 42-6705x or 6706x and less like 6703x to me, but I have been wrong before...

Unfortunately the photo shown is even worse and can actually be anything "P-38ish"....

Cheers
Stig

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

Best view on serial is at 01:17:44 and 01:17:45 in film. Last two numbers not all too clear... 87?



One of the P-38s listed in http://raf-112-squadron.org/1stfghonor_roll.html and in the 42-670XX range...



Regards,
Leendert

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

It looks to me as 42-67065, flown Lt. Harold Lindhurst, crashed March 18,1944 after hitting high tension wires while strafing. He belonged to the 27th FS

Re: P38 crash landed in Italy
 

Could well be Lindhurst. In the MACR 3357:

https://www.fold3.com/image/28632075

Gerald Osgood mentions that the left engine of Lindhurst's plane was feathered and the tip of the right wing was gone. In the video at the 00:46 mark, you can see the the tip of the right wing is missing. Plane was last seen at/near Istrana, Italy.