Very cool hood ornament

[Brass is Best]

I found a very cool hood ornament for my 1932 Ford roadster.

[wayne sheldon]

It makes me think about the movie "The Flight of the Phoenix".

[LARRYCAROL]

Looks like a p-38 lightning 

[old car fan]

Expensive  accessories 

[JamesR]

I'd agree that it's a P-38. I'm usually not impressed with showy aftermarket stuff, but that's cool!

[MikeC5]

What does the writing say on the wings?

[60FlatTop]

P-38 Lightning, my Dad's favorite plane. He was stationed on a British air base in WWII. They had a few of them. He liked to tell the story of one that clipped the corner of a hanger when landing. It just spun around and pancaked down right there on the pad.

 

He also talked about the long entry road that was lined with rows of troop gliders. He said the truck ride into the base was the quietest memory of his life. They all stared at the gliders and were too scared to say a word. They were just coffins lined up.

 

The ornament makes me think of the mechanical version of a Studebaker goose.

 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

2 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

It makes me think about the movie "The Flight of the Phoenix".

I have not seen the movie.   Book is excellent!

 

  Ben

[CChinn]

I found this trench art of a P38 at an estate sale of a 90 year old WWII vet who served with the US Army Air Corps during WWII. Notice it is made from bullets and the base is from an artillery shell. To keep on topic, I display it with my automobilia 

[wayne sheldon]

27 minutes ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

I have not seen the movie.   Book is excellent!

 

  Ben

 

The original movie (1965 I think?) was very well done. I first saw it at a drive-in theater with my parents and brother and sister. I saw it again in a big theater and several times on television. It was well paced (some would say slow, but that made it more realistic!), and constantly engaging. All the stars came across like real people in a dire situation, and Ernest Borgnine as a nervous breakdown was one of his best performances. The later remake (as usual) missed the marks a lot.

Edited November 7, 2022 by wayne sheldon
correction (see edit history)

[8E45E]

It belongs on a 1948 Cadillac, more so than any other car.   The P-38 was Harley Earl's inspiration for tailfins

 

Craig

[46 woodie]

On April 18th 1943 it was a squadron of P-38s that shot down the "mastermind" of Pearl Harbor, Japan's Admiral Yamamoto. It was a great plane, but always gets overshadowed by the P-51 Mustang.

[CHuDWah]

3 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

I have not seen the movie.   Book is excellent!

 

  Ben

The 1965 original The Flight of the Phoenix (a Fairchild C-82 Packet) is very good.  The 2004 remake Flight of the Phoenix (a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar) is watchable but not as good as the original.

[CHuDWah]

2 hours ago, 46 woodie said:

On April 18th 1943 it was a squadron of P-38s that shot down the "mastermind" of Pearl Harbor, Japan's Admiral Yamamoto. It was a great plane, but always gets overshadowed by the P-51 Mustang.

The Mustang also was produced in twin boom configuration as the P-82:

It could be flown from either cockpit and was designed for B-29 escort.  However, WW2 ended before it was ready for deployment.  It did see service in Korea and elsewhere.  And before somebody asks what that has to do with old cars, it used Packard Merlin and later, GM Allison. 😁

 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by CHuDWah (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

14 hours ago, LARRYCAROL said:

Looks like a p-38 lightning 

Pretty sure that it is.

 

[Brass is Best]

13 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

What does the writing say on the wings?

It says Australia, Sydney, South Pacific and 1948.

[SC38dls]

10 hours ago, CHuDWah said:

The Mustang also was produced in twin boom configuration as the P-82:

It could be flown from either cockpit and was designed for B-29 escort.  However, WW2 ended before it was ready for deployment.  It did see service in Korea and elsewhere.  And before somebody asks what that has to do with old cars, it used Packard Merlin and later, GM Allison. 😁

 

 

The P-82 could fly higher and further than the other fighters. 

The problem with the P-82 was two pilots. They would see enemy below and would both want to turn to their outside. That would keep the plane flying level and the bad guys would get away. 
dave s 

[JACK M]

Similar to an item in my late father's collection.

He flew pretty much everything during WWII, He was an instructor and also ferried equipment.

You can see the scarf and goggles he wore when he was flying those open planes.

Steerman maybe? For the very beginner students.

The flag is not part of that stuff, I just put it there because it was in with dads' things (modern flag)

I never got into airplanes.

And dad didnt talk about the war much.

His brother was an Ace before they got him. I see his name in the history books on occasion.

[Brass is Best]

12 minutes ago, JACK M said:

Similar to an item in my late father's collection.

He flew pretty much everything during WWII, He was an instructor and also ferried equipment.

You can see the scarf and goggles he wore when he was flying those open planes.

Steerman maybe? For the very beginner students.

The flag is not part of that stuff, I just put it there because it was in with dads' things (modern flag)

I never got into airplanes.

And dad didnt talk about the war much.

His brother was an Ace before they got him. I see his name in the history books on occasion.

 

All the student pilots started on the Steerman. Next was the AT-6 Texan. Then they were classified and sent to train on their specific aircraft.

[Brass is Best]

Here is a Steerman an AT-6 Texan and a P-51D, because who doesn't want to look at a P-51.

[wayne sheldon]

To me, automotive history includes almost anything historic that moves by engine power. 

For twenty-five years, we lived in Livermore California. Seventeen of those years, our rented house was almost under the approach to the Livermore airport. That airport was home to a few antique airplane clubs. It was wonderful all those years, home on weekends watching them flying in and out. And one of the best things was every year for their annual airshow, seeing all the planes flying in and out! Ford Trimotors, even a Jenny or two, would fly right over our house! A few of the hangers, home to antiques, were out on the outer edges of the airfield. On weekends, I would sometimes drive along the road outside the fence and see the various collector planes being serviced by their owners. Sometimes I could park and walk up to the fence and talk with those owners.

One of the collectors in that group owned several planes sometimes used in the movies. A 1950s Russian biplane had been in several films, he also had two early Migs, one Russian, one Chinese. Another famous collector had a DC3 that he sometimes flew in and out for business trips.

 

Most of that stuff was more modern than the eras I favor. However, it is all fun, and important history.

[DFeeney]

Our adversaries knew them as " Whistling Death"

[CHuDWah]

15 hours ago, SC38dls said:

The P-82 could fly higher and further than the other fighters. 

The problem with the P-82 was two pilots. They would see enemy below and would both want to turn to their outside. That would keep the plane flying level and the bad guys would get away. 
dave s 

The P-82 was intended as a long-range escort on bomber missions such B-29 attacking Japan, hence the high ceiling and extended range.  However, the war ended before it was put in that service.  The reason for having two pilots was they could spell each other on long flights.  I've never heard of them simultaneously flying the plane.  The starboard cockpit had enough instruments and controls to fly the aircraft but not the extended complement like the port side.  Some of the planes were radar equipped and the operator, rather than a pilot, occupied the second cockpit.

[CHuDWah]

8 hours ago, DFeeney said:

Our adversaries knew them as " Whistling Death"

That was the Corsair, so named because of the sound air made running through the intakes for its turbocharger, intercooler, and oil cooler.  The P-38 was known as the "Forked-Tail Devil" because of its twin booms.

[prewarnut]

   One can be had at Platinum Fighter Sales (no affiliation or interest) for $10M. Per their webpage: Full dual controls. Right hand seat can perform all flight functions with the exception of Landing Gear Up, Aileron Trim, Primary Radio, Start and Prime Switches. Right hand seat can control elevator and rudder trims, all engine controls, Landing Gear Down, fuel controls, coolant doors, CAT, and all lighting.

 

[Brass is Best]

15 hours ago, DFeeney said:

Our adversaries knew them as " Whistling Death"

The P-51 was known as the "Cadillac of the Skies". But was powered by a Packard or Rolls-Royce built engine. 

[CHuDWah]

7 hours ago, prewarnut said:

   One can be had at Platinum Fighter Sales (no affiliation or interest) for $10M...

That is cool!  Considering what some classic cars go for, $10M sounds pretty reasonable.  Just as soon as I win all those Powerball billions...🤣

[SC38dls]

I would not want to pay for the fuel on that plane. 
dave s