38L VS 38J who, what, why?

[Guppy35]

The only visual cue to differentiate the J-25 from the L (aside from serial numbers) is that on the L the landing light was moved from the wheel well to the leading edge of the left wing.

Thus, if you can see the leading edge of the wing, you can tell an L from a late J model.


My regards,

Widewing

You positive on that one Widewing?  I've always understood that the late J-25s also had the wing leading edge landing light and were externally identical to the L-1.  This one, flown by 474th pilot Lloyd Wenzel is ID'd as a J-25 by Wenzel himself

[Widewing]

You positive on that one Widewing?  I've always understood that the late J-25s also had the wing leading edge landing light and were externally identical to the L-1.  This one, flown by 474th pilot Lloyd Wenzel is ID'd as a J-25 by Wenzel himself
(Image removed from quote.)

200 of the 210 P-38J-25s (or so designated by contract requirement) that were delivered to the AAF had the wheel well landing light installation. Those last ten were delivered built as true L-1s, with the V-1710F-30 motors installed.

That said, those shipped to Britain were brought up to L-1 specification at Langford Lodge. These modifications included the installation of leading edge landing light, swapping V-1710F-30 engines for the original F-15s and some (not all) also received the tail warning radar installation (those transferred in August from the 8th AF). Some were updated upon receipt in Northern Ireland, others upon transfer from the 8th AF to the 9th AF. I have several photos of 474th J-25s, and all were upgraded. When the 20th FG transitioned to the P-51, they handed over four J-25s which were ferried directly to Langford Lodge for overhaul and updating prior to reissue to the 9th AF replacement depot.

Not all J-25s were upgraded. Those going to the 15th AF were not upgraded, but the 15th received only a small allocation of the model. I have not yet found any evidence that any J-25s were shipped to the Pacific.

<Edit: I have a note from Jack Ilfrey where he states that he was assigned a brand new J-25, only to be informed three days later that he was getting a P-51D-5-NA instead. The J-25 was a replacement for the J-15 he lost in France on June 11, 1944 (shot down by flak).>


My regards,

Widewing

[Guppy35]

Thanks for the clarification Widewing.

I was reading some of the 428th FS, 474th FG history last night, and I noted an interesting comment in some recollections about a fight that took place August 25, 1944.  One pilot was flying wing on another and when they called for a break, he couldn't keep up as his was an older 38 without power assisted controls and his element lead had one with power assist.  I know they had some old J-10s into the Spring of 45 to go along with the later Js and the Ls they got.  They did not get any L models until the end of October when they had 4 Ls to go with their J models.

[Grape]

I prefer the L model. Is the L model easy mode for a P-38 noob? I seem to have better luck with it as opposed to the J model.