North American Aviation, Inc. P-80N Shooting Star

[Steve Pace]

I'm trying to find what, if any, USAAF serial numbers were assigned to the 1,000 P-80N airplanes North American was to build under license from Lockheed at its Kansas City, Kansas facility; NAA Charge Number NA-137. These P-80Ns were ordered on January 7, 1945 and NAA had invested 198,244 engineering hours before this program was cancelled; USAAF contract number W535 AC-7717. If anyone knows these serial numbers (if any were assigned) and the date of cancellation I'd be most thankful for the information. -SP

 

[aim9xray]

A possible candidate block would be 45-06701 to 45-07700. Total is 1000. The block is interestingly marked as "reserved", not "cancelled". No contract number or contract approval date is indicated. There is a second block of numbers 45-07701 to 45-08300; 1600 total) marked as cancelled. This is then followed by 45-08301 to 45-08717 which is a block of P-80A/FP-80A/P-80Bs built by Lockheed.

HTH!

 

[Steve Pace]

A possible candidate block would be 45-06701 to 45-07700. Total is 1000. The block is interestingly marked as "reserved", not "cancelled". No contract number or contract approval date is indicated. There is a second block of numbers 45-07701 to 45-08300; 1600 total) marked as cancelled. This is then followed by 45-08301 to 45-08717 which is a block of P-80A/FP-80A/P-80Bs built by Lockheed.

HTH!

Thanks AIM9XRAY - I'll check it out. -SP

 

[Stargazer]

Interesting. These are among the ones I also have never been able to identify. If aim9xray's assumption is correct (as it may very well be) that would fill a big blank. Coming to think of it, I also never found the serial numbers for the 629 cancelled NA-138 (Mustang IV and P-51E) or the 2500 cancelled NA-139 (P-51H and P-51L)...

 

[Steve Pace]

Interesting. These are among the ones I also have never been able to identify. If aim9xray's assumption is correct (as it may very well be) that would fill a big blank. Coming to think of it, I also never found the serial numbers for the 629 cancelled NA-138 (Mustang IV and P-51E) or the 2500 cancelled NA-139 (P-51H and P-51L)...

I may have those in my Mustang book - let me look. -SP

 

[Steve Pace]

Interesting. These are among the ones I also have never been able to identify. If aim9xray's assumption is correct (as it may very well be) that would fill a big blank. Coming to think of it, I also never found the serial numbers for the 629 cancelled NA-138 (Mustang IV and P-51E) or the 2500 cancelled NA-139 (P-51H and P-51L)...

NA-138, to be built in Kansas City - no serial numbers; NA-139, to be built in Inglewood, no serial numbers. Sorry, only info I have on them. -SP

 

[Steve Pace]

A possible candidate block would be 45-06701 to 45-07700. Total is 1000. The block is interestingly marked as "reserved", not "cancelled". No contract number or contract approval date is indicated. There is a second block of numbers 45-07701 to 45-08300; 1600 total) marked as cancelled. This is then followed by 45-08301 to 45-08717 which is a block of P-80A/FP-80A/P-80Bs built by Lockheed.

HTH!

Looks like the serial numbers 45-06701 to 45-07700 you mentioned are actually 45-6701 to 45-7700 --- these just might very well be the P-80Ns. -SP

 

[aim9xray]

Well, speaking pedantically (and I realize that I am - apologies!), the serials quoted are the same numbers, I just inadvertently used the 1970's presentation style of padfilling with a zero the leading digit of the serialized portion of the number.

For example -
- The documentary serial presentation of 62-1, 62-0001 or 62-00001 all refer to the first number allocated in FY 1962.
- The painted tail number presentation of 2001, 20001, or 200001 likewise all refer to the first number allocated in FY 1962.

The presentation in documentation and on the aircraft may vary based on the time period but will still trace back to the same serial number.

 

[Steve Pace]

Well, speaking pedantically (and I realize that I am - apologies!), the serials quoted are the same numbers, I just inadvertently used the 1970's presentation style of padfilling with a zero the leading digit of the serialized portion of the number.

For example -
- The documentary serial presentation of 62-1, 62-0001 or 62-00001 all refer to the first number allocated in FY 1962.
- The painted tail number presentation of 2001, 20001, or 200001 likewise all refer to the first number allocated in FY 1962.

The presentation in documentation and on the aircraft may vary based on the time period but will still trace back to the same serial number.

I meant nothing sarcastic about the serial numbers - just clarified per JF Baugher's website. It could be he's wrong. -SP