The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft. It was developed in the nineteen thirties to a United States Army Air Corps requirement. Designed by the later famous Kelly Johnson, it was intended to have a long range and had a twin boom, twin engined layour. It was used in various roles, including dive bombing, level bombing, ground-attack, night fighting, photo-reconnaissance missions. But particularly it was used as a long-range bomber escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks under its wings in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
Thousands of P-38s were built and nowadays some survivors remain still flying in the "War Birds scene" and in many museums.
P-38J
This Lightning is at the Pima Air Museum, Tucson (AZ) and is a P-38J , civil registration NX138AM. It has the nick name Skidoo.
Photographed 2010 by Cees Hendriks (c) copyright
P-38L
This Lightning is a restored aircraft seen at Nellis AFB , USA. It is a Lockheed P-38L Lightning - NL38TF (c/n 8350 / USAAF 44-53095) with nickname "Thoughts of Midnite".
Photographed 2009 by Cees Hendriks (c) copyright
P-38J Cockpit
This is a cockpit section of a P-38J-25 on display and in construction at the "Planes of Fame" museum at Chino, California (USA).
Photographed 2014 by Cees Hendriks (c) copyright
P-38L F5 Photo
This Lockheed P-38L Lightning is a special aircraft as it is a F-5 Photo Recon with camera's. The photo version aircraft "422-87-23" has no armor nor guns. Originally built as a P-38L it was converted to F-5G before entering service. It is located at the "Yanks Air Museum" at Chino, California USA.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks, (c) copyright
P-38J-10-LO Lightning
This Lightning with serial "42-67762" has a "well worn" camouflage. This aircraft is on display at the Smithsonian museum / Dulles location at Washington (DC), USA.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks, (c) copyright
P-38J-10-LO
This P-38J with serial "42-68006" has a aluminium painted scheme and was seen at the March Field Museum, Riverside, California USA.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks, (c) copyright
P-38L
This P-38L of the Flying Bulls was seen at the Texel air show in 2015, Texel , The Netherlands. A lot of details can be seen as many panels and covers are removed for maintenance.
Photographed 2015 by Cees Hendriks, (c) copyright
In 1/72 scale, many models have been issued with old kits from Revell, Airfix and Hasegawa. Nowadays, far bettter kits are available from Hasegawa. In 1/48 also Revell had a nice kit with a better one also now from Hasegawa. In 1/32 scale there was also an impressive but basic Revell kit but now Trumpeter has the best kit (though not without some faults).
this walk around page was first published November 2013 by M. de Vreeze; note Copyright!