List of surviving Lockheed P-38 Lightnings

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P-38L 44-53232 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force Lockheed P-38L in Dayton.jpg
P-38L 44-53232 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

The Lockheed P-38 Lighting is an American two-engine fighter used by the United States Army Air Forces and other Allied air forces during World War II. Of the 10,037 planes built, 26 survive today, 22 of which are located in the United States, and 10 of which are airworthy.

Contents

Background

In late 1945 when the last P-38 came off the production line, 9,923 aircraft had been delivered to the USAAF. The P-38 was quickly declared obsolete in 1946 and the last USAF flight was in 1948.

This was an extremely complicated aircraft to maintain. The P-38 Lightning has been consistently on the civil registry since 1946 since the first aircraft were released from the military. It does remain a demanding aircraft with numerous crash incidents; several of the surviving planes have been rebuilt many times.

A considerable number of late model Lightnings which had been converted by Lockheed to Photo Reconnaissance (F-5) models found a niche with photo mapping companies and until the middle 1960s these aircraft earned their keep through photo mapping assignments around the globe. Additionally, the latest military use of the P-38 was with several South American air forces, the largest of these being Fuerza Aérea Hondureña which operated the Lockheed Lightning until the early 1960s. There were also a small number of P-38s that were purchased after the war for civilian air racing. It is from these sources that until the early 1980s all the remaining stocks of the P-38 Lightning could be drawn from.

One historic note was that in 1948, representatives of the then-new country of South Korea attempted to purchase the brand new P-38L Lightnings stored in the Philippines (approximately 100 aircraft). Instead, the USAF persuaded them to accept AT-6s modified to ground attack role as well as worn out P-51D Mustangs; the brand new P-38s were destroyed.

As with all remaining warbirds, collectors began scouring the world for forgotten aircraft. From the jungle of New Guinea, the wildness of Alaska and under the ice of Greenland are but some of the places previously unrestorable wrecked airframes are being recovered and being restored for both static display and airworthy exhibition.

Individual histories

P-38 Glacier Girl P-38 Lightning head-on.jpg
P-38 Glacier Girl

Survivors

Australia

Under restoration
P-38F
P-38G
P-38

Austria

Airworthy
P-38L

Serbia

Under restoration
P-38L

United Kingdom

Under restoration
P-38H

United States

Airworthy
P-38F
P-38J
P-38L
On display
P-38G
P-38J
P-38L
P-38L at the National Museum of the United States Air Force P-38L.jpg
P-38L at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
Under restoration or in storage
P-38H
P-38J
P-38L

See also

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References

Notes

  1. Glacier Girl . p38assn.org Access date: 21 January 2007.
  2. 41-7677 Maid of Harlech: Welsh Lightning www.tighar.org Access date: 16 June 2024
  3. "P-38F Dottie from Brooklyn" Warbird Digest Retrieved: 09 February 2021.
  4. "P-38G Dumbo History" Pacific Wrecks Retrieved: 09 February 2021
  5. "Australian P-38 Restorations" Warbird Digest Retrieved: 09 February 2021.
  6. "P-38G Dumbo – Pima" Pima Air & Space Museum Retrieved: 09 February 2021
  7. "Aussie P-38" Warbird Digest Retrieved: 09 February 2021.
  8. "P-38L Lightning/44-53254" The Flying Bulls Retrieved: 10 May 2011.
  9. "FAA Registry: N25Y" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  10. "P-38L Lightning/44-25786." Museum of Aviation Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  11. "Pacific Wrecks – P-38H-5-LO Lightning Serial Number 42-66841 Tail Number 153" Pacific Wrecks Retrieved: 14 February 2020.
  12. "P-38F Lightning/41-7630" Lewis Air Legends Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
  13. "FAA Registry: N17630" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  14. "P-38F Lightning/42-12652" Lockheed P-38 Lightning Retrieved: 14 July 2021.
  15. "P-38F Lightning/42-12652" White 33 First Flight Retrieved 18 October 2016
  16. "FAA Registry: N12652" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  17. "P-38J Lightning/44-23314" Planes of Fame Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
  18. "FAA Registry: N138AM" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  19. "P-38L Lightning/44-26981" Allied Fighters Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
  20. "FAA Registry: N7723C" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  21. "P-38L Lightning/44-27053" War Eagles Air Museum Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
  22. "FAA Registry: N577JB" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  23. "P-38L Lightning/44-27083" Erickson Aircraft Collection Retrieved: 31 July 2014.
  24. "FAA Registry: N2114L" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  25. "P-38 Lightning/44-27183" Yanks Air Museum Retrieved: 3 May 2017.
  26. "FAA Registry: N718" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  27. "P-38L Lightning/44-27231" Fagen Fighters WWII Museum Retrieved: 3 May 2017.
  28. "FAA Registry: N79123" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  29. "FAA Registry: N38TF" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  30. "P-38L Lightning/44-53186" Collings Foundation Retrieved: 1 September 2016.
  31. "FAA Registry: N505MH" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  32. LOCKHEED P-38 LIGHTNING American Heritage Museum Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  33. "Warbird Directory: Lockheed Page 2" Retrieved: 23 September 2022
  34. "P-38J Lightning/42-67638" Hill Aerospace Museum Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
  35. "P-38J Lightning/42-67762" National Air and Space Museum Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  36. "Warbird Directory: Lockheed Page 11" Retrieved: 23 September 2022
  37. "P-38L Lightning/44-53087" EAA Airventure Museum Retrieved: 8 October 2012.
  38. "P-38L Lightning/44-53097" Museum of Flight Retrieved: 8 October 2012.
  39. "FAA Registry: N3JB" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  40. "Lockheed P-38L Lightning" National Museum of the USAF Retrieved: 5 September 2015.
  41. "P-38L Lightning/44-53236" Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  42. "FAA Registry: N66534" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  43. "P-38J Lightning/42-103988" Aircraft List Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  44. "FAA Registry: N38LL" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.
  45. "FAA Registry: N2897S" FAA.gov Retrieved: 15 July 2021.

Bibliography

  • United States Air Force Museum Guidebook. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975.