Air Classics - Where History Flies! - August 2022

plan had been put in place for this

eventuality. In such an emergency,

the 78th FG, the only P-38 unit then

based in England, would provide

replacement aircraft for those groups

in Algeria. These were considered part

of the 8th AF’s “strategic reserves.”

General Arnold immediately put that

plan in motion.

captured airfields could be prepared

for them. They were joined at the

end of December by the 82nd FG

from Northern Ireland. The first two

groups were then already suffering

from the above-mentioned aircraft

shortage, as indicated by the fact that

the 82nd was ordered to turn half

its P-38s over to them, much to the

chagrin of its pilots.

Fortunately, a

contingency

of the Allied air war in the MTO,
particularly as escorts to the 12th AF’s
long-range, four-engine Boeing B-
Flying Fortresses.
The 1st and 14th Fighter Groups
(FG) had arrived in Algeria from
England shortly after the Allied
invasion of French Northwest Africa
(Operation Torch) commenced on
8 November 1942) and as soon as

airclassicsnow.com 19

Fitting an extended range 300-gallon fuel tank to a Lightning.

Initially, the Lightnings of the 78th FG trained with the B-17s of the 305th Bomb Group

on how to conduct escort missions. The 305th could have used the protection offered

by the P-38s and one of their Forts is seen dropping out of the sky with battle damage.

Flight jacket patch for the

78th Fighter Group.