FP_2015_05_

From

The Archive

90 FLYPAST May 2015

Spotlight

Lockheed

P-38 Lightning

Spotlight Next Month

Gloster

Meteor

Next month Spotlight shines on the

legendary Gloster Meteor, the RAF’s

 rst jet  ghter. Brought into service

towards the end of World War Two, the

Meteor soon became famous for its

speed and was used successfully to

intercept V-1  ying bombs. After the

war it continued to be developed and

re ned – it served with other nations,

including Australia and Argentina, and

was also an effective night- ghter.

We pay tribute to this important type

and examine its history in our June

issue, on sale in the UK on May 1 – see

page 110 for our latest money-saving

subscription offers.

Struck by

P

erhaps the most easily

recognised US-built World

War Two fighter, due to

its distinctive twin-boom

configuration, the Lockheed P-38

Lightning was a versatile machine

much loved by its pilots. This set

of colour images highlights some

of the markings and paint schemes

used on Lightnings during the

conflict.

Warren E

Thompson presents

some rarely seen colour

images of the Lockheed

P-38 Lightning in service

A photo-reconnaissance Lightning F-5B (left) with a

P-38J over California in late 1943.

Struck byStruck by

Warren E

Lightning

A Lightning of the USAAF 14th FG at Triolo, Italy,

in late 1943. BILL HESS VIA WARREN E THOMPSON

A Lockheed P-38E Lightning on a test fl ight.

WARREN BODIE VIA WARREN E THOMPSON

A P-38J in fl ight over northern California in 1944.

ALL LOCKHEED VIA WARREN E THOMPSON UNLESS NOTED

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