It was fast, heavily armed and extremely versatile. And many believe the Lockheed P-38 Lightning to be the finest American fighter of WWII. Its low-drag, aerodynamic shape and heavy weight enabled this twin-engine, twin-boomed aircraft to accelerate to high speeds faster than any previous warplane, making it a potent fighter and a superb fighter-bomber. Popular among fighter pilots, P-38s carried out the intercept mission that downed Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the Mediterranean, Luftwaffe pilots showed respect for the Lightning by calling it "der gabelschwanz teufel" (the forked-tail devil). The ultimate P-38 was flown by Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, who were among the most successful American fighter pilots in history.

Pictured here is an extraordinary 1:72 scale diecast replica of a Lockheed F-4-1-LO Lightning interceptor flown by the 1st Photo Reconnaissance Unit during 1943. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 8-3/4-inches
Length: 6-1/4-inches

Release Date: May 2007

Historical Account: "Say 'Cheese'" - Australia's association with the Lockheed Lightning had its beginnings in August 1942, when two batches of F-4 photographic reconnaissance variants of the P-38E arrived in Melbourne by sea. By December 1942, 1PRU had relocated to Coomalie Creek in the Northern Territory. Following the fatal crash of A55-2 in November, a replacement Lightning was obtained from the USAAF's 8PRS, and this airplane was delivered to 1PRU as A55-3 on March 16th, 1943. The plane was fitted with two K-17 photo cameras.