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 P-38 Lightning interceptor that was flown by USAAF ace Major Robin Olds when he was attached to the 479th Fighter Group. Sold Out!

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

Release Date: January 2007

Historical Account: "Geometry Course" - The red rudder was adopted in place of the 434th Fighter Squadron as a geometric symbol around the time of D-Day. Robin Olds flew at least two P-38Js during his initial months of combat with the 479th Fighter Group, this aircraft almost certainly being the last of them.