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The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is a World War II-era American piston-engined fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. Allied propaganda claimed it had been nicknamed the fork-tailed devil (German: der Gabelschwanz-Teufel) by the Luftwaffe and "two planes, one pilot" by the Japanese. The P-38 was used for interception, dive bombing, level bombing, ground attack, night fighting, photo reconnaissance, radar and visual pathfinding for bombers and evacuation missions, and extensively as a long-range escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks under its wings.

For more information on the P-38 Lightning, please visit the United States Army Air Force Resource Center.

• surveyed Jul 1, 1944

• Construction #: 222-5202
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Crashed and burned at end of runway at Paine Field, WA Nov 14, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5203
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Condemned May 30, 1944

• Construction #: 222-5204
• retained by Lockheed and used as a test aircraft with raised and lengthened tailbooms in plan to mount Lightnings on floats for Pacific operations. Also fitted with an engineer/observer seat.
• Surveyed Aug 19, 1943

• to reclamation at Chicago, IL Nov 28, 1944

• Construction #: 222-5206
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Jul 1, 1944 at Attu, AK.
• condemned Jul 1, 1944

• (343rd FG) lost Mar 6, 1944.
• MACR 3007

• wrecked 1 mi N of Miles Field, CA Apr 5, 1942

• to reclamation at Luke Field, AZ Mar 22, 1945

• Construction #: 222-5210
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Wrecked at Paine Field, WA Aug 1, 1942

• wrecked near Zeto Point, AK Mar 20, 1943.
• Pilot killed

• wrecked E of Paine Field, WA Feb 17, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5213
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• (55th FG, 38th FS) hit snow bank while landing at Pendleton AB, OR Jan 30, 1943, repaired.
• W/o Nov 15, 1943 at Oxnard, CA

• pilot bailed out 12 mi SW of Muroc AB, CA Jun 15, 1943

• crashed into ocean off Venice CA May 16, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5216
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Apr 30, 1945 at Shemaya, AK.
• salvaged May 29, 1945

• crashed at Mitchel Field, NY May 27, 1942.
• Pilot killed.

• to RFC at Smyrna, TN May 29, 1945

• wrecked at Muroc AAB, CA Dec 6, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5220
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Dec 6, 1942 at Muroc AB, CA.
• Repaired (?).
• Wrecked in crash landing May 30, 1943

• Construction #: 222-5221
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Crashed on Muroc range May 6, 1943.
• Pilot killed.
• W/o May 30, 1943 at Amchitka, AK

• Construction #: 222-5222
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Wrecked in landing accident Longview, AK Dec 25, 1942.
• w/o May 8, 1942 at Muroc, CA

• Construction #: 222-5223
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• w/o Dec 25, 1942 at Longview, AK

• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942
• condemned Jul 30, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5225
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o at March Field, CA Feb 16, 943

• condemned Mar 16, 1943

• to CL-26 at San Bernardino Jul 16, 1943.
• Donated to Santa Barbara

• Construction #: 222-5228
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• w/o Dec 16, 1943 in Alaska.
• Condemned Dec 24, 1943

• crashed after low-altitude spin May 7, 1942 at Hamilton Field

• Construction #: 222-5230
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942. W/o Jul 13, 1944 at Santa Rosa, CA

• Construction #: 222-5231
• crashed in San Francisco Bay May 27, 1942

• condemned Nov 30, 1943

• condemned Jan 18,1943

• surveyed Jul 20, 1944

• condemned Dec 20, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5236
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o May 24, 1943 at Amchitka, AK
• condemned May 31,1943

• salvaged Sep 9, 1945

• Construction #: 222-5238
• w/o Mar 11, 1942 at Hamilton Field, CA
• to CL-26

• wrecked off Mills Field in San Francisco Bay Sep 21, 1942

• condemned Sep 23, 1942

• wrecked off Pt. Reyes, CA Apr 26, 1942.
• Pilot MIA.

• Construction #: 222-5242
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o May 5, 1943 at Muroc, CA

• Construction #: 222-5243
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Jul 26, 1943 at Amchitka, AK, condemned Sep 9, 1943

• condemned Dec 26, 1942

• condemned Oct 28, 1942

• condemned Dec 30, 1942

• Crashed into Puget Sound, WA Nov 17, 1942
• Pilot bailed out

• Construction #: 222-5248
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Apr 30, 1943 at Paine Field, WA,
• surveyed May 11, 1943

• Construction #: 222-5249
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Oct 26, 1942 at Longview, AK
• condemned Oct 28, 1942

• surveyed Jan 14, 1943

• condemned Dec 3, 1943

• Construction #: 222-5252
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o May 2, 1943 in Salton Sea, CA
• surveyed May 5, 1943

• crashed off Piane Field, WA Feb 26, 1942 during landing approach

• crashed McChord Field, WA May 30, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• force landed after engine fire Jul 18, 1943, Muroc AAB, CA

• Construction #: 222-5256
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Oct 4, 1943 at Glendale AAF, CA,
• surveyed Oct 7, 1943

• crashed 10 mi N of Tacoma, WA Jun 7, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• to reclamation at Buckley Field Jul 3, 1946

• wrecked at Lakewood, WA Mar 3, 1942

• crashed 2.5 mi SE of Mines Field Aug 19, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• surveyed at Olympia, WA Jan 29, 1943

• (54th FG) wrecked at Fort Glen, AK Jul 22, 1942

• wrecked at Mines Field, CA May 27, 1942.
• To CL-26

• condemned Jan 12, 1943

• wrecked at Muroc AB Dec 14, 1942.

• retained by contractor as NX91300 for experiments. Modified with lengthened pilot gondola section and all controls moved 3 feet forward into new cockpit section, original cockpit becoming an observer's position.
• To RFC Mar 19, 1946.
• Later used as test aircraft for XF-90 program.
• Crashed on takeoff from Phoenix, Arizona Oct 24, 1962

• Construction #: 222-5267
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• Wrecked in landing accident Mar 12, 1943 at Attu, AK

• condemned Dec 31, 1943

• crashed on Maynard Peak, WA May 12, 1943.
• Pilot never found

• to RFC at Ontario, CA Jul 7, 1945

• to reclamation at Luke Field Mar 30, 1946

• Construction #: 222-5273
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Sep 3, 1943 at Muroc, CA

• ditched off North Island May 3,1942.
• To CL-26

• crashed 1 mi N of Olympia Airport, WA Mar 3, 1942.
• Pilot killed.

• creashed E of Redwood City, CA Mar 15, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• Construction #: 222-5278
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942
• condemned Apr 2, 1943

• crashed at Muroc AB Feb 13, 1943.
• Pilot killed

• (329th FG, 331st FS)
• wrecked at Muroc AB Jan 10, 1943

• wrecked at Portland AB, OR Apr 27, 1943

• Construction #: 222-5282
• w/o Jul 20, 1942 at Olympia, WA,
• condemned Nov 17, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5283
• wrecked at March Field Apr 21, 1942.
• w/o Jun 11, 1942 at North Island NAS, CA. To CL-26

• to RFC at Ontario, CA Jul 7, 1945

• condemned Dec 26, 1942

• surveyed Dec 23, 1942

• salvaged May 12, 1942

• Assigned to 83rd FS/78th FG.
• crashed near Shellville, CA, 15 mi N of Hamilton Field, CA Sep 8, 1942.
• Pilot killed.
• Wreck to CL-26 Apr 8, 1943.

• Construction #: 222-5289
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Oct 29, 1943 at Salinas AAF, CA
• surveyed Nov 15, 1943

• to CL-26 Oct 6, 1944

• Redesignated to RP-38E
• Assigned to 372nd FS/360th FG at Santa Maria AAF, Santa Maria, CA
• damaged Mar 5, 1944 when collided with a tow target at Santa Maria.

• Construction #: 222-5292
• w/o Oct 12, 1942 at Elmendorf Field, AK
• condemned Oct 12, 1942

• to reclamation Aug 14, 1945

• crashed near Watershed Park, WA Apr 4, 1942.
• Pilot killed.

• crashed into motor pool at Camp Granite, CA Aug 14, 1943.
• Pilot killed

• overshot landing and crashed McChord, WA Jun 13, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• Construction #: 222-5297) redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Sep 12, 1944 at Alexai, AK,
• condemned Oct 24, 1944

• Construction #: 222-5298
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Jul 22, 1943 at Longview, AK

• crashed at Port Angeles, WA Dec 16, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• Construction #: 222-5301
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Jan 8, 1944 at Santa Maria AAF, CA
• surveyed Jan 12, 1944

• to RFC at San Bernardino Mar 17, 1945

• Construction #: 222-5303
• W/O aPR 3, 1942 at Olympia Airport, WA
• to CL-26 Apr 22, 1942

• crashed at Olympia, WA Jun 13, 1942.
• Pilot killed

• surveyed Sep 2, 1944

• in accident at Ellington Field, Texas Sep 20, 1943.

• salvaged May 29, 1945

• crashed in fog at Paine Field, WA Apr 2, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5309
• w/o Jun 27, 1943 at Fort Glen, AK
• condemned Jun 27, 1942

• Construction #: 222-5310
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Dec 29, 1944 in Alaska
• condemned Dec 29, 1944

• Construction #: 222-5311) redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942. W/o Mar 15, 1944 at Santa Cruz Island, CA

• Assigned to 55th FG/338th FS
• crashed on takeoff from Port Angeles, WA Jan 14, 1943

• to reclamation at Lemoore AAF, CA Apr 1, 1946

• condemned Jun 15, 1942

• Construction #: 222-53150
• redesignated RP-38E Oct 22, 1942.
• W/o Dec 21, 1943 at Salinas AAB, CA,
• surveyed Dec 22, 1943

• Construction #: 222-5316
• Originally ordered as P-38E, but completed as F-4-1-LO
• Assigned to 8th PRS
• Crashed in NE New Guinea Sep 14, 1942.
• Pilot KIA.
• Condemned Oct 31, 1944.
• SOC Jan 9, 1945

• Construction #: 222-5317
• Originally ordered as P-38E, but completed as F-4-1-LO
• Salvaged Feb 12, 1942.
• SOC Jan 17, 1946

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