Hi, P-38 Fans:
I recently had one of our P‑38 pilots ask me how we came up with so much new and relevent content for this newsletter, considering that it's about a WWII plane.
It's not really that difficult because the larger our newsletter readership grows, the more good photos, articles, links and other info they send in to us.
As a matter of truth, we've starting receiving so much new material that it's virtually impossible to include it all, so we've decided to migrate a lot of it to our website instead. The home page of our website now has a "What We've Added Lately" section in the right-hand column. That will be an easy way for you to find a lot of the photos, videos and info that we just don't have room for in the newsletter. Thanks to our readers for creating this problem. It's a nice one to have!
Thanks also to the thousands of you who continue to enjoy this newsletter each month and to all of you who continue to contribute to its success!
Blue skies,
We thought you might like to know if there is a P‑38 coming to an airshow near you, so this is the latest we've heard:
Glacier Girl -- Although this isn't an airshow, we thought you might like to know that Glacier Girl stopped back by the Planes of Fame in Chino on her way home. The excellent crew there is making some repairs, and we've heard that she will remain there until the 17th, when the 475th FG will be making their presentation (see more on that below.)
Glacier Girl will also be appearing at these upcoming air shows (You can get all the details by clicking on the underlined link for each event.):
Wings over Houston: Oct 31 & Nov 1
Randolph AFB: Nov 7 & 8
23 Skidoo -- Speaking of the Planes of Fame, their beautiful P‑38 will be in the air on October 17 at the Planes of Fame 475th Fighter Group dedication.
Allied Fighters' P‑38 (Jack Croul)
This 38 will be flying at Edwards AFB for the "Flight Test Nation" air show. She will be in the Heritage Flight on Oct. 17. Air show details here.
To read about the recent air shows at Camarillo, Sacramento and Reno, check out the "Association News" below.
The Planes of Fame has a new hangar dedicated entirely to the P‑38, thanks to Lee Northrop and a group of committed volunteers from the 475th Fighter Group. The public is welcome to the Grand Opening ceremony (Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 10:00am - 11:30am).
You can be among the first members of the public to see the exhibits and rub elbows with the 475th Fighter Group's aces, pilots, mechanics, crew, family and friends. There will also be a P‑38 in the air and opportunity for photos and autographs, so if you're a fan of the P‑38 and live within driving distance of the Southern California area, this is a rare opportunity that you shouldn't miss!
P-38 Hangar Dedication Press Release
(Includes complete details about the event.)
Allied Fighters, in Chino, CA, has a newsletter online now that you're going to enjoy. This is the outfit, as you know, which owns one of the surviving and very active P-38s. One of their pilots, Jeffrey Harris, is a good friend to the P‑38 National Association and can often be found at the helm of their 38. Check it out here.
Also be sure to bookmark their website, because they have all the latest info on when their P‑38 will be where!
PUTT-PUTT MARU - NEW paint scheme
We mentioned awhile back on our blog that the P‑38 painted with this nose art had changed hands and is now owned by Tom Friedkin of Houston, TX. Well, we've now heard that not only will she have a new paint job (OD), but she'll also be sporting new nose art. If you'd like to see her old paint, check out the "Surviving P-38s" page on our website. Pat Carry sent us this link with a couple of great close-up photos on what looks like the new scheme. When we hear, you'll hear.
Newsletter reader, Mike Szwedo, has this very nice piece of trench art, and he is trying to research its origins. He says: "It belonged to my dad who died in 1995. Inscribed on the side of the base it says..."To Mother and Dad New Guinea 1944'. Unfortunately, I have no idea where he got it. He was 82nd Airborne, Belgium, Battle of the Bulge." If anyone might have any info and resources for Mike, please let us know.
Lego™ P-38
Wanna teach someone how to build a P-38 with Legos? Here you go.
WoodMarvels Video
Here a cute video of how to assemble this wooden P‑38 plus a link to their website if you decide you can't live without one.
Fun! If you're looking for a great costume for Halloween (whatever your age), check out the ones in our gift shop.
And if you do decide to "go military" on Halloween, send us a photo for next month's issue!
We received several emails on this great story in the current issue of the Smithsonian's "Air & Space" magazine. The title of the article kind of says it all: "Can This P‑38 Be Saved? Lockheed P‑38 Lightnings brought many a pilot home. This pilot would like to return the favor."
Here's the article. You might want to read it quickly, as magazines are famous for removing online stories way too soon.
There are now more P-38 videos on YouTube than we can keep up with, so if you want to immerse yourself in them, just go to YouTube and do a search for "P-38 Lightning." There is some really awesome stuff on there now.
(You can click the speaker button
below to mute the sound if you'd like.)
Good Historical Video
Lots of classic footage and good technical info about all the capabilities of the P-38.
You Have GOT To See This Video!
I mean, come...on! This is one of those "Holy Cow!" videos. If you've ever watched video of air shows where the pilot seems to have lost all control of the airplane, and then pulls it out of a flat spin or such...have you ever seen anyone do it in a P-38? It's a little more than half way into the video. Check it out.
Nice RC Video
For all your RC fans out there (and there seems to be a BUNCH of you), here is a nice video of two RC P‑38s, including one dedicated to Richard Bong. Done in an unusual and nice sepia tone, it's backed by a great and complete version of the Air Force song "Wild Blue Yonder." All the verses!
Red Bull P-38
A new, amateur video of the Red Bull P-38 in the air, as well as a close-up of her startup at the Wings & Wheels 2009 event in Europe.
Here's a beauty of the Red Bull P‑38, taken by Stefano Vettorazzi this past September. (Click to enlarge photo.)
Many of you may have seen the famous shot of the P-38 and the wind tunnel test, but Matthew Robinson, of the NASA Langley Research Center, has sent us these photos of the P-38 at NASA Langley Research Center's Full Scale Tunnel. Matthew has sent us some other great info on this test as well as Tow Tank Ditching tests video. We'll be adding all of these great details to our website, but in the meantime, here are a couple of these cool photos, dated 12-11-1941. (Click to enlarge).
(From POSSUM, CLOVER AND HADES; Chapter XI : The Lindbergh Visit, July-August 1944)
(Generals) MacArthur and Kenney had been persuaded to allow (Charles) Lindbergh back on combat missions. He had convinced them that the more he learned of actual operational problems the more he could pass on in terms of his expertise. On July 16 (1944) he landed in a P-47 that he agreed to ferry to Owi Island.
Four days later Lindbergh and Colonel Morrissey were waiting in the morning at the end of the strip in their P-38s for Colonels MacDonald and Smith. At precisely 10:00 the pair of them buzzed their waiting on the strip below, and Lindbergh and Morrissey were off to join them.
The sweep covered the southern part of the bird’s beak on the southwestern part of the Vogelkop. Several barges and buildings were strafed by MacDonal and Smith, but no other significant action was encountered from the arc of the flight that covered the distance from the Pisang Islands to Fakfak, and as far south as Ceram.
By the latter part of July the value of Lindbergh’s lessons of fuel economy was beginning to take effect on the 475th. . . . Pilots found that Lindbergh’s technique gave them much more latitude in skirting or enduring adverse weather. More pilots began to realize that the P-38 could overcome virtually all obstacles that weather could present, the twin-engine fighter seemingly possessing an unlimited flight endurance.
From all accounts, it is clear that the pilots of the 475th took Lindbergh to their hearts and considered one of their own. In return, he considered them rough hewn for the most part, and criticized them for their shock-troop appearance, bawdy decorations on their P-38s and especially for the brutal attitude toward the enemy.
One of the pilots that Lindbergh spent a great deal of time with was Major Tom McGuire. Much has been made in written accounts of the fact that McGuire persistently taunted Lindbergh and made him do small favors, knowing full well that that Lindbergh could not effectively retaliate because of his tenuous guest status. Other 475th people claim that the bantering between the two men was mutual and generally good-natured.
Lindbergh was an incorrigible practical joker who enjoyed putting a mild stunt to the unsuspecting. One rumored turnabout that he is supposed to have dealt to McGuire is said to have happened when McGuire casually requested him to retrieve the ace’s famous battered service hat. Lindbergh apparently hastened off and later returned with a second-lieutenant’s flight cap about three sizes too big. (!)
Although most of our newsletter subscribers have had no problem, two of them have said that the photos in this newsletter are turning up as black boxes. Since the photos show up for most people, the problem seems to be with the settings on these folks computers. If any of you know the right settings for them to use, could you please email us so we can help them.
Well, it's been crazy busy around here the past few weeks. There have been a lot of end-of-the-summer Air Shows, and we've been represented at most of them by our President, Bob Alvis.
AIR SHOWS
First stop was the "Wings Over Camarillo" Air Show, where there were two P-38s participating -- the Allied Fighters' P‑38 (with Jeff Harris driving), and the Planes of Fame P-38, 23 Skidoo, with Steve Hinton behind the wheel. That was a very rare treat indeed for fans of the Lightning.
Next at bat was the "Capital Air Show" in Sacramento, CA, where they had the unexpected treat of 
having Glacier Girl
for a couple of days. Bob said that he has never seen such enthusiasm for the P-38 from an air show crowd. Not only did they get to see Glacier Girl they also got to meet with Bob Cardin, Project Manager of the Glacier Girl Expedition, which made it all the more special for the fans.
There was a HUGE showing from the Sacramento group, "The Fork-Tailed Devils" who get together once a month to shmooze about all things P‑38. Among that group were Elmer Becky and Cecil Rigsby (pictured), both members of the P‑38 Association. Cecil always keeps a supply on hand of our P-38 lapel/hat pins and earrings, ready to dispense whenever he wants to. Cecil has been a Life Member of our Association for many years and is one of our strongest supporters. (Click on photos to see large version. You'll be able to see Bob Cardin tucked over on the side of the Elmer Becky photo.)
And, finally, the Reno Air Races. Glacier Girl flew from Sacramento over to Reno to participate in that show, and famed P-38 pilot Steve Hinton got to be a proud papa when his son Steve, Jr. won the Race. At 22 years old, Steven became the youngest pilot to win the paramount event at the Air Races.!
FUTURE PLANS
Although things typically begin to slow down around this time of the end-of-the-year holidays, we have some big plans in the hopper for 2010. You can read about part of them in the President's letter in the next issue of "Lightning Strikes," but a few of the biggies haven't been announced yet.
In the meantime, mark your calendars for next June's General Membership meeting at the Planes of Fame's Valle location. We've got some surprises up our sleeve that you won't want to miss, including bringing 23 Skidoo in for those ride alongs (fingers crossed and radiators cooperating).
FEEL BETTER, PAT
We also want to send our love and best wishes to Pat Peters, who was recently hospitalized with a fairly serious health challenge. We're thinking of you, Pat, and hope you're on the comeback trail.
Donations
If you'd like to support the P-38 Association (any donation at all will help), just click the button below. Thanks! We appreciate it.
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Donors
Our Membership Chairman is in the process of a big move to Arizona, so we will include the list of this month's donations and new members in next month's newsletter.*
No "New Members" list this Edition.
Our Membership Chairman is in the process of a big move to Arizona, so we will include the list of this month's donations and new members in next month's newsletter.*
P-38 Keepsake Box
This beautiful box features "Yippee" -- the 5,000th P-38 Lightning to roll off the production line.
This hardwood box is perfect for storing mementos and the spring-loaded hinged lid stays open without tipping the box over and snaps closed securely.
Made of solid hardwood with high-gloss lacquer finish
Interior is fully lined in velvet; bottom is covered with felt
Measures 5.5" x 5.5" x 2.25" with a 4.25" x 4.25" ceramic tile
$29.95
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