The P-38 Lightning was a twin-engine air superiority fighter of the war. It served in both Europe and the Pacific. P-38s were preferred in the Pacific because flying was either over dense jungle or the ocean; the safety of a second engine was important. The leading American Ace during WWII was Richard Bong with 40 victories, all scored in P-38s. For a time, Bong flew with the 39th Fighter Squadron. In total, 1,800 Japanese planes were destroyed by P-38s in the Pacific.

The P-38 was designed by a Lockheed Aircraft team that included famous aircraft designer “Kelly” Johnson. It was the only American front-line fighter in production from the beginning of WWII until the end. It was one of the first 400 mph fighter in history and one of the few with a 40,000 foot ceiling.

This aircraft was dug out of the jungle near Finschhafen Airfield, Papua New Guinea, where it had been buried following the war. It was restored by WestPac Restorations in 2017. It has the most significant combat history of any of the museum’s aircraft. It was assigned to the 39th Fighter Squadron, and is the only P-38 flying in the world today with known combat history.