Lockheed
P-38 Lightning. Twin engine fighter, Lockheed Lightning of the US Air
Force in aviation art prints by aviation artist Ivan Berryman, Robert
Taylor and Nicholas Trudgian. Aviation art prints of the P38 Lockheed
Lightning available from aviationprints.co.uk.
Fork Tailed Devil (Lightning) by Ivan Berryman It was during the inter-war period that a reawakening interest in twin
engined fighter design prompted several countries to investigate a number
of revolutionary concepts, of these only the Lockheed's sleek and unconventional
P.38 was to be put into large scale production, proving to be a versatile
and dominant fighter possessed of extremely long range, good speed and
manoeuverability and a formidable armament. When production ceased in
1945, 9,923 examples of the P38 "Lightning" had been delivered.
A Pair of Aces by Stan Stokes. In
1936 the Lockheed Aircraft Company won a contract to produce a high
altitude interceptor for the USAAC. This contract was won despite the
fact that the company had been nearly bankrupt in 1932, and had never
produced a fighter aircraft. Mr. Kelly Johnson, Lockheeds chief designer
on the project, settled on a design incorporating a twin engine scheme
utilizing twin booms to house the aircrafts supercharged engines, and a
central nacelle which housed the pilot and all the armament. Despite an
unfortunate crash of the prototype, the USAAC was impressed with the
aircraft, and a production order was placed for the first P-38
Lightnings.The P-38 was to prove to be one of Americas top fighters of WW
II. The Lightning was fast, very heavily armed, had excellent range, and
a great rate of climb. The aircraft was capable of flying with only one
engine, and this proved advantageous in improving long range
reliability. The two most effective models were the J and the L, of
which more than 6,000 were produced. One early technical problem with
the aircraft was the loss of control during high speed dives when the
aircraft obtained speeds approximating 500 MPH. This problem was
ultimately solved by the addition of a dive flap beneath the spar to
offset a nose down tendency during such dives. Nicknamed the twin tailed
devil by the Germans, the P-38 saw a lot of action in the Pacific where
its great range was a more important asset. Americas two top aces of the
War were P-38 pilots serving with the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest
Pacific. Major Richard Bong was a soft spoken Wisconsin native who
achieved 40 confirmed victories, but was killed on August 6, 1945 while
testing a P-80 jet over Southern California. On July 26, 1943 Bong
achieved four victories on a single mission.Thomas McGuire was born in New Jersey, and enlisted in the Army
as an aviation cadet in 1941. Between August 1943 and January 1945
McGuire was credited with 38 victories. McGuire and Bong flew together
in combat on many occasions. On December 7, 1944 both Bong and McGuire
chalked up two kills during a mission over Ormoc Bay. McGuire was
ultimately killed in combat in early 1945 when he stalled his P-38 prior
to an engagement with the enemy. Both of these gentlemen received the
Congressional Medal of Honor, and both flew aircraft named after women
who would become their wives. The print depicts both Bong and McGuire
over the Southwest Pacific in 1944. Bongs Marge is in the foreground,
with McGuires Pudgy off his wing.
A Pair of Aces by Stan Stokes.In
1936 the Lockheed Aircraft Company won a contract to produce a high
altitude interceptor for the USAAC. This contract was won despite the
fact that the company had been nearly bankrupt in 1932, and had never
produced a fighter aircraft. Mr. Kelly Johnson, Lockheeds chief designer
on the project, settled on a design incorporating a twin engine scheme
utilizing twin booms to house the aircrafts supercharged engines, and a
central nacelle which housed the pilot and all the armament. Despite an
unfortunate crash of the prototype, the USAAC was impressed with the
aircraft, and a production order was placed for the first P-38
Lightnings.The P-38 was to prove to be one of Americas top fighters of WW
II. The Lightning was fast, very heavily armed, had excellent range, and
a great rate of climb. The aircraft was capable of flying with only one
engine, and this proved advantageous in improving long range
reliability. The two most effective models were the J and the L, of
which more than 6,000 were produced. One early technical problem with
the aircraft was the loss of control during high speed dives when the
aircraft obtained speeds approximating 500 MPH. This problem was
ultimately solved by the addition of a dive flap beneath the spar to
offset a nose down tendency during such dives. Nicknamed the twin tailed
devil by the Germans, the P-38 saw a lot of action in the Pacific where
its great range was a more important asset. Americas two top aces of the
War were P-38 pilots serving with the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest
Pacific. Major Richard Bong was a soft spoken Wisconsin native who
achieved 40 confirmed victories, but was killed on August 6, 1945 while
testing a P-80 jet over Southern California. On July 26, 1943 Bong
achieved four victories on a single mission.Thomas McGuire was born in New Jersey, and enlisted in the Army
as an aviation cadet in 1941. Between August 1943 and January 1945
McGuire was credited with 38 victories. McGuire and Bong flew together
in combat on many occasions. On December 7, 1944 both Bong and McGuire
chalked up two kills during a mission over Ormoc Bay. McGuire was
ultimately killed in combat in early 1945 when he stalled his P-38 prior
to an engagement with the enemy. Both of these gentlemen received the
Congressional Medal of Honor, and both flew aircraft named after women
who would become their wives. The print depicts both Bong and McGuire
over the Southwest Pacific in 1944. Bongs Marge is in the foreground,
with McGuires Pudgy off his wing.
Lightning by Stan Stokes. The P-38 Lightning was the only twin engine day time
fighter produced in America during WWII. It was also one of
the most effective American fighters of the War, and was the mount for
our two top-scoring aces of the war.
Bogeys Eleven O Clock High by Robert Taylor Commemorates the Yamamoto Mission, April 18, 1943. Lightning's
approaching Bougainville.
Yamamotos Last Flight by Stan Stokes.
On
April 18, 1943, in one of the more interesting, daring, and ultimately
controversial missions of WW II, a flight of P-38s under the command of
Major John Mitchell, intercepted and destroyed the aircraft carrying
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined
Fleet, and the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American code
breakers had intercepted and translated a message indicating that Adm.
Yamamoto would fly from Rabaul to an airfield on the southern tip of
Bouganville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Because of the great
distances to be covered during this intercept mission the P-38s would
have very limited time over the rendezvous area. Fortunately for the
Army Air Force pilots, Yamamoto was noted for his punctuality, and if he
departed Rabaul on time the mission might just work. Major Mitchell led
his flight of 16 P-38s to the rendezvous, with twelve of his fighters
acting as high cover to fend off escorting fighters, while four pilots
were designated as the killer flight by Mitchell and were to destroy the
Mitsubishi Betty which would be carrying the Admiral. Two betty bombers
and six Zero fighters were encountered. Both Bettys were downed by the
killer flight and one of the four P-38s in the killer flight was lost.
Unfortunately, this marvelous mission has also been surrounded by more
than its share of controversy. One of the three surviving pilots of the
killer flight was Thomas Lamphier. Lamphier claimed that only he fired
the fatal shots into Yamamotos Betty. In 1972 the Air Force reviewed all
relevant information surrounding the flight, including testimony from a
surviving Japanese fighter pilot on the mission and a surviving
passenger on the second Betty. The official Air Force decision in 1972
was that both Lamphier and his wingman Rex Barber should share equal
credit. In March of 1985 another Victory Credit Board of Review was
convened, and it too concluded that the victory should be shared. Later
that year new evidence was put forward in the form of a taped interview
with one of the surviving Zero pilots, Kenji Yanagiya. Yanagiyas
testimony clearly supported the Rex Barber account of the mission and
not that of Lamphier. Lamphier, who died in 1987, continued to be
outspoken until his death in his claims. In 1993, The noted aviation
historian, Carroll Glines published an excellent book entitled Attack on
Yamamoto. The bulk of the evidence presented in Glines book supported
the conclusion that only Rex Barber probably deserves credit for the
victory. More recently a board assembled by the American Fighter Aces
Association met and reviewed all available facts. That Board decided
that only Rex Barber deserves the official credit for downing Yamamoto.
Despite all this unfortunate controversy one cannot deny that the
mission to intercept Yamamoto was the longest successful mission of its
type in WWII. Yamamotos death boosted morale in the United States,
shocked the Japanese public, and was ultimately symbolic of the turn
around in the War in the Pacific, which began at Midway in 1942, and
gathered momentum in 1943.
Coming In Over the Estuary by Robert Taylor In Robert Taylor's panoramic painting, P-38J Lightnings of the 364th
Fighter Group return from a strafing mission over France in the summer
of 1944. Making their land-fall at just 100 feet, they skim across an
estuary on England's south coast, near the old village of Bosham. With
his unmistakable skill and vivid imagination Robert cleverly contrasts
the exhilaration of the low-level combat flying, with the peaceful
atmosphere of a quiet coastal setting, emphasising that curious blend of
war and peace that was the daily lifestyle of the World War II flyer.
This classic aviation painting provides collectors with a wonderful
study of a memorable warbird
Lightning Encounter by Nicholas Trudgian P-38 Lightnings launching a surprise attack on a German freight train
as it winds its way through the hills of Northern France towards the
battle front, shortly before D-Day, 1944.
Lightning Strikes 7 Times by Stan Stokes.
The Lockheed
P-38 Lightning, called the Fork-Tailed Devil by Luftwaffe pilots in
Africa, was one of the largest fighter aircraft to see service during WW
II. Flight-testing of the YP-38 prototype was completed in 1941. The
first P-38s put into service were dedicated to the defense of the West
Coast following the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the spring of 1942 plans
were laid to deploy P-38s in Europe. By adding drop tanks the maximum
range of the Lightnings were increased to a whopping 2200 miles, making
ferry trips to Europe possible. All three P-38-equipped fighter groups
in Europe (82nd FG, 1st FG, and 14th
FG)
were transferred to North Africa in late 1942. These P-38 fighter groups
were soon seeing serious combat action in the Mediterranean & North
African theaters. The experienced Luftwaffe pilots learned that the
P-38s should be attacked at altitudes below 15,000 feet, where they had
difficulty maneuvering with the Bf-109s they frequently encountered.
Despite these limitations the P-38s had tremendous climbing capabilities
and were very effective gun platforms against German and Italian
bombers. The Allison engines on the early P-38s were somewhat
temperamental and actually caused more difficulties and aircraft losses
than enemy action. Most problems related to an inadequate engine cooling
system and the lack of cowl flaps. At altitude, gas problems could cause
the Allison engines to burn out their valves, backfire through the
intercooler ducts, and throw rods. Such problems could often result in
the loss of the aircraft. Another problem was compressibility that was
encountered during high-speed dives. During this problem the controls
might seize up causing the aircraft to go into an uncontrolled dive. As
a result P-38 pilots early in the War would often choose not to pursue
Axis fighters into a high-speed dive. Both the engine cooler and
compressibility problems were eventually solved by the time the P-38J
variant was introduced. The large size of the P-38 was both an asset and
a liability in combat. The large size made the aircraft easier to spot
at distance, but provided a more effective gun platform for downing
bombers. Col. William Leverette was a P-38 ace with the 14th
FG, attaining 11 confirmed aerial victories. Leverette was born in
Florida in 1913, and earned an engineering degree from Clemson
University in 1934. He joined the U.S. Army in 1934, and was accepted
for aviation cadet training in 1939. Earning his wings in 1940 he was
initially based at Selfridge Field in Michigan with the 31st
Pursuit Squadron. When War came to America, Leverette was sent to North
Africa with the 337th FS of the 14th FG. Flying
the P-38, Leverette broke into the scoring column in a most spectacular
manner when he managed to splash seven Ju-87s on a single mission on
October 9, 1943. Leverettes flight of six aircraft rushed to the defense
of a British Cruiser and several destroyers that were under attack by a
large group of enemy Ju-87s and Ju-88s. In an exciting 15-minute air
battle, the P-38s managed to down sixteen Stukas and one Ju-88.
Leverette received credit for seven. Later during his combat tour he
would down two Bf-109s and two Me-110s. Leverette remained with the Air
Force after the War, rising to the rank of Colonel prior to his
retirement to Florida in 1965. Col. Leverette passed away in April 2003
at the age of 89.
Pacific Glory by Nicolas Trudgian.One of the most successful of the P-38 equipped units
was the 475th Fighter Group, Satans Angels, and it is the P-38s of this
famous unit that Nicolas Trudgian has portrayed in his tribute to the
American Air Forces that made Victory in the Pacific possible. It is
March 1945 and the P-38s of the 475th FG are involved in a huge dogfight
with Japanese Zeros over the coast of Indo-China. Flying Pee Wee V is Lt
Ken Hart of the 431st Fighter Squadron, who has fatally damaged a Zero
in a blistering head on encounter. The second P-38 – Vickie –
belongs to Captain John Rabbit Pietz, who would end the War an Ace with
six victories.
Wide Horizons by Robert Taylor A superb study of the legendary P-38 Lightning, this print
commemorates the American Air Forces that operated in the European
Theater
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
by Michael OLeary.. The Cadillac of USAAF fighters in World War 2, the
Lightning was a highly innovative design produced by Lockheed of Burbank,
California, in response to a challenging requirement for a long range,
high speed and high altitude fighter to escort the AAFs rapidly expanding
B17 and B24 Heavy bomber fleets. To meet the criterion laid down in the
requirement, the company adopted a revolutionary twin boom layout and
supercharged Allison engines. The latter initially proved troublesome but
the gremlins were eventually sorted out and the type went on to see much
action in Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Pacific and the
CBI. Using the best Lockheed official and private archival black and white
photographs available, combined with period colour advertisements, a
double-page cutaway drawing and scale plans, this volume reveals all
facets of the Lightnings construction and frontline use.
Hostile Sky by Robert Taylor
A B-24 has been hit and is losing touch with the main bomber formation, as Luftwaffe pilots concentrated their attentions on the unfortunate aircraft. Two Fw190s, are zooming up for the kill on the damaged B-24. Seeing the desperate situation, a P-38 escort pilot has made a head-on attack, splitting the pair of Fw190s, and thwarting their attempt to finish off the B-24. Another P-38, aware of the situation, is turning into the path of the Fw190s, and Robert makes it clear in his dramatic portrayal that the action has some way to go before any conclusion will be reached.
The relief of Bastogne turned the tide in the Battle of the Bulge and Hitlers final great offensive of World War II lay in ruins. P47 Thunderbolts of the 406th Fighter Group, in company with P38 Lightnings, support the advancing armor of General George Pattons US Third Army as they prepare to relieve the battered 101st Airborne Division from their heroic defence of Bastogne during the final climax to the Battle of the Bulge, 24 December 1944. The Battle of the Bulge was one of the largest land battles of WWII with more than a million American, British and German troops involved, incurring huge casualties on all sides and this release pays tribute to the sacrifice of Allied Forces, during this important milestone in World War II.
Item Code : DHM2595
Thunderbolts and Lightnings by Nicolas Trudgian. - Editions Available
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Limited Edition : Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Full Item Details
Print paper size 30.5 inches x 23.5 inches (77cm x 59cm)
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning, called the Fork-Tailed Devil by Luftwaffe pilots in Africa, was one of the largest fighter aircraft to see service during WW II. Flight-testing of the YP-38 prototype was completed in 1941. The first P-38s put into service were dedicated to the defense of the West Coast following the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the spring of 1942 plans were laid to deploy P-38s in Europe. By adding drop tanks the maximum range of the Lightnings were increased to a whopping 2200 miles, making ferry trips to Europe possible. All three P-38-equipped fighter groups in Europe (82nd FG, 1st FG, and 14th FG) were transferred to North Africa in late 1942. These P-38 fighter groups were soon seeing serious combat action in the Mediterranean & North African theaters. The experienced Luftwaffe pilots learned that the P-38s should be attacked at altitudes below 15,000 feet, where they had difficulty maneuvering with the Bf-109s they frequently encountered. Despite these limitations the.........
In Robert Taylors panoramic painting, P-38J Lightnings of the 364th Fighter Group return from a strafing mission over France in the summer of 1944. Making their land-fall at just 100 feet, they skim across an estuary on Englands south coast, near the old village of Bosham. With his unmistakable skill and vivid imagination Robert cleverly contrasts the exhilaration of the low-level combat flying, with the peaceful atmosphere of a quiet coastal setting, emphasising that curious blend of war and peace that was the daily lifestyle of the World War II flyer. This classic aviation painting provides collectors with a wonderful study of a memorable warbird.
Item Code : DHM2134
Coming In Over the Estuary by Robert Taylor. - Editions Available
With 12 victories to his credit, William Sloan was the highest scoring pilot of the 96th FS/82nd FG and is shown here in his P.38 Snooks IV ½, a reference to the fact that this aircraft was made up of so many cannibalised parts from other P.38s.
Item Code : B0309
Lt William J Dixie Sloan by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
The P-38 Lightning was the only twin engine day time fighter produced in America during WWII. It was also one of the most effective American fighters of the War, and was the mount for our two top-scoring aces of the war.
On April 18, 1943, in one of the more interesting, daring, and ultimately controversial missions of WW II, a flight of P-38s under the command of Major John Mitchell, intercepted and destroyed the aircraft carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American code breakers had intercepted and translated a message indicating that Adm. Yamamoto would fly from Rabaul to an airfield on the southern tip of Bouganville on the morning of April 18, 1943. Because of the great distances to be covered during this intercept mission the P-38s would have very limited time over the rendezvous area. Fortunately for the Army Air Force pilots, Yamamoto was noted for his punctuality, and if he departed Rabaul on time the mission might just work. Major Mitchell led his flight of 16 P-38s to the rendezvous, with twelve of his fighters acting as high cover to fend off escorting fighters, while four pilots were design.........
Fighter, bomber, night-fighter, reconnaissance together with many other variants made the P-38 Lightning one of the most adaptable and respected aircraft of World War 2. The P-38 serving in Europe and the Mediterranean theatre, earned it the German nickname The fork-tail devil. The total production of the P-38 was 9,924.
The P-38 made its combat debut in Europe in mid-1942, the first American fighters being flown to the UK before heading further east to Twelfth Air Force units in North Africa. Its service in this theatre, and later over the heartland of Germany itself, earned the P-38 the nickname der gabelschwanzer Teufel (the fork-tailed devil) This volume traces the careers of many previously unknown aces within the USAAF in Europe, and helps redress the balance which has in the past seen all the glory for the fighter victories in this theatre shared between the pilots of the P-47 and P-51. Some 17 pilots scored 7 or more kills on the P-38 in the ETO/MTO.
Item Code : OSAA0019
P-38 Lightning Aces of the ETO/MTO. - Editions Available
A P-38 Lightning from the 20th Fighter Group based at Kings Cliffe, England, during the summer of 1944. The Lightning, with its radical twin-engine, twin boom design, dubbed by the Germans the fork-tailed devil, was one of the toughest, hard-hitting and most versatile fighters of its day.
Item Code : DHM2654
P-38 Lightning by Nicolas Trudgian. - Editions Available
Stan Stokes painting depicts a P-38 mission flown by 10 Fighter Group pilots Milton B. Adams, Joe Gunder, and Bill Harris in early February 1945. The 18th Fighter Group, part of the Thirteenth Air Force, moved its base of operations to Lingayen Gulf from Mindoro in early 1945. The group participated in numerous daylight strafing missions of Japanese targets on Northern Luzon. The missions were largely very successful and the Japanese had a high chance of getting hit hard by the 18 h whenever they attempted to move men or supplies. In response to the punishment being inflicted by these missions, the Japanese switched to nighttime truck convoys. Typically accompanied by numerous trucks with either 50 caliber or 20min quad machineguns, the nighttime convoys became the principal means for moving both arms and supplies south. Although the P-38 Lightnings flown by the group were not equipped for night fighting, and the pilots lacked any training for such missions, the pilots felt that under.........
By any military standards, it is difficult to imagine the Supreme Commander of the largest air force of the day, piloting himself over the battlefront during the early moments of one of historys greatest military operations. But General Jimmy Doollittle was no ordinary commander. Already awarded Americas highest decoration for valour, General Doolittle was, by the summer of 1944, in command of the American 8th Air Force. On the morning of 6 June, D-Day, he dispatched 1350 bombers together with his entire fighter force to attack enemy ground installations near the beachheads. Sitting around waiting for intelligence reports was not Jimmy Doolittles style. He was going to see for himself what was happening! With Pat Partridge as wingman, they took off flying P-38 Lightnings - chosen for their distinctive profile in the hopes they would deter friendly fire - and climbed above the overcast. Having observed the 8th Air Forces operations at first hand, as they turned for home, Doolittl.........
The highest scoring US pilot of the Second World War, Richard Bong, is depicted in his personal P.38J Marge, claiming just one of his 40 confirmed victories. Insisting that he was not the greatest of marksmen, it was Bongs habit to manoeuvre to impossibly close distances before opening fire on his opponents. His eventual total may well have been greater than 40, as a further 8 probables could be attributed to him, together with 7 damaged. He was killed whilst testing a P.80 jet for the USAF in August 1945.
Item Code : DHM1883
Richard Bong by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
It was during the inter-war period that a reawakening interest in twin engined fighter design prompted several countries to investigate a number of revolutionary concepts, of these only the Lockheeds sleek and unconventional P.38 was to be put into large scale production, proving to be a versatile and dominant fighter possessed of extremely long range, good speed and manoeuverability and a formidable armament. When production ceased in 1945, 9,923 examples of the P38 Lightning had been delivered.
Item Code : B0025
Fork Tailed Devil (Lightning) by Ivan Berryman - Editions Available
