FINALLY saw a P-38 fly

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, Dale said:
From memory only, all P-38s had counter-rotating props. The early

No, the British ones turned the same way. They also didn't have
superchargers, which probably explains why P-38s are thought of as a
Pacific theatre plane.

The British rejected the special run of P-38s and they were used for
training in the US. Give me some time and I can even dig up the exact
designation and probably the serial numbers. The British version wasn't
actually designated a P-38 and something of an oddball. Wish I could
remember the title of the book. You really can have to many books
sometimes, but that is another story and part of how I got started in
flying.

The P-38 was used quite a bit in Europe and the Pacific by the US until it
was replaced by the P-51. I don't think the British ever flew a P-38 in
combat.
The F-4/F-5 (P-38 photo versions with no guns) recce birds remained for a
time after the regular P-38s were retired.

Which reminds me of a joke about the pilot who screams over the radio
in a panic "My engine quit. What do I do?"

To which the old P-38 pilot replies "Feather the prop, bank into the good
engine and fly it home."

The other pilot replies "But I only have one engine it's a P-51".

The old P-38 pilot replies back. "Then I guess you are going swimming."

Or something like that. So I was told or maybe read somewhere.

The British rejected the special run of P-38s and they were used for
training in the US. Give me some time and I can even dig up the exact
designation and probably the serial numbers. The British version wasn't
actually designated a P-38 and something of an oddball. Wish I could
remember the title of the book. You really can have to many books
sometimes, but that is another story and part of how I got started in
flying.

That would probably be "Fork-Tailed Devil" by Martin Caidin.

An absolutely outstanding book, by the way. It started my love affair with
the P-38 when I first read it, some 35 years ago...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"