Lockheed P-38 Lightning (WW 2): Books - History (1/2)

Fork-Tailed Devil - The P-38: The full story of the best American fighter plane of WW II, and the men who flew it

One of America's greatest military aviation historians relates the astonishing - and true - story of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the only American warplane to fight in every operational theater in World War II from Pearl Harbor to Alaska and North Africa to Northern Europe.

Martin Caidin was the author of over fifty books and more than a thousand magazine articles and was recognized as one of the outstanding aeronautics and aviation authorities in the world. He twice won the Aviation/Space Writers Association award as the outstanding author in the field of aviation. Caidin died in March 1997.

Lightning Strikes : The Lockheed P-38

This book tells the full story of one of the most successful and versatile aircraft of the Second World War. The P-38 (including its F-4 and F-5 photo reconnaissance models) eventually served with all the USAAF's numbered overseas air forces, from early 1942 to VJ Day.

The book describes the Lightning's design and its technical details as it gradually evolved and improved, from the original XP-38 to its final variant, the P-38L-5. The main focus is on its service in the combat theatres, from the frigid, windswept Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific to the steaming jungles of the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, the burning sands of North Africa and the more temperate climes of Europe.

All the units that flew the Lightning are included, as are the experiences of many of their pilots and groundcrewmen as they fought the Japanese Empire and the European Axis. Also related are the P-38's service with foreign (non-U.S.) air forces, its postwar commercial utilization as civilian aircraft and the surviving examples in museums around the world.

The book is extremely well illustrated by over 400 high-resolution photographs, art work and graphics, and is supplemented by detailed appendices.

P-38 Lightning (Vol.1) - Lockheed's XP38 to P38H in World War II

This first of two volumes presents the P-38 story by focusing on the early models of this historic fighter-XP-38 through P-38H. Each type is examined through carefully researched archival photos, as well as photographs of currently preserved examples.
Known to the enemy during World War II as the "Fork-tailed devil," the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was piloted by those who were charged with the responsibility of escorting American bombers deep over heavily defended Europe during the early years of the air campaign against Nazi Germany.

Detailed text and captions illustrate not only the design and construction of the early-war Lightnings, but also their combat use in WWII. Large, clear photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the airfield and in the sky with this historic aircraft. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

P-38 Lightning (Vol. 2) - Lockheed's P-38J to P-38M in World War II

This second of two volumes continues the P-38 story by focusing on the later, mass-produced models of this historic fighter-P-38J through P-38M. Each type is examined through carefully researched archival photos, as well as photographs of currently preserved examples.
Known to the enemy during World War II as the "Fork-tailed devil," the pilots of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning were charged with the responsibility of escorting American bombers deep over heavily defended Europe during the early years of the air campaign against Nazi Germany. In the Pacific, the Lightning's long range was put to good use flying over vast expanses of ocean.

Detailed text and captions illustrate not only the design and construction of the later-war Lightnings, but also their combat use in WWII. Large, clear photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the airfield and in the sky with this historic aircraft.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the P-38 was the first U.S. fighter of WWII to compare favorably with the Spitfire and Me-109. The twin-tailed, single seat "Fork Tailed Devil" carried four .50-caliber machine guns and a 20mm cannon, and could fly at speeds above 400 mph. An extremely successful design, over 9500 Lightnings were built by V-J Day in 1945.
Originally classified "Restricted", this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form.