Luftwaffe Loss ...a P38 Lightning

[Stig Jarlevik]

[quote=Maciej Góralczyk;313556]Lockheed construction numbers recorded with small digits on the nose can be seen throughout the entire production run, I've seen them on Js as well - in such cases the last digits of the USAAF serial number are sometimes superimposed with large digits over the small c/n - see example here: https://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/21474


The photo in question might be found in 'Ali Straniere in Italia vol.6' p.7 and Avions No.210 p.24 (perhaps also in other sources, but I have these two publications at hand). It clearly isn't a J or L as it does not have the chin distinctive for these versions, nor a recon variant. /QUOTE]

Ah yes, one of those. Indeed a Lockheed c/n. However whenever you can view a complete aircraft, that is see both the tail number AND the nose number, they basically always correspond. I have plenty of those.

Also looked in my copy of Ali Vol 6 page 7 and I agree it is a Lockheed number and not a USAAF s/n. Only the digits 67 are readily visible. 7167? Could well be. The date of the US loss is said to be 12 June 1943.
Looking in MAW 4 they have a 3 PRG ('P-38' s/n unknown) flown by 2/Lt Hartle as lost that day. Aircraft captured and pilot POW.
Since the aircraft in the photo is not a PR version, the question arises, did the PRGs also have pure fighter aircraft at their disposal?
The Italians further complicate the situation by stating (on page 69) "that USAAF archives reveal s/n 43-2439 was reported missing (that day I presume) but no details are given about the unit and the theater of operations". The booklet also connect this aircraft to the German T9+XB.

I don't have any P-38/F-5 IARC but I have looked at many others, and it is rare indeed for any of them to mention any unit.
Again I agree it would be interesting to see the cards for both of them, but 43-2439 should correspond to c/n 322-3548 and that is certainly not what we can read on the nose of the aircraft!

Cheers
Stig