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The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a revolutionary fighter for the time with its tricycle landing gear, twin boom and turbo-superchargers. The first models were accepted by the Army Air Force in October 1941 and, by the end of the war, nearly 10,000 had rolled from the production lines. From introduction until 1945, many modifications were made in the original design to comply with the needs of the air services. On April 18, 1943, a flight of P-38s downed Japans great naval strategist, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, while he was flying on an inspection tour of the Solomon Islands. Due to its unusual configuration, the Lightning was dubbed the fork-tailed Devil by the Luftwaffe and two airplanes with one pilot by the Japanese-grudging respect earned by its formidable appearance and reputation.

Now available as balsa and tissue models, these unique scale construction kits offer an interesting alternative to the wide range of plastic models offered hobby fans. Built as skeleton models (as shown) they make impressive display pieces. Tissue covered and decorated with decal insignia, each model is an eye-catching replica of its namesake. The results are certain to please both the beginner and advanced model builder.

For ages 14 and up

Wing Span: 40 inches

Scale: 1/16

Wooden Airplane Kits (stick and tissue kits) Require: Basic modeling tools, glue and a large amount of patience. Please refer to instructions for a complete list.