Soviet P38 Lightnings?

The RAF also had at least ONE P-38L Droop Snoot

Various photos exist of it, usually at RAF Lichfield after the war in full RAF insignia.
Source:MCP book on Lend-Lease
:diablo:

Thanks for all your feedback folks,all much appreciated. Interesting story about the two in Portugal,I knew they’d had one but didn’t realise another had escaped! There’s a picture of the one that stayed alongside the P39’s in Squadron/Signal’s “P38 Lightning in Action”. The comparitive trials with the Lavochkin make interesting reading,thanks for posting Jan. It’s amazing to hear the La had a longer range!
Looks like I’ll have to ditch the Russian markings idea for my model,though.

The book “Lavochkin’s Piston-Engined Fighters” (Red Star Vol 10) by Yefim Gordon contains the following information on a Russian Lightning;

“Several months before the beginning of the La-11’s flight tests GK NII VVS obtained an example of the Lockheed P-38L-1-LO Lightning twin-engined fighter. Its evaluation, which was completed in April 1947, showed that, despite the Lightning’s high all-up weight (almost twice that of the La-11), its range with drop tanks was inferior to that of the Soviet fighter. Other performance figures, with the exception of the radius of turn and service ceiling, were also lower.”

As for other operators, one P-38 was briefly used by the Yugoslav Air Force between 1945 and 1946. The remains of her should still be preserved in Belgrade.

One interned photo-recce F-5 was test-flown by the Swedish Air Force. It was written-off after a few test flights.

Regards,

Jan

Welcome to the site Oleg. 🙂

Probably 2 airplanes was study at Research Flying institute at war time – both of them was from Poltava airfields or anyone airfields around. Some time i see photos captured P-38 in Poland or Hungary or etc. Never hear that any P-38 was in servise at VVS – only rumors or wrong informations. Some photos available at the book on Russian – author Kotelnikov Vladimir – “Americans at Russia” – subname “Americans airplanes at Russia”

Hi Oleg,

Thanks for the Telp.# I will give him a call, do you know if he sells his book to us Yanks :p

Baka
RER

Sorry but I do not know if Kotelnikov’s book is available at the West – I am only know the Moscow home phone number of Mr.Kotelnikov but I am not sure if he knows English… So if anyone call from Britain or so – tell very-very slowly – Vladimir? Your book “Americans in Russia” is possible for buying? What is the price?
Sorry but it is only way ;))

Probably 2 airplanes was study at Research Flying institute at war time – both of them was from Poltava airfields or anyone airfields around. Some time i see photos captured P-38 in Poland or Hungary or etc. Never hear that any P-38 was in servise at VVS – only rumors or wrong informations. Some photos available at the book on Russian – author Kotelnikov Vladimir – “Americans at Russia” – subname “Americans airplanes at Russia”

Hi Oleg,

Do you know if this book is aviable in the West I would be interested in purchasing it.

Cheers
RER

Hi Ant,

The only referance I have of P-38 in Russian a few that came from Alaska.

The only countrys beside the US to fly them where the Free French, Portuguese,Australian and China. The Brits had a few but they came with out the turbos on them.

I’ll cross check my Lend Lease records to see if anything matchs up but I don’t recall Lockheed getting a contract for P-38s from the USSR.

Cheers
RER

About the Portuguese ownership of the P-38.

It’s a funny story as we had only 1 example of that particular plane. Actually, in the beggining there were 2….

The story goes like this. While in transit to north africa, two P-38 landed in Portela airport and were interned by the portuguese autorities (Portugal was a neutral state in WW2). While in custody one of the American flyers managed to escape from the guards and retake his aircraft and fled away. So we got only one of the P38s to reamin in Portugal. Not sure how it’s performance remained being a one of a kind aircraft here, without spare parts, but it did form a squadron called “OK”, made up with the P-38 and some other P39s that also were interned while in transit.

Cheers

Probably 2 airplanes was study at Research Flying institute at war time – both of them was from Poltava airfields or anyone airfields around. Some time i see photos captured P-38 in Poland or Hungary or etc. Never hear that any P-38 was in servise at VVS – only rumors or wrong informations. Some photos available at the book on Russian – author Kotelnikov Vladimir – “Americans at Russia” – subname “Americans airplanes at Russia”

Hi Ant,

The only referance I have of P-38 in Russian a few that came from Alaska.

The only countrys beside the US to fly them where the Free French, Portuguese,Australian and China. The Brits had a few but they came with out the turbos on them.

I’ll cross check my Lend Lease records to see if anything matchs up but I don’t recall Lockheed getting a contract for P-38s from the USSR.

Cheers
RER