P38 Lightning in RAF Bomber Command

[Jonny]

I vaguely recall reading a magazine article about a few P38 Lightnings trialled bt RAF Bomber Command for use by 'Master Bombers'.

 

I know Cheshire used P51 Mustangs and Mosquitos to mark targets and (I think) subsequently carry out Mastewr Bonbers duties.  I wasn't aware of P38s being used by RAF Bomber Command for this purpose..

 

The article I read suggested that the P38s were loaned by the USAAF.  The RAF 'Commander' was apparentrly enthusiastic and ordered that when the P38s were returned to the UISAAF they had to be in "perfect condition".

 

Has anyone, anywhere, any information or confirmation about thios please?

 

[Tony C]

It's been discussed somewhere, very recently but buggered if I can remember where!

 

(old age, grumble, moan, mutter )

 

It might have even been on here....

 

I believe it was the P-38J series, with the 'Droopsnoop' version also being trialled and I think I have a picture saved on my computer at home, which I'll paste here tomorrow, if no one else links to the article I'm thinking about, beforehand.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Tony C

[cngaero]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that one P38 was actually test flown by Guy Gibson at some point. I'm not sure of the date or the place though.

I could be a hundred miles out, but a little light did flicker on my dusty old grey cells.

Sorry I can't be of any more help, but good luck in your quest.

 

 

Edit.

 

I should have checked 'tinterweb first:

 

Shown on the Key Publishing site under "Guy Gibson and the use of P38.

 I should have checked first, sorry, but I hadn't had my morning cup of peppermint tea!!!!

 

 In the Jerry Scutts P-38 book from the Crowood series, it states 

“On 6 August a second P-38, L-l 4--
24360, arrived at Coningsby for trials.
Recorded as a 'PB-38' this aircraft had
Droop Snoot configuration and retained
US markings. Owen flew it on several
unspecified trials and on 15 August Wg
Cdr Guy Gibson, VC accompanied ninety-
four bombers to raid Deelen and other
Luftwaffe night-fighter bases. Gibson was
then No. 54 Base Air Staff Officer.”

The first P-38 was the personal aircraft of Air Cdre. Sharp, flown on several occasions by Sqn Ldr Owen, probably in US markings. Following on, the book states:
“The TB-38' was returned to the
USAAF at the end of August but it had
impressed the staff at Coningsby who sent
'their' P-38J to Langford Lodge for Droop
Snoot modification. When it returned to
Coningsby the aircraft had Loran and Gee
as well as twin VHP radios and was given
an overall coat of PRU Blue paint and
RAF markings. It then began target-marking
work, Owen flying it on 23/24 September
on a 5 Group raid on Munster
Handorf airfield. The aircraft flew regularly,
assumedly in the target-marking and
bomber controller roles and was well liked
by its crews.
When Air Cdre Sharp moved to
Northolt, his Droop Snoot Lightning went
with him; after the war '517 was flown to
51MU at Lichfield for disposal, then in
natural metal finish but retaining RAF
markings. It was apparently returned to US control having meanwhile acquired
the as yet unexplained code letters 'DPA”

 

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by cngaero
Update

[Seahawk]

Article by Paul Lucas "Pathfinder P-38s for 5 Group, Bomber Command, 1944", pages 52-55 of Scale Aircraft Modelling Vol 38 Iss 12 (Feb 2017).  Complete with speculative finishes had the aircraft been adopted more widely.  There is an even more detailed article, presumably from someone who had thrashed the same Air Ministry files, in an old issue of Air Britain's Aeromilitaria but I don't have details to hand.