Bad Day in a Lightning

[MIflyer]

We have all heard how if a P-38 got into the compressibility region in a dive the pilot had to wait until he got to lower altitudes and thicker air before he could pull out. That was on a good day, but on a bad day.....

 

[Gnomey]

Yikes! Good stuff.

 

[MIflyer]

I wonder if the tail came off because he tried rolling in full up trim and when he hit the thicker air the pull up overstressed the airplane?