ELINT P-38

I don't think that this has been posted here before.

This was a Electronic Intelligence gathering version of the P-38, used in Europe in WWII. It clearly was based on the Droopsnoot version of the P-38 that carried a bombardier for the purpose of guiding other P-38's to drop bombs in level flight.

However, in this version instead of a Norden bombsight it had what appears to be receiver designed to detect enemy radio transmissions. Since there is an oscilloscope included it was probably radar they were interested in.

So now y'all got yet another use for a Monogram 1/48 P-38J/L!

Interesting.

Back in the late 60's I envisioned an electronic warfare P-38 based on the Monogram model and equipped with both the Droopsnoot nose and the P-38M radar operator's position, equipped with the radar pod. I was glad to see that they had actually done something like that.

I read where a former A-36A pilot in Italy switched over to ferrying aircraft after his first combat tour. One day he was flying a Droopsnoot P-38 and a highly experienced Army captain, on break from combat, asked if he could catch a ride to get to a rest facility. He agreed and strapped the Captain into the nose position. The Captain said that while he had seen a lot of combat he would like to see how the fighter pilots went to war and asked if he would fly as he did in combat; the pilot agreed.

They had a nice flight at low altitude through the mountains of Italy; after landing he asked the Captain how he liked it. There was no answer. Concerned,, he opened the nose compartment and found his passenger ashen faced, with a deathgrip on the seat. Finally, the Captain was able to say, "I always thought you people had to be crazy. Now I know it is true!"