P-38 Lightning Aces of the ETO/MTO

The P-38 made its combat debut in Europa in mid- 1942, the first American fighters being flown to the UK before heading further east to Twelfth Air Force units in North Africa. Its service in this theatre, and later over the heartland of Germany itself, earned the P-38 the nickname 'der gabelschwanzer Teufel' (the 'fork-tailed devil'). Though possesinng a great range that allowed it to escort American 'heavies' well into occupied Europe, the Lightning was plagued with technical problems in its early years in the ETO, and it wasn't until the J-model became available in late 1943 that these were finally cured. This volume traces the careers of many previously unknown aces within the USAAF in Europe, and helps redress the balance which has in the past seen all the 'glory' for the fighter victories in this theatre shared between the pilots of the P-47 and P-51. Some 17 pilots scored 7 or more kills on the P-38 in the ETO/MTO.