P-38 Variations

The P‑38 had several variations which made it all the more versatile for use in combat. In addition to being able to switch out the tanks on the bottom (large fuel tanks for long-range missions OR 500-lb bombs over shorter distances), special P‑38s were built:

"Photo Joes" were gigantic flying cameras, used to take pre-mission target and surveillance photos.

"Night Fighters" (AKA "Night Lightning") guns had special blast shields on the muzzles to prevent blinding the pilots when they were fired.

"Droopsnoots" were converted P‑38Js with a complete bombardier's station located in the nose

"Pathfinders" had special ground-mapping radar.

PHOTO RECON

NIGHT FIGHTER

DROOP SNOOT

PATHFINDER