Italeri 1/72 P-38 Lightning-J U.S. Fighter (032)

The Lockheed P-38J Lightning was the pinnacle of the twin-boom fighter concept — a long-range, twin-engine fighter that excelled in both the European and Pacific theatres of the Second World War, and the variant that addressed the critical cold-weather cockpit and engine performance deficiencies that had plagued earlier P-38 marks. In the Pacific the P-38 was the mount of America's two highest-scoring aces, Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire, and it was a flight of P-38s that intercepted and shot down Admiral Yamamoto's transport over Bougainville in April 1943 in one of the war's most audacious long-range interception missions. In Europe the J model escorted Eighth Air Force bombers deep into Germany and served with the 15th Air Force from Italian bases. Its instantly recognisable twin-boom silhouette, counter-rotating propellers, and central nacelle make it one of the most distinctive aircraft of the entire war. Italeri's 1/72 kit captures the J variant with accurate layout and marking options for both Pacific and European theatres.

This kit box has been opened but the sprue bag is still factory sealed. Instructions and decals are present. Box shows signs of age-related storage — see photos.