GeminiJets Gemini Aces GAUSA8001
Lockheed P-38L Lightning Diecast Model
USAAF V Fighter Command, #44-23964 "Yellow 42", Dick Bong, Tacloban, Phillipines, October 1944 | Limited Edition
750
Pieces Worldwide |
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| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Lockheed P-38L Lightning | | 6.25" | | 8.75" |
Already an Ace with 30 kills to his name, Maj. Dick Bong returned to combat in the autumn of 1944 for his third tour, in a non-combat role as V Fighter Command's senior gunnery instructor. Sensing the opportunity for more aerial kills with the impending retaking of the Philippines, Bong contacted the 49th FG CO, Lt.Col. George Walker and asked him if he could fly attached to his old group for a while. The colonel readily agreed and commandeered a brand new P-38L-1, #44-23964 from the 8th FS to serve as Bong's personal mount. The ace claim six additional kills with this fighter between 10 October and 11 November 1944, taking his score to 36 victories. 44-23964 was subsequently lost while being flown by 49th FG Deputy Ops Officer Maj. John Davis on 28 November, the pilot perishing when the fighter stalled soon after taking off from Tacloban.
Designed to meet a USAAC requirement for a high-performance fighter, the P-38 Lightning was first flown on January 27th, 1939. The easily recognizable P-38 had twin-booms, twin turbo-supercharged engines, a central pod for the pilot, contra-rotating propellers and tricycle landing gear. Its roles included dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photo reconnaissance. When equipped with drop tanks it was also flown as a long-range escort fighter. The Lightning's armament was clustered in the nose of the plane, which gave the pilot a direct line of site to the target and also gave the weapons a "buzz saw" effect that was useful for strafing. © Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Gemini's 1:72 scale P-38 Lightning uses a mix of plastic and metal parts, with all-metal wings, tail booms and fuselage, and a plastic horizontal stabilizer. Special attention has been paid to the supercharger detail on the turbine and bearing cooling duct and on the supercharger cooling and side mounted ram air intakes. Details such as the mass balance weights, crew access ladder, pitot tube, nose-mounted antenna and engine water supply lines—visible inside each wheel well—are separately applied. Other details include engine radiators, and radio equipment located in the rear bay.
© Copyright 2003-2013 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The GeminiJets "Gemini Aces" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military aircraft.
GeminiJets "Gemini Aces" diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with minimal use of plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Detailed cockpit interiors.
- Selected moveable control surfaces.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels.
- Metal presentation stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
- Authentic ordnance loads complete with placards.
- Photo-etched, spinning metal propellers.
- Accurately detailed underside with concealed screwheads.
© Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
