P-38 Lightnings captured

W.G.Ewald

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There
were at least two P-38s captured and flown by the Luftwaffe - Serial
number 42-68274 which flew under the German code T9+MK and another (Serial
number not listed) under the German code T9+XB. These aircraft (together
with a slew of other allied aircraft were operated by 2.Staffel,
Versuchsverbund Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe (experimental group,
Commander in Chief Luftwaffe). Mostly these aircraft were used for
familiarization purposes to acquaint Luftwaffe pilots which the
characteristics of allied fighters but some were occassionally used for
cladestine operations.

The Italians also captured one P-38G which landed by mistake on an Italian
airfield (Oops!) and had it remarked with Italian markings. The aircraft
was used operationally on at least a couple occassions, shooting down at
least one B-17. This P-38 was eventually grounded because of engine
damage occassioned by using low octane italian avgas.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.aviation.military/lXUFZSv5G4I
 

W.G.Ewald

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captured aircraft were sometimes flown without
> changing their markings, and one such provided one of the few
> effective combat missions of the YB-40 (the 'assault' version of the
> B-17, with a second upper turret, doubled waist guns, and a chin
> turret that later became standard equipment in the B-17). An Italian
> pilot was using a captured P-38 to shoot down damaged US bombers on
> their way back to bases in North Africa; he would listen to radio
> traffic, and fly out to a damaged bomber to 'escort' it home. With a
> friendly fighter escorting them, the bomber crew would relax, allowing
> him to press home his attack and shoot down the plane quickly. After a
> survivor of one of these attacks was recovered, a YB-40 was added to a
> bomber group, and turned back with radio traffic suggesting it had
> engine trouble. The Italian pilot showed up in his P-38, and knowing
> that no P-38s were operating that day, the gunners in the YB-40
> allowed him to close in to size up his target before blowing him out
> of the sky -- essentially, doing to him what he had been doing to
> them.
Same source
 

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