Editing Lockheed P-38 Lightning (section)

====Western Europe====
Experiences over Germany had shown a need for long-range escort fighters to protect the [[Eighth Air Force]]'s heavy-bomber operations. The P-38Hs of the [[55th Fighter Group]] were transferred to the Eighth in England in September 1943, and were joined by the [[20th Fighter Group]], [[364th Fighter Group]], and [[479th Fighter Group]] soon after. P-38s and Spitfires escorted Flying Fortress raids over Europe.{{sfn|Spick|1983|p=94}}

Because its distinctive shape was less prone to cases of mistaken identity and [[friendly fire]],{{sfn|Tillman|2004|p=8}} [[Lieutenant General]] [[Jimmy Doolittle]], commander of the 8th Air Force, chose to pilot a P-38 during the [[invasion of Normandy]], so he could watch the progress of the air offensive over France.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060323234712/http://www.hotlinecy.com/Interviews/doolittle.htm "Interview with General James H. Doolittle".] ''Hotlinecy.com''. Retrieved: 6 February 2009.</ref> At one point in the mission, Doolittle flick-rolled through a hole in the cloud cover, but his [[wingman]], then–Major General [[Earle E. Partridge]], was looking elsewhere and failed to notice Doolittle's quick maneuver, leaving Doolittle to continue on alone on his survey of the crucial battle. Of the P-38, Doolittle said that it was "the sweetest-flying plane in the sky".<ref name=Lockheed1958>''Of Men and Stars: A History of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, 1913–1957''. Burbank, California: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, 1958. p. 11.</ref>

[[File:P-38s-370fg.jpg|thumb|P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group at [[RAF Andover]] in southern England]]

A little-known role of the P-38 in the European theater was that of fighter-bomber during the invasion of Normandy and the Allied advance across France into Germany. Assigned to the [[IX Tactical Air Command]], the [[140th Operations Group|370th Fighter Group]] and [[474th Fighter Group]] and their P-38s initially flew missions from England, dive-bombing radar installations, enemy armor, troop concentrations, and [[flak tower]]s, and providing air cover.<ref name=370th>[http://www.armyaircorps.us/370th_Fighter_Group.cfm "Army Air Corps, World War II: 370th Fighter Group".] ''Living History Group''. Retrieved: 14 December 2009.</ref> The 370th's group commander Howard F. Nichols and a squadron of his P-38 Lightnings attacked [[Field Marshal]] [[Günther von Kluge]]'s headquarters in July 1944; Nichols himself [[skip bombing|skipped]] a {{convert|500|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bomb through the front door.<ref>''Achtung Jabos! The Story of the IX TAC.'' Stars and Stripes Publications, Information and Education Division, Special and Informational Services, ETOUSA, 1944.</ref> The 370th later operated from [[Cardonville]], France, and the 474th from various bases in France, flying ground-attack missions against gun emplacements, troops, supply dumps, and tanks near [[Saint-Lô]] in July and in the [[Falaise pocket|Falaise]]–[[Argentan]] area in August 1944.<ref name=370th/> The 370th participated in ground-attack missions across Europe until February 1945, when the unit changed over to the [[P-51 Mustang]]. The 474th operated out of bases in France, Belgium, and Germany in primarily the ground-attack missions until November–December 1945.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/474th_Fighter_Group.cfm | title=474th Fighter Group - WWII - World War II - Army Air Forces }}</ref>

After some disastrous raids in 1944 with B-17s escorted by P-38s and [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]]s, Doolittle, then head of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, went to the Royal Aircraft Establishment, [[Farnborough Airport|Farnborough]], asking for an evaluation of the various American fighters. Test pilot Captain [[Eric Brown (pilot)|Eric Brown]], [[Fleet Air Arm]], recalled:

<blockquote>We had found out that the Bf&nbsp;109 and the FW&nbsp;190 could fight up to a Mach of 0.75, three-quarters the speed of sound. We checked the Lightning and it couldn't fly in combat faster than 0.68. So, it was useless. We told Doolittle that all it was good for was photoreconnaissance and had to be withdrawn from escort duties. And the funny thing is that the Americans had great difficulty understanding this because the Lightning had the two top aces in the Far East.{{sfn|Thompson|Smith|2008|p=240}}</blockquote>

After evaluation tests at Farnborough, the P-38 was kept in fighting service in Europe for a while longer. Although many failings were remedied with the introduction of the P-38J, by September 1944, all but one of the Lightning groups in the Eighth Air Force had converted to the P-51 Mustang. The Eighth Air Force continued to conduct reconnaissance missions using the F-5 variant.<ref name="Baugher European"/>