P-38 and a window to the past

Normally I don’t post things like this, but I had the opportunity to watch a rare P38 lightning fly at my local California Capital Airshow. The P-38 was a magnificent aircraft, and one of only a few twin engine fighters in WWII. The pilot could use the dual engines to an advantage, by adjusting power differentials in order to increase turn rates. This, and the advantage of having a backup power plant, along with the speed increase, made the P-38 quite a performer. There are only an estimated 7 left in flying condition worldwide. I captured this on a low level pass with my cheapo 300mm lens and an old D-80. Then ran it through some HDR software. For me, these classic warbirds evoke an era that is rapidly fading in global memory. This window of time just before CAD, before CNC, was the apex of slide-rule engineering, and hand-filed finish. It’s amazing to see what was made during those times, considering the resources available!

-Austin