Out of the slosh of manufacturers' publicity releases, out of starry-eyed speeches about far-distant planes that will "make the angels gasp," one fact emerged last week: the U.S. has another pursuit plane in battle and the first reports look good. Lockheed's long-ranged, twin-Allison-engined P-38, nicknamed Lightning, suddenly blossomed into action around the world:
> Operating from Guadalcanal with Flying Fortresses, P-38s shot down five Japanese Zeros without loss to themselves.
> In North Africa, P-38s destroyed 20 Italian troop transports, three other planes, eleven tanks in a couple of days. Against Germany's...
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