This is a P-38L built by Lockheed at Burbank which was taken up by the USAAF in July 1945 as 44-53232, painted to represent a P-38J of the 55th FS based at Wittering and Kings Cliffe in England. In fact the aircraft was immediately converted to an F-5G reconnaissance variant but was civilianised in 1946 as N66678 and was raced as #11, named "City Slicker". Sold to the Honduran AF as FAH505 in 1949, in returned to the US in 1960 and after storage at Kelly AFB, TX, it was ferried to the USAFM in May 1961 and soon displayed in the current scheme outdoors

Slide taken in the outdoor aircraft display area at the old museum site. This is actually P-38L 44-53232 marked as P-38J 42-67855 of the 55th Fighter Squadron. This a/c was moved to the current museum and is on display in the WW 2 Gallery in the same markings.

This L was built around 1944 and TOC with the USAAF as 44-53232. After WWII it passed into civilian hands and then served with the Honduran AF between 1949 and 1960 as FAH505. It came to the National Museum of the USAf in 1961 and is displayed as a P-38J with the 55th FS based in England. The top hats on the port side of the aircraft represent the nine bomber escort missions flown by its pilot, 2nd Lt. Royal D. Frey, with the yellow hat signifying five and the white hats one each.