06/14/2026
Did you know⁉️The Museum’s Lockheed P-38J Lightning, “23 Skidoo,” holds a mathematically perfect spot in history?
Out of the 10,037 total P-38 Lightnings built by Lockheed during World War II, our airframe was the 5,018th off the assembly line in Burbank, California. That means "23 Skidoo" represents the exact mathematical halfway point of the entire production run.
Unlike most WWII fighters with wing-mounted guns, the P-38's four .50-caliber machine guns and 20mm cannon were packed directly into the nose, allowing pilots to fire a straight, devastating stream of lead. The Lightning was the mount of America’s top two aces of all time: Major Richard B**g (40 victories) and Major Thomas McGuire (38 victories).
Today, "23 Skidoo" is one of only a handful of P-38 Lightnings left in the world that is still flyable. Come see this piece of living history up close!