P-38 Lightning // Richard Bong's "Marge"Lockheed P 38 Lightning airplane model. The Lightning was designed in 1937 as a high altitude interceptor. The first one built, the XP 38, made its public debut on February 11, 1939 by flying from California to New York in seven hours. Because of its unorthodox design, the airplane experienced "growing pains" and it required several years to perfect it for combat. Late in 1942, it went into large scale operations during the North African campaign