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| USAAF 5th AF  Justin Taylan 2003 |
Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38F Lightning serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF). No known nickname, nose art or markings. This aircraft was likely damaged, written off and abandoned at one of the Dobodura area airfields. Until the early 2000s, the nose section remained in situ in the Dobodura area. Wreckage In the early 2000s, the nose section was recovered by Robert Greinert and exported to Australia. During 2003, the nose section stored in a hangar rented by Robert Greinert at Bankstown Airport. During 2006, the aircraft removed were cited as an illegal recovery in the PNG Government Public Accounts Committee Report (PAC Report). In late 2024, a Lockheed P-38J Lightning was listed for sale on Controller for an asking price of $575,000 with a photograph of this same nose section offered for sale by Aircraft Sales Ltd with contact details for Graham Orphan in Blenheim, New Zealand. The listing's photo number 2 showed the "original wreck" with the description: "This package is on offer by one of the few adventurers who have had sufficient drive and commitment to go into remote parts of difficult and at times dangerous countries to rescue aircraft that would otherwise be swallowed up by nature or scrapped, as has already happened to so many. No one has salvaged more P-38 wrecks and this necessary component has allowed for the rebuilding of these important aircraft, even though some of the wrecks were very challenged and in some cases, could only provide limited materials for inclusion in the completed aircraft" The description of an "adventurer" in the description is very similar to the wording used by Robert Greinert on his former website JungleBob.com.au to describe himself and by Graham Orphan who is also the editor and publisher of Classic Wings Magazine who has written articles about Greinert and sold aircraft on his behalf. The same listing and asking price remained on online as of December 15, 2025 indicating there are no buyers to date. Reference Papua New Guinea (PNG) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report to National Parliament Inquiry into the national museum and art gallery and the sale and export of the swamp ghost aircraft, September 2006 Controller "Lockheed P-38J Lightning" $575,000 via Wayback Machine September 21, 2024 Controller "Lockheed P-38J Lightning" $575,000 as of December 15, 2025 Thanks to Robert Greinert for additional information Contribute
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