After eight decades, one of World War II’s most storied fighter aircraft has returned to the air.

On June 25, 2025, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum’s (FHCAM) combat-veteran Lockheed P-38J Lightning, known as Jandina III, completed its first post-restoration flight at Stephens County Airport in Breckenridge, Texas. Flown by Kevin Eldridge, the test hop marked the triumphant revival of an iconic warbird that once helped shape aerial history in the Pacific Theater.

By Jarryd Sinovich

This remarkable P-38 isn’t just any Lightning — it was flown by USAAF ace Captain Jay T. Robbins, who scored his 18th and 19th kills in this very aircraft. Robbins, ultimately credited with 22 confirmed victories, named all five of his P-38s Jandina, blending his nickname “Jay” with his wife Ina’s name.

Originally delivered in 1943 and assigned to the legendary “Headhunters” of the 5th Air Force’s 80th Fighter Squadron, Jandina III carried distinctive nose art of a Buddha with raised hands and a scoreboard of Japanese flags — a testament to Robbins’ skill and his squadron’s fierce reputation.

After a nose gear failure forced an emergency landing in 1944, the airframe was abandoned and lost to time — until decades later, when it was recovered in Papua New Guinea and painstakingly traced and authenticated through Pacific Wrecks’ dedicated research.

A Resurrection Decades in the Making

Thanks to the expert team at Ezell Aviation and the vision of Jason Muszala’s The Roost — co-founded with Steuart Walton — Jandina III has been lovingly restored as both a technical marvel and a flying tribute to the men who flew and fought in the P-38 Lightning.

The reborn Lightning will make its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in July 2025 before taking up permanent residence at FHCAM in Everett, Washington — ensuring the spirit of Captain Robbins and his fellow airmen will inspire new generations for years to come.