P-38 Lighting flying training program
Pictured here is Milo Burcham, Lockheed’s ace test pilot, as he stands at the counter of PAAB’s operations building. On September 16, 1944, Burcham, flying a P-38 with incredible ease and skill, put his ship through some of the most difficult maneuvers in flying in a flight over the Portland Army Air Base. Besides being tremendously exciting, his flight proved to be an invaluable source of inspiration to the pilot trainees of the 432nd Army Air Force Base Unit who would soon be flying P-38’s exclusively. He demonstrated the peak performance that the P-38 could attain. (U.S. Air Force photo)