Franklin Mint ART 98113 1:48 Lockheed P-38 Lightning Pudgy V Thomas McGuire 431st FS *FLAWED*

An imposing and highly detailed 1:48 scale diecast representation of Lockheed P-38 Lightning “Pudgy V”, associated with Major Thomas B. McGuire Jr., one of the most successful American fighter pilots of the Second World War. Released as part of the Franklin Mint Armour Collection, ART 98113 recreates McGuire's famous twin-engine fighter while serving with the USAAF 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group in the Southwest Pacific.

Thomas McGuire joined the newly formed 475th Fighter Group during 1943 and became closely associated with the P-38 Lightning. He ultimately received credit for 38 aerial victories, making him the second-highest-scoring American fighter ace of the Second World War.

McGuire named a succession of five P-38 Lightnings “Pudgy” after his wife Marilynn, who had carried the nickname since her school years. Each aircraft also carried his individual squadron number 131 on the nose and tail, creating one of the most recognisable personal aircraft identities of the Pacific air war.

“Pudgy V” was the final P-38 in this sequence and carried the serial number 44-24155. The aircraft served with the 431st Fighter Squadron, part of the celebrated 475th Fighter Group “Satan's Angels”, during operations in the Philippines in late 1944.

Although ART 98113 is frequently catalogued by Franklin Mint dealers as a P-38J Lightning, the historic Pudgy V was actually a P-38L-1-LO. The broader P-38 Lightning designation has therefore been used for this listing while retaining the original collector catalogue information in the fact sheet below.

The model recreates the aircraft in a polished natural-metal finish with prominent USAAF insignia, the red aircraft number 131, distinctive Pudgy V nose artwork and McGuire's victory markings. Its twin-boom tail, central cockpit nacelle, paired Allison-engine housings and concentrated nose armament capture the unmistakable appearance of the Lightning.

Designed by Lockheed as a high-performance interceptor, the P-38 first flew in 1939. Its unusual twin-boom configuration, tricycle undercarriage and counter-rotating propellers distinguished it from almost every contemporary fighter. The aircraft's long range made it particularly valuable in the vast Pacific theatre, where it was used for interception, bomber escort, reconnaissance and ground attack.

This retired Franklin Mint release has substantial display presence due to its large 1:48 scale and heavyweight diecast construction. Fine detailing includes the glazed cockpit and interior, twin engine nacelles, landing gear assemblies, panel lines, cooling intakes, propellers, nose-mounted armament and authentic Pudgy V markings.

Fact Sheet

Model Dimensions

Model Condition - Fair (5/10)

• The model is in fair condition overall due to the significant paint and undercarriage door issues noted below.
• Severe paint bubbling is present across the topside and underside of the fuselage and wings.
• The tail section appears to be unaffected by the paint bubbling.
• One of the undercarriage doors has broken, but the detached piece is included for possible repair.
• A white mark or area of wear is present across the red stripes immediately before the main tail section.
• Please inspect all images thoroughly before purchasing, as they show the model’s condition and imperfections in detail.
• Please note that the model is ART 98113, although the accompanying box is marked ART 98137. The correct ART 98113 box would have featured the same design, with only the barcode and product details differing.

Box condition - Very Good (7/10)

• The box is in very good condition overall, with some shelf wear present.
• The box remains structurally sound.
• Please note that the box is marked ART 98137 and is not the model’s original matching box.

Photographed under studio lighting to highlight even the smallest imperfections. Buy with confidence, what you see is exactly what you get.

Any imperfections are shown in the images and description. Refer to the grading tab for more details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.