Reply #11: P-38's made a remarkable contribution to the Pacific War when

[rasputin1952]

a flight of them shot down Yamamoto and his entourage in The South Pacific.

The P-38, because of it's capacity to fly long and hard, was the only plane at the time that could have accomplished such a mission. The Japanese were astounded that they had been attacked by airplanes from such a distance, and the loss of Yamamoto can not be overstated. From that day forward, the strategic aspect of the Pacific War changed and while not assured, Allied victory was certainly enhanced.