P38 Lighting
The twin-boomed Lightning was a revolutionary
design for a long range interceptor fighter. It served in all
theaters of war, and was the main mount of many of America's top
aces in the Pacific theater. Major Richard Bong scored his 40 kills
flying P-38s in the Pacific. P-38s were also used in the famous
mission that intercepted and shot down Japanese admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto over
Bougainville. The P-38's high speed and large nose section
(which was a good location for recon cameras) made the plane a natural for
photographic reconnaissance missions. P-38s that were used in
this role were re-designated as F-4s and F-5s.
This is part of a
series of 23 caches dedicated to the American Aircraft of
WWII. Each cache is
dedicated to a particular aircraft model and can be logged as an
individual find. The
series consists of 16 regular caches and 7 mystery
caches. The series will
be divided into 5 sub-series, one for each category of aircraft
(
Fighters, Bombers,
Seaplanes, and X-series Prototypes) and a final series
consisting of three of the most recognizable aircraft of WWII.
(P51 Mustang, B17 Flying Fortress and B29 Super
Fortress).
This cache is part of the FIGHTERS sub-series.
The log contains a code used to find the final of this
sub-series: American
WWII Aircraft-FIGHTERS (
GC1BHV4).
FIGHTERS = N40 51.P40/P38
W074
32.
F4U/F6F
This cache is located along a portion of the Randolph
Trails. These
trails are well maintained and easy to walk. There is parking for this cache
located at N40 51.752
W074 32.420.
Trail maps are readily available at most of the trail
heads. Randolph’s trail system runs a 16-mile
course traversing five parks, the Clyde Potts Reservoir
Watershed and 2,000 acres of pristine open space. The trails
link together schools with neighborhoods and connect to
Patriots’ Path at Combs Hollow and Old Brookside. Randolph’s trails should be
viewed as a work in progress as the township continues to
pursue easements and funding to expand our trail network. The
township funds 90% of design and construction costs through
state grants and developer contributions. Over $1.5 million
in state grants and developer contributions has been invested
in Randolph’s trails. Open year round, the trails
can be used from dawn to dusk and are closed at night. During
the winter months, there is no snow or ice removal, providing
a wonderful opportunity for cross-country skiers and snowshoe
enthusiasts.