As promised, as hoped, and as advertised, the world's newest Lockheed P-38 Lightning took off on Saturday, bringing the number in the flying fleet to half a dozen.

Steve Hinton (right, before flight) did the honors, in a half-hour extravaganza highlighted by a couple low passes, for the 20,000 or so who came to Middlesboro, Kentucky to witness the historic event.

What's it like? "I loved it," the veteran hot stick said. "It was perfect."

Perfection was the goal, ever since the recovery of the squashed fighter, ten years ago.

That recovery, from beneath nearly 300 feet of ice in Greenland (right), commenced fifty years after the P-38, along with five others and a pair of B-17s, went down on the frozen island, after running out of gas in bad weather. Though the pilots survived, the planes, after a few furtive recovery attempts, were lost. The snow piled up, and they were gone.

The P-38 didn't have a name when she went down, on her way to help the Allied war effort. Glacier Girl was christened by the recovery crew.

Bob Cardin, the driving force behind this remarkable work, was happy as could be, as he announced again that Glacier Girl would remain on display at the Lost Squadron Museum in Middlesboro. After this flight, he considered the project complete. When, how often, and even if Glacier Girl will fly again, are still 'up in the air.'

On hand among the 20,000 or so who watched the forst flight, was a 'misty-eyed old guy' named Brad McManus. He was one of the pilots who landed on that icepack some sixty years ago, as a member of what became known as the Lost Squadron. The flight obviously had a special meaning to him...

Congratulations to Bob Cardin; and thanks to everyone whose expertise and efforts rolled up into one beautiful, finished P-38, that will live in honor at the Lost Squadropn Museum.

The rest of the world will learn about this remarkable story on March 3, when The History Channel is set to air a special on the recovery, restoration and first flight.

FMI: www.thelostsquadron.com