Guadalcanal’s Lost WWII Plane Recovered from a Swamp and Restored

Discovery in the Swamp

In 2012 a local discovered a fighter plane deep in a swamp behind Lau Valley, Guadalcanal, near a place once managed by the Livestock Development Authority. The plane was a P-38J-15-LO Lightning, serial number 43-28570, from the U.S. Army Air Force’s 44th Fighter Squadron, called the “Vampire Squadron.” This aircraft had crashed on June 5, 1944, flown by Major Peyton S. Mathis Jr. on what became a mission cut short by bad weather. The plane lost its way, then encountered engine troubles, and eventually flipped into a ravine and settled in the swamp about six miles from its base.

The wreckage remained hidden for decades, with the cockpit submerged and the engine booms and wings waterlogged. Local residents later reported finding fragments of aluminum and glass. A recovery team eventually located the site, and in 2013 the remains of Major Mathis were recovered. After that, brothers Kurt and Jurgen Markwarth, together with Solomon Islanders, carefully lifted the aircraft out of the swamp using wooden frames and sheer manpower.

Salvage to Restoration

Once removed from the swamp, the Lightning was brought to the Markwarth Collection at Renadi, Solomon Islands, where visitors could view it by appointment until mid-2017. Later that year it was packed into a shipping container and sent to Australia, where restoration toward airworthy condition began. The work includes preserving many original components such as the tail booms, wings, nose gear, and cockpit elements. Panels damaged by decades in the swamp are being rebuilt using both recovered parts and newly fabricated sections that match the original specifications.

During the restoration, historical research helped guide decisions. Squadron records and photographs showed how the aircraft was painted, with its nose number “400,” and black nose and inner engine cowlings. The aim is to return the plane to how it looked in 1944, keeping it as authentic as possible.

Honoring the Pilot and the Past

Major Peyton S. Mathis Jr. flew this P-38 on its final mission. His remains were recovered nearly seventy years after the crash. Posthumous awards recognized his service, including the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters. When the aircraft flies again, it will stand as a living link to a story of courage, loss, and careful remembrance.

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