Ghost P-38 Lightning (Ghost Girl):

In the beginning of World War Two, the P-38 Lightning was the longest range fighter which the allies possessed. It was also considered to be incredibly fast and extremely well armed with four machine guns and a single heavy 20 mm cannon. In the beginning of the war, a large number were shipped to Europe and England to fight the Germans. A group of six of them, along with a pair of B-17 bombers, were attempted to be flown across using Greenland and Iceland as stopover points. Unfortunately, they were forced to land on the ice of Greenland. Over the years, they were swallowed by a glacier and were thought lost to history.

It was not until towards the end of the Twentieth Century that the planes were discovered deep under the ice. The discovers tried to recover one of the bombers but it was found to be too badly damaged by the glacier to salvage. After much debate, it was decided to try and salvage one of the fighters hoping that the solider frame allowed the plane to survive the Glacier without major damage. It took the fortune of several people but finally one of the P-38 Lightnings was recovered. It took another fortune to rebuild the plane but eventually it was restored to fully flying condition.

The remaining planes sat under the ice for many more decades. Most scholars considered that the glacier would destroy the planes. Many wanted to forget about World War Two, forget about the past completely. In the end, a number of descendants of World War Two pilots decided to attempt the recovery of another plane almost as a protest against public feeling of the time. Technology had increased by leaps and bounds but the recovery was still very difficult. Eventually, a second P-38 Lightning found its way out of the ice. She was actually in far better condition than her sister had been when recovered but still required much work before she was ready. Even her weapons were fully restored. She was not fully restored until virtually her hundredth birthday and on her hundredth birthday, she and her sister flew together once again. The second P-38 was given the name "Ghost Girl." She found her way to a museum eventually and sat until the coming of the Rifts. A few people came to look at her over the years but it might be said that it was far too few.

Maybe that was good because her home was remote and she escaped the ravages of the coming of the Rifts. Somehow she woke up in the magic that came after the coming of the Rifts. Eventually, a group of explorers found their way to the museum which she had been stored. They found her to be in perfect condition, she was absolutely gorgeous and unravaged by time. One of those who was more daring than the others decided to try and turn her on. The engines turned over. She was reborn and ready to fight an enemy not so different than the Germans which she was built to fight.

Since having been recovered, she has found her way into a variety of owners. She seems to see the Coalition as the Nazis and seems to prefer to fight against them. The old P-38 fighter might be actually considered reckless although not stupid. She has produced enough terror, along with techno-wizard modified Lightnings, that Coalition pilots actually fear engaging old P-38 fighters. She is incredibly tough and is able to withstand at least the damage which would destroy a modern fighter. She has been damaged severely several times and each time she has come back several days later appearing undamaged. For further protection, she seems to be able to create a force field to protect herself. She appears to also have the ability to be intangible and invisible at need. She has used this ability to escape from certain defeat several times. No one knows why but the top speed of the Lightning increased greatly while intangible. It also appears that she never needs repairs. Her top speed is about what would be expected from a P-38 Lightning although she seems to be able to fly just about forever.

It has been told that several owners have tried to modify the plane with modern avionics but the systems seem to crumble to dust within days of being mounted on her. The only modern items which she will take are missile and bombs which up to ten mini-missiles can be mounted although the missiles or other ordinance has to be specially modified to be carried by her. Instead of firing standard rounds from her cannon and machine-guns, she fires bolts of energy which some describe as balefire. When fired together, the four cannons seem to inflict incredible damage and can often knock a target out of the air with one hit. They seem to have an effectively unlimited payload and the fighter seems to never run out of ammunition. She seems to have a host of dirty tricks including the ability to create ice on enemy planes wings which can cause them to crash and fire orbs of coldness which just seem to penetrate the cockpit of other planes. The spells seem to be fairly short range and she pulls to pull in near the enemy to use them. While her unwillingness to take modern electronics makes it harder for pilots to navigate and might be a weakness when engaging planes with more modern systems, she has ways of compensating. She seems to have the ability to jam radar and other electronic systems. In addition, she seems to just naturally be able to find her way around. The pilot will often just suddenly have a feeling of what is the right way to go.

While her spirit seems to be nice in her own way, she seems to have weakness which seems come from her times. In the Nineteen-Forties, they saw many things differently and her values might seem uncomfortable to people after the coming of the Rifts. Her values would have been uncomfortable to the people who restored her in the middle of the Twenty-First century. She probably cannot be blamed for these values and acquired them from her builders and her pilots. On the good side, she hates anything that smacks of Nazism. This included the symbols of the Coalition and considers attacking the Coalition to be the same as attacking the Nazis of her time. She is very patriotic and several pilots have gotten the feeling that she wants the United States to be reformed. Supernatural creatures, especially off looking ones, are outside of her comfort zone although elves and dwarves, looking generally human are more acceptable to her.

Model Number: P-38F
Vehicle Type: Air, Dual Engine Ghost Fighter
Crew: One
Horror Factor: 12

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] Wings (2):	120 each
	[2] Central Tail Elevator:	100
	[2] Rudders (2):	60 each
	Reinforced Pilots Cockpit:	110
	[3] Engines (2):	80 each
	[3] Propellers (2):	30 each
	Landing Gear (3):	10 each
	[4] Cockpit Section (Main Body):	160
	[4] Twin Booms (2, Main Body):	250 each

Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash.
[2] Destruction of rudders will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of the elevator will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine or propeller will reduce the fighters top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines or propellers will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject. If on a Ley Line, the aircraft can continue flying even if both engines or propellers are destroyed.
[4] All three sections are considered part of the Main Body. Depleting the MDC of either of the boom sections or the cockpit section will put the fighter out of commission and causing it to crash if in flight.
Note: The Lightning will regenerate at 20% of the hit locations MDC per day, meaning all damage will be restored within 5 days of being damaged.. Also, the Lightning can create an "Invincible Armor" force field of 150 MDC.

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: 414 mph (666.3 kph) with an altitude of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). When Intangible, fighter's top speed is increased to 621 mph (999.4 kph.) The aircraft must slow down to 414 mph (666.26 kph) before becoming solid or piloting is at -20% while above that speed.
Range: Effectively Unlimited, the fighter appears to need no refueling and seems to run on magical energy.

Statistical Data:
Height: 12 feet. 10 inches. (3.91 meters)
Wingspan: 52 feet. 0 inches. (15.84 meters)
Length: 37 feet. 10 inches. (11.53 meters)
Weight: 14,500 pounds (6,577.1 kilograms) empty, 17,800 pounds (8,073.9 kilograms) fully loaded
Power System: Magic, systems seem to work as if run by magic
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points
Black Market Cost: Not for Sale, price for the fighter is virtually impossible to estimate

Weapon Systems:

1. One (1) "Balefire" 20 mm Hispano AN-M2C Cannon: Mounted on the nose of the fighter along with four .50 machine guns. It is the original cannon but 'Ghost" energies cause the cannon to fire streams of rounds constructed from magical energy instead of standard projectiles. Rounds will effect both the target hit and any crew inside as if they are hit by the spell "Havoc" and the weapon appears to a virtually infinite payload.
   Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
   Mega Damage: Single Round inflicts 4D4 and Long Burst 2D6x10 (Can be combined with the.50 caliber machine guns for 6D6x10+40 total) Each burst also inflicts 1D6 Direct to hit points per melee (Inflicts double MDC to Supernatural Creatures) to the crew and the target also needs to save vs magic or are -3 to initiative, strike, parry, and dodge. (has no sense of direction or time.) Secondary effect goes direct through power armor and vehicles. Duration of secondary effect is ten melees. Havoc effects a 10 foot (4.6 meter) diameter area.
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (Usually four or five)
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2. Four (4) "Balefire" .50 M2 Machine-Guns: These weapons are mounted in the nose of the fighter along with the heavier 20 mm cannon. These weapons also fire "Balefire" rounds although the rounds do not have the secondary havoc effects of the 20 mm cannon rounds although payload appears to be virtually infinite.
   Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914.4 meters)
   Mega Damage: One Gun: Short Burst 5D6 and Long Burst 1D6x10+10 Four Guns: Short Burst 2D6x10 and Long Burst 4D6x10+40 (Can be combined with the 20 mm cannon for 6D6x10+40 total)
   Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (Usually four or five)
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited
3. Wing Hard Points: Ghost Girl can carry ordnance on her hard points although the bombs or missiles have to be specially modified to be used. She has no special systems for missile guidance so the guidance has to be fully internal to the bomb / missile or will be dropped unguided.
   Maximum Effective Range: Varies by altitude for bombs and varies by mini-missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Mega-Damage: Varies by bomb or mini-missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of Fire: One at a time, or volleys of 2, 3, or 4.
   Payload: One heavy bomb per wing, two medium bombs per wing, four light bombs per wing, or five mini-missile per wing.

Special Abilities as a Haunted Vehicle:

• Will of Its Own: The fighter sometimes has a will of its own and carry out up to six actions in a twenty-four hours. This can include refusing to operate, change course, and activate the Lightning's magical abilities. The Mustang can also make minor actions such as turning lights on, turning on the radio or switching radio stations, and similar actions on its own without counting as an action.
  The Lightning seems to be very patriotic and believes she is still fighting for the American way. She has a strong hatred for Nazis and this has been transferred to the Coalition. Her values are the values which would be more typical in the Nineteen-Forties and may be uncomfortable to pilots who pilot her after the coming of the Rifts. Supernatural creatures, especially off looking ones, are outside of her comfort zone although elves and dwarves, looking generally human are more acceptable to her. She is a bit on the reckless side and willing to take on what appears to be incredible odds although she is not stupid or foolhardy.
• Inexhaustible Propulsive Force: Range and fuel are not a problem; the fighter seems able to go on forever, powered by a magical power source.
• Regenerates Damage: The Fighter will regenerate at 20% of the hit locations MDC per day, meaning all damage will be restored within 5 days of being damaged. Even if a hit location is completely destroyed, it will slowly regenerate until completely restored.
• Rejects Modern Components: The automobile will not accept the addition of modern components and components will seem to fail within a few days.
• Natural Invisibility: The fighter is capable of assuming an invisible (Both Visually and on Radar) and perfectly silent state, even when running full out! The vehicle cannot engage in any sort of offensive action (such as firing a weapon) without dropping its invisibility. Can engage this ability 4 times per day with a duration of up to 60 minutes at a time.
• Natural Intangibility: The vehicle has the ability to become immaterial and intangible, and ghost through solid objects. The aircraft can drive or fly right through solid objects and can drive over or through water when the enchantment is activated. The fighter cannot be harmed by normal weapons while intangible but can be effected by magic weapons and psionics. Weapons cannot be used while the Lightning is intangible. Speed is increased to 621 mph (999.4 kph) while intangible but must slow down before becoming solid again. The fighter appears to be ghostlike when it goes intangible and cannot be detected on radar. Can engage this ability 4 times per day for up to 30 minutes at a time.
• Natural P.P.E. / Spell Casting: 100, the fighter virtually fairly hums with magical energy. The energy regenerates at the rate of 12 P.P.E. per hour. Double P.P.E. and regeneration on ley lines and triple P.P.E. and regeneration at a Ley Line Nexus. Magical energy can be used by the car's crew for spell casting. The Fighter can also cast the following spells with spells considered to be cast as if cast by a sixth level spell caster:
  Frequency Jamming (15)
  Ice (15)
  Invincible Armor (30)
  Orb of Cold (6)

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths is a trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Special Credit to Talis D. Merrill (taalismn@pop.tiac.net) for many of the concepts and enchantments / powers for Ghost / Haunted vehicles.

Copyright © 2005, Kitsune. All rights reserved.