09/01/2026
Have you ever seen planes fly over the Cumberland Gap? It's common to see aircraft taking off from nearby Middlesboro Airport, but on one unforgettable day, visitors witnessed a true piece of history.
On October 26, 2002, the legendary P-38F Glacier Girl took off from the airport and circled Cumberland Gap for about 20 minutes, giving visitors an incredible glimpse of a World War II fighter soaring over the mountains.
Glacier Girl is a Lockheed P-38 Lightning that served with the 94th Fighter Squadron during World War II. In July 1942, while taking part in a secret mission to reinforce Allied forces in Europe, it flew near the Arctic Circle to avoid detection. On July 15, two B-17 bombers and six P-38s, including Glacier Girl, made an emergency landing on the Greenland ice cap. Although the allies rescued the crews, they abandoned the planes. Known as the Lost Squadron, they eventually disappeared beneath 268 feet of snow.
Middlesboro native Roy Shoffner never gave up on bringing one of those lost aircraft home. In 1992, he and a dedicated team successfully recovered Glacier Girl, transported it through Middlesboro, and began its restoration. The aircraft returned to the skies in 2002, more than 60 years after its emergency landing. Many visitors witnessed its flight from the Pinnacle Overlook. Today, Glacier Girl is part of a private collection in Texas.
Image: Glacier Girl flying with the Cumberland Mountain in the background. Image credit: War Birds and Airshows webpage for Glacier Girl First Flight.
