WWII Plane from Swamp to Restoration: The WWII Plane Recovered in Guadalcanal. A World War II airplane (P-38J-15-LO Lightning, Serial Number 43-28570 Squadron Number 400) was discovered in a Guadalcanal swamp. A determined team led by Eddie Donga salvaged it. Through sheer manpower, Eddie and his team worked tirelessly to extract the plane from the swamp without the aid of heavy machinery. It's now in Australia for restoration. The plane will return to the Solomon Islands in its original form by