What happened to the P-38 Lightning?
What happened to the P-38 Lightning?
On 9 August 1942, two P-38Es of the 343rd Fighter Group, 11th Air Force, at the end of a 1,000-mile (1,600 km) long-range patrol, happened upon a pair of Japanese Kawanishi H6K “Mavis” flying boats and destroyed them, making them the first Japanese aircraft to be shot down by Lightnings.
Was the P-38 Lightning a good fighter?
The P-38 was an excellent all around aircraft – it didn’t earn the moniker “forked tail devil” for being a slouch. It was very maneuverable, had a massive range, had two engines, which allowed for greater redundancy as well as for better roll characteristics in both directions since they were counter-rotating.
How many P-38 Lightnings are still airworthy?
10
The Lockheed P-38 Lighting is an American two-engine fighter used by the United States Army Air Forces and other Allied air forces during World War II. Of the 10,037 planes built, 26 survive today, 22 of which are located in the United States, and 10 of which are airworthy.
What does the P stand for in P-38?
For example, before the new system, the Army Air Force used the “P” designation, which stood for pursuit, on a wide variety of its fighter aircraft, like the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning. The Navy, though, used the “F” designation for its fighter aircraft.
Can a P-38 fly on one engine?
For a twin engine aircraft, 120 MPH is a reasonably fast minimum speed and multiengine pilots are trained extensively in single engine flight. That speed alone gives some indication that the P-38 can be difficult to fly on one engine, but not impossible.
How much is a P-38 Lightning worth?
Each P-38 cost around $120-100,000, twice the price of most U.S. single-engine fighters. However, the P-38’s long range and heavy payload—up to 3,000 pounds of bombs and rockets—meant it could perform missions early-war single-engine types simply couldn’t.
