Lockheed were awarded a contract to build a prototype, designated XP-38, with construction beginning in July 1938.
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning has twin booms with a central nacelle which contains the cockpit with a bubble canopy and armament in the nose.
The exhausts were muffled by two turbo-chargers which not only made the aircraft relatively quiet, but also provided the P-38 with good high-altitude performance.
The two engines are ‘handed’ with each propeller rotating in a different direction to eliminate the effect of engine torque on the aircraft.
The aluminium skin of the fuselage is butt-jointed with flush rivets, reducing drag and helped the P-38 to be the first military aircraft to fly faster than 400 mph (640 km/h) in level flight.
PRODUCTION
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was produced from 1941 to 1945, with over 10,000 manufactured.
ENGINE
2 x Allison V-1710-89/91s, providing 2,850 hp.
Press play to hear the P-38
ARMAMENT
4 x Browning 0.5” machine guns
1 x AN-M2 ‘C’ 20mm cannon
3,200 lb (1,451 kg) Rocket/Bomb load.
The P-38 was used as a general fighter, a night fighter, a fighter-bomber and a long range escort fighter.
The P-38 was also used as a path finder guiding bombers to their targets.
The P-38 was also used as a reconnaissance aircraft, with it capturing some 90% of aerial film over Europe.
