The story
Lockheed answered a 1937 Army call for a high-altitude interceptor with two engines, two booms and a pilot in a pod between them. In February 1939 the prototype crossed the country in about seven hours, then crashed on its landing approach in New York. America's two top aces both flew it: Richard Bong scored 40 victories and Thomas McGuire 38. On 18 April 1943, 16 P-38s flew a long, wave-top route from Guadalcanal and shot down the bomber carrying Admiral Yamamoto. It was already in production before Pearl Harbor and still coming off the line in August 1945.
In July 1942 a P-38 force-landed on the Greenland ice cap during a ferry flight to Britain. Dug out from 268 ft of ice in 1992, 'Glacier Girl' flew again in 2002.
Quick answers
How do you identify a P-38 Lightning?
Twin booms, each with an engine up front and a turbocharger on top of the boom behind it. A short central pod carries the bubble canopy and the guns in the nose. One long tailplane joins two fins, and it sits on tricycle gear. The propellers turn in opposite directions. A Cessna 337 Skymaster also has twin booms, but it is a small push-pull twin with one engine in the nose and one at the back.
What does a P-38 Lightning sound like?
Two turbocharged Allison V-12s. The turbos muffle the exhaust, so it runs quieter than a fighter this big should.
How fast is the P-38 Lightning?
Top speed is 360 kts (414 mph) (P-38L).
How many passengers does the P-38 Lightning carry?
Up to 0. A typical layout is Single seat in a central nacelle between twin booms.
How far can the P-38 Lightning fly?
Range is about 1,130 nmi (P-38L).
How big is the P-38 Lightning?
It is 37 ft 10 in long and 52 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the P-38 Lightning first fly?
Its first flight was in 1939.
How many P-38 Lightnings have been built?
10,038 (all models) built.
How rare is a P-38 Lightning in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first P-38 Lightning catch is worth 25 points.
