P-38 Lightning

The P-38 "Lightning" was an American fighter plane of WW2. It was considered by many to be the most distinctive-looking fighter of World War 2, the P-38 made history from its first flight on January 27, 1939. Designers Hall Hibbard and Kelly Johnson knew that 2,000 horsepower would be required to achieve Air Corps specification and that there were only 1,000 horsepower engines available. They did the math and opted for the twin-boom configuration.

The P-38 was deployed extensively in the Pacific, Mediterranean and Europe where the P-38's speed, performance and firepower soon prompted the nickname "fork tailed devil" from the Germans.

The J model had improved airscrews (propellers) for better speed and climb at altitide and carried more fuel than earlier versions. With drop tanks, the P-38J had a range of around 2300 miles, enabling it to fly deep into the heart of enemy territory, engage in ten minutes of air combat and make it back to the UK. The top speed of the P-38J was 414mph but in combat dives, pilots frequently exceeded 550mph. At that speed the aircraft's handling proved difficult and hydraulically assisted control systems were introduced, becoming one of the first examples of power assisted controls in a combat aircraft.

The P-38 served most successfully in the Pacific where top aces Majors Richard Bong (40 victories) and Thomas McGuire (38 victories) used to great advantage.

Specifications
The P-38's power plant consisted of two Allison 1425hp V-1710-89 in-line piston engines.

Its armament included a 20mm cannon, four .50 cal machine guns in the nose, and up to 2000lb of bombs, and ten 5in. rockets.

Trivia

 * The Germans gave it the nickname: "Fork-Tailed Devil".
 * It was one of the first aircraft to feature air to ground rockets.