Profile image

P-38J "Lightning"

67.4k WritersCrusadersAirCo2  one month ago

P-38J Lightning


World War II American Twin Engine Heavy Fighter


About the P-38

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twin-boom design with a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. Along with its use as a general fighter, the P-38 was used in various aerial combat roles, including as a highly effective fighter-bomber, a night fighter, and a long-range escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks. The P-38 was also used as a bomber-pathfinder, guiding streams of medium and heavy bombers, or even other P-38s equipped with bombs, to their targets. Used in the aerial reconnaissance role, the P-38 accounted for 90 percent of aerial film captured over Europe. Although it was not designated a heavy fighter or a bomber destroyer by the USAAC, the P-38 filled those roles and more; unlike German heavy fighters crewed by two or three airmen, the P-38 with its lone pilot was nimble enough to compete with single-engine fighters.

The P-38 was used most successfully in the Pacific and the China-Burma-India Theaters of Operations as the aircraft of America's top aces, Richard Bong (40 victories), Thomas McGuire (38 victories), and Charles H. MacDonald (27 victories). In the South West Pacific theater, the P-38 was the primary long-range fighter of United States Army Air Forces until the introduction of large numbers of P-51D Mustangs toward the end of the war. Unusually for an early-war fighter design, both engines were supplemented by turbosuperchargers, making it one of the earliest Allied fighters capable of performing well at high altitudes. The turbosuperchargers also muffled the exhaust, making the P-38's operation relatively quiet. The Lightning was extremely forgiving in flight and could be mishandled in many ways, but the initial rate of roll in early versions was low relative to other contemporary fighters; this was addressed in later variants with the introduction of hydraulically boosted ailerons. The P-38 was the only American fighter aircraft in large-scale production throughout American involvement in the war, from the Attack on Pearl Harbor to Victory over Japan Day.


Controls:

• Standard Flight Controls
• VTOL for Flaps


Pin-Up Art:

"Rudy Rowdy RoundUp" Drawn by WCJuan (Me)


"One gets hurt, the other dies"

- Rudy Blake

Spotlights

General Characteristics

  • Successors 2 airplane(s) +70 bonus
  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 48.8ft (14.9m)
  • Length 36.2ft (11.0m)
  • Height 11.7ft (3.6m)
  • Empty Weight 12,674lbs (5,748kg)
  • Loaded Weight 13,722lbs (6,224kg)

Performance

  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.145
  • Wing Loading 21.2lbs/ft2 (103.5kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 647.2ft2 (60.1m2)
  • Drag Points 1593

Parts

  • Number of Parts 311
  • Control Surfaces 8
  • Performance Cost 1,414
  • Log in to leave a comment
  • Profile image

    Tags:
    @Icey21
    @TheNewSPplayer
    @THEBASEMENTGUY

    Pinned one month ago
  • Profile image

    Tags:
    @Logontery
    @Pnut
    @SPsidearm

    Pinned one month ago
  • Profile image
    30.6k Nerfaddict

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 was the Vanripper artstyle imitation intentional?

    +1 24 days ago
  • Profile image

    @Spitfirelad05 oh ok, I get it

    24 days ago
  • Profile image

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 It was meant to be a reference to Red Dead Redemption 2 with the Low Honour sfx and I was saying nice work to your art & build... :(

    +1 26 days ago
  • Profile image

    "Yippee" aviation and autism go a long way back indeed

    +2 26 days ago
  • Profile image

    This reminds me of Jessie from toy story!!!!

    ♥(。U ω U。)

    +1 26 days ago
  • Profile image

    @Spitfirelad05 is that suppose to be a compliment? Cuz I don't feel like it

    28 days ago
  • Profile image

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 Insulting the Twin-Tailed Legend: RDR2 Low Honour sfx
    nice work once again!

    28 days ago
  • Profile image

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 WAS THAT RICHARD BONG'S LIGHTNING

    29 days ago
  • Profile image

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 give link

    29 days ago
  • Profile image

    @THEBASEMENTGUY yes, but thats not mine

    29 days ago
  • Profile image

    Is that a 262 I see in the image!?

    +1 29 days ago
  • Profile image
    315 Hyperr

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 can I have them pls

    29 days ago
  • Profile image

    @Aviators14 send to a**witz

    +1 29 days ago
  • Profile image

    Good job

    +1 29 days ago
  • Profile image

    @Aviators14 send him to federal prison

    +2 one month ago
  • Profile image

    Showed this to my friend and he started simping for rudy😭😭😭

    +1 one month ago
  • Profile image

    Holy moly

    +1 one month ago
  • Profile image
    195 antares1

    Yeehaw chucklenuts

    +1 one month ago
  • Profile image
    6,597 LeShunny

    Yeeeeeehaaaawww

    +1 one month ago
  • Profile image
    171 Logontery

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 aight

    one month ago
  • Profile image

    @Logontery give me a few minutes to update it..

    one month ago
  • Profile image
    171 Logontery

    Yeah but when you add Rudy Rowdy Roundup to the pin-up gals banner in your profile bio

    +1 one month ago
  • Profile image
    6,929 SPsidearm

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2
    Draw?

    one month ago
  • Log in to see more comments