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P-38 Lightning

68.7k WritersCrusadersAirCo2  2 months ago

P-38 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.


Note: This is a low-parts or simple version, the actual P-38 will be made as part for my Pin-Up Gals Series. Stay tuned!

General Characteristics

  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 48.8ft (14.9m)
  • Length 36.0ft (11.0m)
  • Height 11.7ft (3.6m)
  • Empty Weight 11,597lbs (5,260kg)
  • Loaded Weight 12,645lbs (5,735kg)

Performance

  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.158
  • Wing Loading 19.5lbs/ft2 (95.4kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 647.2ft2 (60.1m2)
  • Drag Points 1746

Parts

  • Number of Parts 189
  • Control Surfaces 8
  • Performance Cost 764
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  • Profile image

    Tags:
    @Logontery
    @Pnut
    @SPsidearm

    Pinned 2 months ago
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    8,819 SPsidearm

    @NalanjiWaffles
    Not yet.

    2 months ago
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    WOAH!?!?!?!!?!?!?! NO PIN UP ART FINALLY?!?!?!?!?!

    2 months ago
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    @Christiant2 The P-47 is great too ngl

    +1 2 months ago
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    38.1k Christiant2

    @TheUltimatePlaneLover
    For me its the P-47
    :)

    +1 2 months ago
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    Richard Ira D1CK Bong was the ace pilot of P38

    +1 2 months ago
  • Profile image
    6,040 USAMustang

    @crazyplaness how? It blew up?

    +1 2 months ago
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    @USAMustang That’s cool! I fly the Hindenburg in real life

    +2 2 months ago
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    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 ok 😀

    +1 2 months ago
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    @Ostiatio92 really? Cool, I'll be honored to be the first one to build it!

    2 months ago
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    Could you make a Socata Rallye 235 GT since no one has built it?

    +1 2 months ago
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    6,040 USAMustang

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 because the aircraft needs alot of speed to take off, but then can fly easily below the takeoff speed

    +1 2 months ago
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    @USAMustang that's awesome! But why it's hard to take off tho?

    2 months ago
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    6,040 USAMustang

    I got to fly one in real life. They are stupidly hard to get off the ground but they fly great.

    +1 2 months ago
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    Yipeee

    +1 2 months ago
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    315 Hyperr

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 yay ty

    +1 2 months ago
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    @Hyperr sure, you still in time for it

    2 months ago
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    315 Hyperr

    Pls tag me when u release the actual p-38 😵

    +1 2 months ago
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    My War Thunder plane...
    I love the P-38 👍

    +2 2 months ago
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    583 NTH

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 hey, welcome back to the world of aircraft in simpleplanes! Good idea to release a simple version first before risking it with the pin-ups again

    +1 2 months ago
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    May you fight bravely

    +1 2 months ago
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    171 Logontery

    Ai plane when

    +1 2 months ago
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    8,819 SPsidearm

    The same plane that killed a general on a certain two engined bomber.

    +4 2 months ago
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    2,829 Mitterbin

    Wow perfect P-38, I like this plane ;).

    +2 2 months ago