Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Twin-engine fighter plane used by Army fliers in the Pacific

9,200 planes produced, starting in March, 1942.

P-38J specs: 420 MPH, four 50 caliber machine guns and one 20 mm cannon, all nose-mounted

With its two engines mounted on twin booms and the pilot's separate nacelle in between, the P-38 looked like no other plane. Lockheed's brilliant designer Kelly Johnson created the plane in response to a 1937 Army specification for an interceptor that could reach 20,000 feet in 6 minutes. With the engines of the era, this was quite a challenge, and the innovative P-38 design resulted. After lengthy production delays, the Lockheed appeared in force in the Southwest Pacific in mid-1943, and proved a devastating fighter.

In Eric Bergerud's Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific, Robert DeHaven, a 14-kill ace with the 49th Fighter Group, describes his reaction to the Lightning:

The P-38 was very unusual. Imagine what I felt when first climbing on board that airplane. Sitting on that tricycle landing gear, it was very high off the ground. There was a stepladder that dropped out of the tail end of the fuselage pod, and you took two steps up this ladder and the third step was onto the wing next to the canopy. ... It was a good sized airplane. In comparison the P-39 was a midget, almost like a toy.

It was very fast and had good firepower. That gave a lot of people false confidence when they first went to P-38s. Their limitations on tactics were the same as those we were accustomed to in the P-40s, but even more so. You did not go looking for a close-in dogfight with an Oscar or Zero. Japanese planes were quicker ... at slow speed. But new pilots did not always realize the consequences. If the speed bled off a P-38, which happened very easily, it could be in serious trouble against a Japanese fighter. Many of our men found out the hard way, particularly when we first started receiving the P-38s.

Development and Early Models

• The weapons (four .50 caliber machine guns and one cannon) need not be synchronized and could fire in a concentrated parallel stream.
• Superchargers and radiators had plenty of room in the booms, aft of the engines.
• The main landing gear could also tuck up into the booms.
• With a nose wheel completing a tricycle landing gear, the pilot could see where he was going while taxiing and taking off.

YP-38

Despite the destruction of the prototype, the Army ordered 13 YP-38 pre-production test airplanes. These differed from the XP-38 in armament, in larger radiators, and in more powerful (1150-HP) Allison V-1710-27/29 engines. The first YP-38 flew in September, 1940, and delivery to the Army took place in Spring, 1941. The weapons package was changed to include a 37 mm cannon (instead of a 20 mm), as well as two .30 caliber and two .50 calibers (instead of four .50 calibers).

P-38

The next version, designated simply P-38, reinstated the original armament of four .50 caliber machine guns and one 20 mm cannon. It also added bulletproof glass and armor plate. The -A, -B, and -C suffixes were only used for preliminary and experimental versions.

P-38D

P-38D aircraft reached USAAF squadrons in August, 1941, but the military did not consider them ready for combat; as such they were re-designated RP-38D,"R" for "Restricted to non-combat roles," amd only used for training. By December, 1941, 69 of these early P-38's were on active duty. In 1940, the British and French had ordered several hundred P-38's. Between the fall of France and British dissatisfaction with the Lightnings' performance, very few were delivered. Most of these airframes (ordered by the European allies) were kept by Lockheed as training/experimental models or were eventually completed as models P-38F or P-38G.

Click on image for larger picture.

P-38E

Despite being "in production," the early model Lightnings continued to have teething problems. Lockheed delivered 210 of the P-38E. In this version, the nose-mounted weapons package that prevailed through the rest of the Lightning's design history was installed: four .50 caliber machine guns and one 20mm cannon. Improvements in the -E included a larger ammunition capacity, an SCR-274N radio, Curtiss Electric propellers, and an Allison V-1710-27/29 engine.

Some early P-38's were lost when pilots could not pullout from high-speed dives. The buffeting, tail-flutter, and compressibility that these P-38's encountered as they approached trans-sonic speeds (Mach 0.67 to 0.72) did not result from any design flaw of the aircraft. The P-38 happened to be one of the first to achieve these speeds and thus the first to experience these symptoms. More aerodynamic changes in the P-38E helped, but did not fully resolve, these challenges.

Most P-38E's were restricted to training, as RP-38E's.

First Combat Models: P-38F and P-38G

Starting with production block P-38F-1-LO, Lockheed provided for drop tanks, increasing range to 2200 miles. These tanks enabled P-38F's of the 1st and 14th Fighter Groups to fly to Britain in August, 1942, stopping in Maine, Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland. Two squadrons stayed in Iceland, to patrol over the Atlantic. While on such a patrol, on August 14, 1942, 2nd Lt. Elza Shahan, flying a P-38F, shared in the destruction of a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, the first USAAF shoot-down of a Luftwaffe plane.

The 82nd Fighter Group, another P-38F group, joined the 1st and 14th in Europe in November, 1942. Shortly all three groups were transferred to North Africa, the MTO. En route, over the Bay of Biscay, 82nd FG pilots downed two Ju 88 bombers. Several P-38's of the 1st FG, low on fuel, were forced down in Portugal, likely candidates for internment. In a comical scene, recounted in Aces in Combat: The American Aces Speak, Vol 5, by Eric Hammel, Lt. Jack Ilfrey made good his escape, while demonstrating the airplane's features to his armed Portuguese "hosts."

In North Africa, the P-38 groups began to face off against the Germans. By the end of November, Lieutenants Virgil Lusk, Ervin Ethell, and James Butler shot down four Axis planes each: Savoia-Marchetti SM-81 Pipistrello and Junkers Ju 52 transports. Despite the superior capabilites of the Bf 109, two other MTO P-38F pilots "made ace" before 1942 was out: Lts. Virgil Smith and Jack Ilfrey.

With demands from all theatres and with Lockheed's production rate still growing, not many squadrons could be equipped with Lightnings. In the Pacific, the Fifth Air Force units (responsible for Australia & New Guinea) that received early P-38's included:

• The 39th FS, of the 35th FG, received P-38's in late summer 1942.
• The 9th FS, of the 49th FG, in January, 1943.
• The 80th FS, of the 8th FG, also in January, 1943.
• It wasn't until mid-1944 that the 475th FG, an all-Lightning outfit, was activated.

On the 1st of March, Allied intelligence picked up vital information. The Japanese planned to reinforce their garrison at Lae with 7,000 soldiers. Their force consisted of eight Maru (7 troop ships and 1 cargo ship laden with aviation fuel) and eight destroyers, with 30 Zeros on CAP. General Kenney ordered an all-out attack, 200 bombers and 130 fighters, which was very successful. Covered by P-38's, P-39's, and P-40's, the American bombers ripped into the thin-skinned Japanese vessels, sinking all eight Maru and four destroyers. (Read a more detailed account of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea here.) The aerial destruction of 15-20 Zeroes was icing on the cake. Lynch shot one down. The aggressive Bob Faurot and Hoyt Eason, flying in Faurot's division, were killed that day.

The P-38G began to roll out in June, 1942. Lockheed accelerated its production, turning out 120 per month, completing 1082 P-38G's by March, 1943. This version was essentially similar to late-block P-38F's.
(Aircraft manufacturers defined "production blocks," within the series, e.g. production block P-38G-5-LO, but that level of detail is beyond this article, where as needed, reference will be made to "late-block" or "early block.")
381 were completed as photographic reconnaisance versions F-5A and F-5B. In early 1943, P-38G's began to appear in the Mediterranean and Pacific Theatres.

The P-38H was like the late-block P-38G; 601 built.

Yamamoto Raid

On April 18, 1943, Lightnings of the 339th carried out the most famous fighter mission of the war, the assassination of Admiral Yamamoto. Intelligence found out that Yamamoto would be inspecting the Japanese base at Bougainville, and with approval from "the highest levels," a mission was ordered to get him. Only P-38's, with special, large drop tanks would have the range. The USAAF officers planned the intercept to the minute. Early in the morning, eighteen Lightnings took off, following a circuitous course at wavetop level ... Read a more detailed account of the Yamamoto Mission.

P-38J

Early P-38's had cooled the compressed, and therefore very hot, air coming fomr the turbosuperchargers by ducting it through the leading edge of the wing. This had proven to be an unsatisfactory arrangement. The P-38J substituted an intercooler below the engine, which drew its air from large intakes in a lower, deeper nose. While this design increased drag somewhat, the cooler air enabled the V-1710-89/91 engines to operate more efficiently at high altitudes. Because of this change, the P-38J was the fastest Lightning, capable of 420 MPH at 26,000 feet, about 20 MPH faster than the -G and -H versions.

In a related benefit, Lockheed put fuel tanks in the newly available space in the wing leading edges. With drop tanks, the P-38J had a range of 2260 miles, enabled by its 1010 gallon fuel capacity:

• 110 gallons, in two 55 gal. leading edge tanks
• 180 gallons, in two 90 gal. main fuel tanks, located in the wings between the engine nacelles and the center
• 120 gallons, in two 60 gal. reserve tanks, also between the engine nacelles
• 500 gallons, in two 250 gal. drop tanks

The P-38J finally resolved the compressibility problems encountered in high-speed dives, when a shock wave forming over the wings made it impossible for a pilot to operate the elevators. Once this was understood to be the problem, Lockheed engineers designed small dive flaps, electrically-powered, that broke up the shock wave. These corrective dive flaps were installed on all P-38's, starting with late-block -J versions.

Over the Mediterranean

Another celebrated P-38 ace of the Mediterranean, was Bill Leverette, who on October 9, 1943, led the destruction of a flight of Ju 87 Stukas over the Aegean Sea. On that day, the USAAF pilots claimed 16 Stukas destroyed, 7 by Leverette himslef, for which he earned a DSC. Read Leverette's story here.

Over Europe

Over the Pacific

Later Lightnings

Bong and McGuire

Neither of them (the two highest scoring aces in American history) survived the war. McGuire was shot down in combat in January, 1945, while Bong died test-flying the P-80, in August 6, 1945.

Read the Richard I. Bong article on this site.

Find out about Thomas McGuire, on this page.

2003

Top P-38 Lightning aces. Follow the links to read their stories.

Name	Kills	Medals	Theatre/AF	Unit	Plane
Richard I. Bong	40.0	MH	PTO/5AF	49FG	Marge
Thomas McGuire	38.0	MH	PTO/5AF	475FG	Pudgy V
Charles MacDonald	27.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	475FG	Putt Putt Maru
Gerald R. Johnson	22.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	49FG	Barbara
Jay T. Robbins	22.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	8FG	Jandina
Robert Westbrook	20.0	-	PTO/13AF	18FG	P-38
Thomas J. Lynch	20.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	35FG	P-38
Bill Harris	16.0	-	PTO/13AF	18FG	P-38
George S. Welch	16.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	8FG	-
Edward "Porky" Cragg	15.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	Porky II
Cyril F. Homer	15.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	Uncle Cy's Angel
Daniel T. Roberts Jr.	14.0	DSC	PTO/5AF	475FG	P-38
Cotesworth B. Head Jr.	12.0	-	PTO/13AF	18FG	P-38
Kenneth G. Ladd	12.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	Windy City Ruthie
James A. Watkins	12.0	-	PTO/5AF	49FG	P-38
Richard L. West	12.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	-
Francis J. Lent	11.0	SS	PTO/5AF	475FG	T.Rigor Mortis
John S. Loisel	11.0	SS	PTO/5AF	475FG	Screamin' Kid
John W. Mitchell	11.0	-	PTO/13AF	18FG	P-38
Murray "Jim" Shubin	11.0	DSC	PTO/13AF	347FG	Oriole
Cornelius Smith	11.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	Corky III
Ken Sparks	11.0	35FG	PTO/5AF	-	-
William Giroux	10.0	-	PTO/5AF	8FG	Whilma II/ Dead Eye Daisy
Paul Stanch	10.0	-	PTO/5AF	-	Regina I
Elliot Summer	10.0	-	PTO/5AF	-	-
Fredric Champlin	9.0	-	PTO/5AF	-	Eileen-Anne
Tom Lanphier	4.5	NC	PTO/13AF	347FG	P-38
Rex Barber	5.0	NC	PTO/13AF	347FG	P-38

Specifications of P-38 production variants:

P-38	Production		Speed	Armament					Engine and Performance						Weight			Other
Variant	Svc. Del.	# Built	MPH	8mm	12.7/13mm	20mm	37mm+	Bomb	HP	Engine(Mfr/Number)	Climb ft/min	Ceil FT	Rng Mi.	Ext Rng	Empty Wt. lb.	Loaded Wt.	Max.Wt. lb.	Modif.
P-38F	Mar-42	638	395		4	1			1,325	Allison V-1710-49/53	2,850	39,044	850		12,264	15,900	18,000
P-38G	Jul-42	1,082	400		4	1		2,000	1,325	Allison V-1710-51/55	2,850	39,000	850	1,750	12,200	15,800	19,800
P-38H	Apr-43	601	400		4	1		3,200	1,425	Allison V-1710-89/91	2,850	40,000	850	2,400	12,380	16,000	20,300	eng.+
P-38J	Sep-43	2,970	420		4	1		3,200	1,425	Allison V-1710-89/91	2,850	44,000	1,175	2,260	12,780	17,500	21,600	deeper nose
P-38L	Jun-44	3,923	414		4	1		3,200	1,475	Allison V-1710-111/113	2,850	40,000	1,175	2,260	14,112	17,500	21,618

Recommended Web Site: Lockheed P-38 Lightning article - another excellent and detailed aircraft article by Joe Baugher