P-38 Trivia

P-38 Trivia

(From various sources. See Resource at end of Info article)

	Lockheed spent $761,000 to develop and build the first P-38 prototype XP-38, which flew Jan 1939. At that time, a Packard coupe cost about $900, and a new 2-bedroom home in California cost about $3,000. After the end of the war, the Army Air Force surplused most of the P-38s for $1,200 a piece. Today, a restored Lightning sells for nearly $2 million.
	The P-38 was the only US fighter to remain in production throughout the war.
	A fully-loaded P-38J (ammunition and fuel, no bombs) could take-off in just under 1,100 ft of runway. Not bad for a plane weighing nearly 18,000 lbs!
	The P-38L was voted "Worst cockpit" at a conference of fighter pilots in late 1944.
	Originally conceived as a high-altitude interceptor, the P-38 was used in a variety of roles, including long-range escort, photo reconnaissance, fighter/interceptor, ground attack, night-patrol, even formation bombing. Equipped with "personnel pods" mounted under wings (where bombs or drop tanks would normally go) the P-38 was even used to relocate people! Some other configurations tested include: ski gear (instead of wheels), large-paddle propellers for high-altitude, off-center cockpit (to test effects of same on pilot), torpedoes, pressurized cpckpit, 'bent-up' booms for possible use with floats, and glider-tug. Lockheed even explored air-cooled P-38s with hinged wings, for possible Navy use.
	the machine gun trigger was located next to the microphone switch on the control wheel. Sometimes during the frantic excitement of battle, the P-38 pilot would confuse the two, with unpredictable results.
	A captured P-38 shot down several B-17's and at least one P-38 before being shot down.
	Flown with care, and equipped with external tanks, a P-38L could travel nearly 2,000 miles round trip, with enough fuel to conduct 'business' at the target. (When Lockheed considered attaching pontoon floats for transpacific delivery, they projected a non-stop range of 5,000 miles!)
	Just over 10,000 P-38s were made, counting the 113 P-38L-5's made by Vultee and the many F4/F-5 Photo Lightnings.
	After the War, the remaining P-38s retained by the USAF were dubbed 'F-38' until 1949, when they were officialy declared surplus.
	Many writers claim that the Germans referred to the P-38 as "Der Gabelschwanz Teufel" (The Fork-tailed Devil"). This is likely a post-war myth. Several authoritative books on the P-38 state that there is no period evidence to suggest this moniker was used during the war.