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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!
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 | 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. |
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Copyright © 1999-2011 David C. Copley
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