- Gunsight Mounting Studs
- Gunsight Mounting Bracket
- type G-9 Mazda Lamp
- Optical Reflector
- Armoured Flat windscreen Glass
Designed to a 1937 USAAC Specification for a high altitude interceptor by Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson.
The prototype, YP-38, flew on 16 September 1940 managing 405 MPH at 20,000' this early P-38 had an armament of:
1 x 37mm cannon
2 x 0.30" MGs
2 x 0.50" MGs
The first P-38's were given the name "Atlanta" by the Americans but this was changed in October 1941 to the British name of "Lightning".
The RAF and French were among the first to order the aircraft, but after RAF testing in March 1942 the UK order was cancelled. By this time France had been captured by the Germans and so this order was also cancelled.
The P-38F was the first Lightning to see extensive action and was the only real high altitude US fighter as of mid 1942. In North Africa, New Guinea and the Solomons the Lightning was flying combat missions.
The P-38G had newer Allison engines and entered service in September 1942. Some of these were the cancelled Lightnings of the RAF order. Also entering service at this time was a photo-recce version called the F-5, with cameras replacing the nose armament.
The next variant was the P-38H, with new Allison engines and fully automatic superchargers, controls and automatic oil coolers. By 1943 610 P-38H's had been delivered.
Although 2,970 P-38J's (The AW Version) were produced it wasn't until the last 210 (with dive brakes) were delivered that the Lightning's true potential was realised. With aileron boost, improved cockpit heating, circuit breakers, and other previous improvements the Lightning at last became a "long legged" fighter.
After problems with compression, which were not
fully understood at the time as planes had not previously reached such high speeds, it was
discovered (in wind tunnel tests) that a shock wave was created on the P-38's wing at MACH
.67. The airspeed of this shockwave could reach the speed of sound at certain points over
the aircraft's surface. This effect rendered the aircraft uncontrollable at high speeds.
With the design fixed and production underway the simplest option was to fit an airbrake
outboard of the engine on each wing.
The first dive brake modification appeared on the last 210 P-38J's built in June
1944.
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The P-38L was equipped with up rated Allison F-30 engines giving 1,600 hp at 28,700' but was 500 pounds heavier. The last P-38L was rolled out in August 1945.
With contra-rotating propellers the effect of engine torque was neutralised. This made for a stable gun platform, with 1 x 20mm cannon and 4 x .50" calibre MGs mounted in the nose. This arrangement eliminated the need for converging the weapon field of fire. This was a massive advantage in Europe where the Lightning was predominantly used for ground attack missions. The nose mounted armament concentrated the fire regardless of distance to the target. In the Mediterranean, Far East and Pacific the Lightning was also used extensively as a fighter. In the Pacific the Lightning was the most prolific fighter in the USAAF forces accounting for the most Japanese planes destroyed.
The P-38 in AW (Full Realism)
The P-38J Lightning in air warrior is one of the hardest planes to learn but possibly one of the most rewarding once mastered.
General:
The P-38 Lightning should be considered primarily as a turn fighter below
18,000' ~ 20,000' and above this altitude as a long distance, Fast, Energy
Fighter.
The P-38's performance in AW is as follows:
Fuel:
1% will last around 1 minute so that 24% fuel will last around 24 minutes.
Weapons:
The Cannon and MG's last a LONG time and the 4 central .50 mg's still have good
killing power when the cannon runs out, allowing long flights with multiple
kills. It can also carry 2 Bombs.
Cockpit View:
This can only be considered as one of THE worst, especially the side view, this is
most noticeable
when first starting out in the P-38 as it's hard to shoot
something you can't see.
Speed:
Up to 20,000' the P-38 is on a par with the Spitfire IX,
but above this altitude the P-38 gets faster than most
other planes, especially Japanese fighters.
Climb Rate:
Start at 125 KIAS and keep to that speed after taking off..... you will be at;
5,000' in 2 minutes in one third of a sector.
8,000' in 3 minutes in one half of a sector.
10,000' in 4 minutes in .8 of a sector
14,000' in 5 minutes in 1 sector.
16,500' in 6 minutes in 1.2 Sectors.
19,000' in 7 minutes in 1.6 sectors.
22,000' in 8 minutes in 1.8 sectors.
24,000 in 9 minutes in 2.1 sectors.
26,000' in 10 minutes in 2.4 sectors.
28,000' in 11 minutes.
30,000' in 12 minutes.
Turn Rate:
When flown with correct flap settings the P-38 can only be out-turned by planes
such as the Zero, Oscar etc.
Flaps:
These are the secret to the both:
1, the High turn rate of the P-38 at slow speeds (sub200
KIAS) AND, because of their design (Fowler Flaps)
2, the ability of the P-38 to use the "Rope" and the "Double
Immelmann",
against an enemy at the merge.
Flap settings:
The 1st stage of Flap can be used at very high speeds (~280 KIAS) with a minimal
loss of Energy to increase your turn rate against say a Mustang / F4U.
The 2nd Stage can only be used once the speed has dropped to around 155 KIAS but can be kept down above that speed once lowered, useful in repeated loops.
The 3rd and 4th stages
can both be used below 150 KIAS and SHOULD be used frequently, with full Flaps
down maneuvers at 50 KIAS (yes Fifty) can be employed AS
LONG AS stick inputs are minimal (these should be in the Vertical plane to
reduce the likelihood of a spin).
For example at the top of a "Rope" or "Double Immelmann"
if you're inverted as long as the wings are fairly level the plane will not
stall but simply nose low itself with NO stick input !
To try this out, do a loop at 120 KIAS with full flaps, as long as stick input is GENTLE it can be done in FR.
With 2 or 3 notches of Flap @ 100 ~ 170 KIAS and nose low you will chew Spit9's, F6F',s Ki84's, Bf109F/G's up like old bones GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Another "Quirk" of the P-38's Flaps are that as you lower Flaps the nose lowers and as you raise Flaps the nose raises...So to get a few more angles on an enemy in a tight turn raise the Flaps.. nose comes up.... and Shoot ! Remember though to re-lower the Flaps if you miss, this will increase your turn rate again.
Speed brake:
The P-38 has a Speed/Dive brake, this should be used
1, In turn fights to drop speed rapidly after a dive onto an enemies 6 so
as to use
your turn rate
2, . And of course when "compressibility" sets in, "compressibility"
can be avoided though by keeping dives shallow ,up to 45'.
Also remember to throttle back slightly in a dive when "OverRev" is
on in an arena.
Other uses:
While not normally considered for defending a "vulched" field, a P-38
with 7% fuel can loop and turn almost as well as a zero and will stay
airborne for around 5 min's with WEP on all the time.
Carrying 2 Bombs the P-38 is a very able dive-bomber and has the ability to strafe ack.
High Speed Maneuvering:
At speeds of around 260 KIAS and up the P-38 can cause the pilot to black out
very easily so being GENTLE on the stick is VERY important, but maybe even
smarter is to change tactics when at high speeds, don't start a turn fight but
rather use a "Rope" to drain the enemies E or circle above them for a
while (as long as they're not fast) and try to get into their rear quadrant.
This in fact is the way to fight a zero ..see below.
When doing fast passes on an enemy drop down to their altitude a few hundred
yards away from them and pass them horizontally so as not to go below them as
this simply wastes your E.
Fighting other Fighters.
General plane type descriptions are used i.e. a
Spitfire is a Turn Fighter and a Mustang is an Energy fighter but remember
an enemies E state is far more important than the plane type !
Spitfire IX, F6F,
109F/G, Ki84. (Normal Turn Fighters)
Start at around 275~290 KIAS and use the "Double Immelmann"
technique as the situation dictates, once both your speeds have dropped
the P-38's superior turn rate (with Flaps) will get you the kill.
Zero, Yak9, Oscar. (High
Turn rate Fighters)
(This is one of the hardest and most rewarding fights to get a kill in)
Initially you MUST gain an E advantage over them, if they are co-E you must
pass through their nose and extend away before climbing
gently, once you are a similar speed to them BUT higher, by say 2,000 YDS, you
can begin fighting them.
Dive at around 45', so as not to compress OR go below them, and always make sure
they don't get the chance to do a lead turn on you, your objective here is to
take snapshots on their backs as they try to avoid you, each time you take a
shot extend horizontally then gently climb back up above them then use the
horizontal to get into their rear quadrant before going back down again, this
process repeated a few times will get you the kill. NEVER underestimate the
Zero's acceleration, if you do it will kill you.
Mustangs, Fw190D-9's.
(Fast Energy fighters)
Gentle use of the stick will keep your E state high, as mentioned in the fight
against the Zero, but here the Roles are reversed, your aim is to get a Lead
Turn on him for the shot, if he hangs around try more of that and/or try to get
him into a turn fight, where he will very quickly die, even if you have to
"tease" him in by showing him your tail for a while.
Other P-38's !
Generally I find that other P-38's are VERY good or, more usually, VERY bad. The
type of fight you have will depend, as with ALL fights, entirely on your
E states when the fight begins and your gentle handling during
the fight. The fight often won't be won but lost by whoever makes the 1st mistake,
that's why experience such as "low speed
maneuvering" can make the other guy stall 1st.
Co-Alt against another P-38 is almost as hard a fight as against the Zero but is MORE rewarding as you bettered the other pilots skill not his plane.
.
Colonel Oliver B. Taylor,14th FG, Mediterranean Theatre 1944.
P-38 ;
Bad points
Good Points