Lockheed P-38 Lightning Ideas and Inspiration

[GTX_Admin]

[GTX_Admin]

[GTX_Admin]

[Story]

the rest is embroidered Martin Caidin bullshit.  (1)
Here’s the real story: (2)
  soon grounded due to the poor quality of Italian gasoline, which corroded the fuel tanks. I believe that this is the only documented example of a captured US fighter being used to shoot down a US aircraft during WW2.”

1) I had to look that up. Caidin, known as a stickler for technical detail, incorporated supernatural elements in his Bermuda Triangle novel Three Corners To Nowhere (1975). During the mid-1980s, Caidin began claiming to have the power of telekinesis, specifically, to be able to move in one or more small devices called energy wheels or psi wheels.[6][7][8] Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach, a friend of Caidin's who sometimes appeared with him in demonstrations and workshops, reiterated a strong endorsement of him in his June 2004 Fate magazine column.[9] Magician James Randi offered to test Caidin's claimed abilities during 1994.[10] During September 2004, Randi wrote: "He frantically avoided accepting my challenge by refusing even the simplest of proposed control protocols, but he never tired of running on about how I would not test him."

2) Damn. What were they burning, Coca-cola? (That stuff will eat through stomach linings).

[arkon]

I believe GTX has a very similar profile in the beginning of this thread

[GTX_Admin]

Cool shot:



Click for bigger

[GTX_Admin]

Another:

[Volkodav]

UK supercharged Merlin or Griffon version?

[GTX_Admin]

It's one off the original Lightning Is - see here

[kitnut617]

UK supercharged Merlin or Griffon version?

More like no turbo-charger Allison --- which is why the RAF refused it ---

[Kelmola]

I've always wondered why the Brits ordered the P-38 at all if they thought that turbochargers would be problematic, since the entire plane's idea had been to stick two of the most powerful engines available on a single airframe

But then again, the RAF was consistently illogical, they also insisted in using the P-39 in high altitude fighter sweeps and then declared it unsuitable for the role (even though that was already apparent on paper) and disposed of the type altogether, yet they were perfectly happy to use the Typhoon as a low-level interceptor against the Fw 190 raids, even though it was similarly unsuitable for fighting at altitude and being more agile, P-39 would have had better chances in a dogfight against a 190 (never mind the Typhoon's slight teething troubles such as the completely harmless tendency to suddenly break apart in midair).

[GTX_Admin]

I've always wondered why the Brits ordered the P-38 at all if they thought that turbochargers would be problematic, since the entire plane's idea had been to stick two of the most powerful engines available on a single airframe

But then again, the RAF was consistently illogical, they also insisted in using the P-39 in high altitude fighter sweeps and then declared it unsuitable for the role (even though that was already apparent on paper) and disposed of the type altogether, yet they were perfectly happy to use the Typhoon as a low-level interceptor against the Fw 190 raids, even though it was similarly unsuitable for fighting at altitude and being more agile, P-39 would have had better chances in a dogfight against a 190 (never mind the Typhoon's slight teething troubles such as the completely harmless tendency to suddenly break apart in midair).

Read the link above in reply # 133 re the P-38.

Re the P-39, see here.

Remember also that in the 1939 - 1941 timeframes they were very much fighting for their lives and thus grabbing for weapons/solutions where they could find them without the luxury of taking the time to come up with the ideal solution.

[Old Wombat]

"Good enough for an emergency situation now" vs "Perfect for the role later"

[GTX_Admin]

"Good enough for an emergency situation now" vs "Perfect for the role later"

Exactly.

[GTX_Admin]

Random idea:  late model P38L in RAF scheme such as below:

[GTX_Admin]

[finsrin]

   

[elmayerle]

Just a thought, one of the versions proposed to the US  Navy crossed with the floatplane version and in suitable US  Navy markings, FAA markings, or SEAC markings.