Lockheed P-38 Lightning Design Info

"YIPPEE", shown in the title picture, was the 5000th P-38. The whole plane was painted a bright vermillion.

One of Japan's leading aces who survived the war said in an interview here on YouTube that the P38 was the hardest US aircraft he went up against to shoot down, the reason he gave was it's twin boom design, they preferred to attack aircraft from above from a dive and when he'd fire on the P38 the rounds would pass through the open area between boom's, he said something like "There was nothing to hit!!! The bullets just passed right through!!!".

I've been reading stuff about the P-38 since I first discovered WW2 airplanes about 60 years ago. The twin boom configuration is always rationalized as a solution to maneuverability in a twin engine airplane or improved aerodynamic efficiency, neither of which really made much sense to me. I always thought it was more likely a packaging thing, and a very logical one. You are the first person that's stated that in simple terms. I'm looking forward to more in this series on the P-38.

I had a friend who flew F5's (photo recon P38) from the Marianas for BDA, because his flights would often be canceled he had lots of free time. He got the medical crew to teach im how to take X-rays and by the time he left the service he was grandfathered in to become a licensed X-ray tech. He was one of the few Army air corps pilots who wore wings of gold as he did his training at Pensacola FL with the navy pilots. He was in the same class as Joe Walker who was killed in the B70 crash flying the F104. He also flew the C124 with the twin bubble canopy. He was also one heck of a X-ray tech. He got pictures when others had no idea how to position the patient to get what the Dr. wanted. He told me some great stories of flying. Greg keep up the great work, you bring these world war II planes back to life with each episode.

“Why a twin boom design?” Because it looks cool, duh.

I’ve always loved the Lightning and my family has a special connection to it. On my mom’s side, my grandpa had an engineering job at Lockheed in Burbank and helped develop some of the systems for the late model P-38s. On my dad’s side, my great uncle flew P-38s in Europe before his squadron transitioned to P-51s, mostly on ground attack sorties since this was mid to late 1944.

Very competent and interesting reviews, love it. I am Swiss and my father told me that the Swiss company "Brown Boveri Company" located in Baden, Switzerland, produced turbochargers for American WW2 warplanes. However, when Switzerland became surrounded by the Nazis export halted.

P-38 is a beauty and its great its getting a full breakdown.

1:44 Coolest Ambulance ride EVER!

The P-38 is one of those planes that just looks the part. You know? You catch sight of those twin booms in classic profile and it just sort of makes you stop and admire it for a moment.

The P-47 was the first WW2 aircraft I fell in love with (figuratively speaking). Then I learned about the P-38 it became and still is my favorite WW2 aircraft. I got to get my mitts all over one at the EAA AirVenture Show in Oshkosh several years ago. The pilot, who wasn't the owner, said it was okay and we had a nice chat about her and what it's like to fly one. THAT was a great day for my son and I.

Twin booms aside, the push-pull engine configuration AND a requirement for space for a pilot and weapons and superchargers and fuel and methanol-water injection and/or nitrous oxide seems to result in quite the sizeable plane, case in point the Do335. Makes one appreciate how compact a design the P38 actually is.

Greg, you sir are creating the definitive WW2 aircraft video series. Nothing else is even close.

It's also the first airplane I saw as a little boy flying over the farm.

As a kid I used to love reading the WWII era "Flying Magazine"s that my Dad had kept from that time. The color photography in them was great as was the ad artwork.

Ah! My favorite WWII American fighter! I still remember how much I enjoyed building a Monogram 1/48 P-38 over 50 years ago, and I know have the lovely Tamiya kit in my stash. Episode One in this series was informative and as always, I learned a lot. Thanks so much.

Ace of Aces Richard Bong was from Wisconsin. There is a Bong Recreational area that people mistake for other uses.

I've grown up practically drooling over the P-38 Lightning since childhood and was taken aback learning of all the amazing feats it pulled in WWII! The amazing altitude it could reach, the speed, the nose guns... and there were even a few types that fired rockets! I was also surprised when I first learned that this was the plane used in "Operation Vengeance" over Bougainville in 1943 that shot down the bomber carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack.

My Mom is now 95 years old. Obviously she lived through World War II. Knowing nothing about airplane types in general, she still remembers seeing P-38's flying in the wartime skies of North Carolina. This was the only plane that she remembers. There is something primal in one sense, and iconic in another, that seems to set this aircraft apart from all other allied fighters. Nothing painted on a leather bomber jacket captures the feel and mystic of the WW2 years as does the image of a p-38 Lightning.  Years ago I walked by the magazine rack in a grocery store. There on the cover of "In-Flight" magazine I was arrested by the photo of an olive drab P-38. In that moment I knew who flying it. And anyone reading this comment probably would guess it was Jeffrey Ethell. He had finally realized his lifelong dream by flying the same type of aircraft that his father flew during WW2. Sadly, as I called the magazine to check up on my friend, I was thunderstruck by the news that he had, 2 weeks previous, died in the second P-38 that he had been so privileged to fly. I can't see a Lightning without thinking about Jeff. But I am assured of this one thing, I will see him again.

It's what we've come to expect from you Greg - a thorough look at an aircraft based on your considerable research, which really helps us understand some of the design points of this beauty. Many thanks as always and great value for money!