They once called the
plane the fork-tailed devil
, while the Japanese dubbed them, two planes, one pilot.
What did the Germans call the P-38 Lightning?
Developed for the United States Army Air Corps, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. Allied propaganda claimed it had been nicknamed
the fork-tailed devil
(German: der Gabelschwanz-Teufel) by the Luftwaffe and “two planes, one pilot” by the Japanese.
What was the P-38 called?
P-38, also called
Lightning, fighter and fighter-bomber
employed by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. A large and powerful aircraft, it served as a bomber escort, a tactical bomber, and a photo-reconnaissance platform.
What does the P in P-38 stand for?
A master sergeant serving in the 30th Signal Construction Battalion in North Africa, Bandola began his acquaintance with the P-38 in 1943. “The P-38 was our means for eating 90 percent of the time, but the next thing I knew we were using it for cleaning boots, fingernails,
screwdrivers
, you name it.
Is the P-38 hard to fly?
However, the fighter's unconventional configuration had its downsides, notably an infamous tendency for the controls to lock up in steep, high-speed dives, with often fatal results. The engines were finicky and required high levels of pilot training that were frequently lacking.
How many guns did the P-38 have?
The Ultimate Weapon
Hibbard and his then assistant, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the twin-boomed P-38 was the most innovative plane of its day, combining speed with unheard-of advances: two supercharged engines and a potent mix of
four 50-caliber machine guns
and a 20-mm cannon.
What made the P-51 so good?
The Mustang, with its high speed, long-range, low
-cost, and six . 50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns
, made it the ideal fighter for the job. … The P-51 dominated air combat in Europe, destroying nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft. It was also a very capable fighter-bomber and could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs and rockets.
How many P-38 Lightnings are left in the world?
The Lockheed P-38 Lighting is an American two-engine fighter used by the United States Army Air Forces and other Allied air forces during World War II. Of the 10,037 planes built,
26 survive
today, 22 of which are located in the United States, and 10 of which are airworthy.
Did the P-38 fly in Italy?
The P-38 was still important as a fighter aircraft. In September 1943,
the Allies invaded southern Italy
. Of all the allied fighters involved in the invasion, the P-38 had the longest range, allowing it to spend an hour over the invasion beaches (including ten minutes of combat).
What was the fastest propeller plane in ww2?
Supermarine Spitfire
The propeller plane's elliptical wing helped it achieve higher speeds than its contemporaries and made it a fierce competitor in combat. The plane reached it's record speed of 606 mph at a 45-degree dive in 1943; it was later estimated to have reached 690 mph in a dive following the war in 1952.
What does P in P-51 stand for?
For example, before the new system, the Army Air Force used the “P” designation, which stood for
pursuit
, on a wide variety of its fighter aircraft, like the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning.
What does the K in K rations mean?
The first procurement of K-rations was made in May 1942. Some believed the K-ration was named after Dr. Keys or was short for “
Commando
” (as elite troops were the first to receive it). However, the letter “K” was selected because it was phonetically distinct from other letter-name rations.
What does the P stand for in p40?
, Amateur but enthusiastic student of history. The P in P-51 stands for
pursuit (plane)
. Pursuit was adopted during the First World War as the designation for what are now called fighters.
Can you buy planes from a boneyard?
No. Aircraft that are surplus to requirements are signed over to and disposed of by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO). Sales of surplus equipment are frequently carried out but
purchases can only be made if you are a company or individual who possess a licence to do so
.
What made the p38 so good?
In addition to their normal fighter duties of
intercepting enemy formations and escorting friendly bombers
, they were also used in a ground attack role, strafing enemy vehicles and troop concentrations. Their longer range and endurance made the P-38s the only fighters in the theater capable of the longest missions.
