War Birds

[_AH_z5o]

Lockheed P-38 Lightning




Role   Heavy fighter

Manufacturer   Lockheed

Designed by   Kelly Johnson

First flight   27 January 1939
Introduction   1941
Retired   1965 Honduran Air Force [2]

Primary users   United States Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force
Free French Air Force

Produced   1941–45
Number built   10,037[3]

Unit cost   US$ 97,147 in 1944[4]

Variants   Lockheed XP-49
Lockheed XP-58


General characteristics
•   Crew: One
•   Length: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
•   Wingspan: 52 ft 0 in (15.85 m)
•   Height: 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)
•   Wing area: 327.5 ft² (30.43 m²)
•   Airfoil: NACA 23016 / NACA 4412
•   Empty weight: 12,800 lb[86] (5,800 kg)
•   Loaded weight: 17,500 lb[86] (7,940 kg)
•   Max takeoff weight: 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)
•   Powerplant: 2× Allison V-1710-111/113 V-12 piston engine, 1,725 hp [87] (1,194 kW) each
•   Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0268[86]
•   Drag area: 8.78 ft² (0.82 m²)[86]
•   Aspect ratio: 8.26[86]
Performance
•   Maximum speed: 443 mph (712 km/h) on War Emergency Power: 1,725 hp at 64 inHG and 28,000 ft (8530 m)[88][89]
•   Stall speed: 105 mph (170 km/h)
•   Range: 1,300 mi combat (1,770 km / 3,640 km)
•   Service ceiling: 44,000 ft (13,400 m)
•   Rate of climb: 4,750 ft/min (1,448 m/min) maximum
•   Wing loading: 53.4 lb/ft²[86] (260.9 kg/m²)
•   Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb (0.27 kW/kg)
•   Lift-to-drag ratio: 13.5
Armament
•   1× Hispano M2(C) 20 mm cannon with 150 rounds
•   4× Browning MG53-2 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns with 500 rpg.
•   4× M10 three-tube 4.5 in (112 mm) rocket launchers or:
•   Inner Hardpoints: 2× 2,000 lb (907 kg) bombs or drop tanks; or 2× 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs or drop tanks, plus either 4× 500 lb (227 kg) or 4× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs; or 6× 500 lb (227 kg) or 6× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs
•   Outer Hardpoints: 10× 5 in (127 mm) HVARs (High Velocity Aircraft Rocket); or 2× 500 lb (227 kg) or 2× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs






P-38H-5-LO, AAF Ser. No. 42-66923, of the AAF Tactical Center, Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, carrying two 1,000 lb bombs during capability tests, March 1944


Reconnaissance P-38 with bold black and white invasion stripes participating in the Normandy Campaign


P-38G cockpit


P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group


Col. MacDonald and Al Nelson in the Pacific with MacDonald's P-38J


P-38 at sunset


P-38s of 449th Fighter Squadron, Chengkung, 1945


Pilot and aircraft armorer inspect ammunition for the central 20 mm cannon


P-38J-10-LO, 42-68008, flying over Southern California.

~S~
Zulu

[_AH_Olander]

Is it me or has anyone else noticed that it takes the corsair a MONTH OF SUNDAYS just to reach an appreciable speed?  z5o shows a VERY impressive top end speed.    Yeah, she IS speedy but once you engage and maneuver even slightly, getting that airspeed back takes FOREVER, even when you point the nose down.      

This is very dis concerning when multiple bogies appear close to you all of a sudden.    I think I'm gonna have to reevaluate my bent wing tactics.  Tired of getting chased down by Spits and Gustavs in my 1D, even in a dive.  :unhappy-059: :help2:  TD....gimme 'sumthin  good to work with.   Any ideas?  


And YES,  I do trim.... like a madman.... constantly!   

[_AH_z5o]

Here's a site, or two,  with alittle more info on the F4U Corsair, hope it helps. 
http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/F4U.html
http://www.aviation-history.com/vought/f4u.html

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~ Olander: Keep it, if at all possible, a vertical fight with the big blue. None of this round, and round stuff. You dive to a point where you think he will be to take your shot. If, while in your dive, to that point, you have to change your dive direction more that 4 degrees left or right, break off and go back up to altitude, which is money in the bank, and set it up again on your target or pick a new one.
Respectfully:   TD

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

Oooh, I like that TD...

S!

[_AH_z5o]

~S~, So your saying the Corsair is more a zoomer and a boomer. That explanes alot. Good stuff TD. S!

[_AH_Olander]

~S~ Olander: Keep it, if at all possible, a vertical fight with the big blue. None of this round, and round stuff. You dive to a point where you think he will be to take your shot. If, while in your dive, to that point, you have to change your dive direction more that 4 degrees left or right, break off and go back up to altitude, which is money in the bank, and set it up again on your target or pick a new one.
Respectfully:   TD

4 DEGREES !!!???   Well that may explain quite a bit.  I NEVER venture off more than 30 degrees but now it appears that may be a bit too much.  I realize the big blue can turn with the best of them at high speed and I've frequently made those hard turns while at warp speed.  But, that comes with the severe penalty of reduced velocity.   I guess from now on, I'll refrain from those hard, fast turns.  Usually THAT is when the bad guys will run up on me before I can get that good speed back. 

4 degrees..... I'll remember that.  Thanks a million TD. 

NOW, if I can just stay out of those NOOB servers, my blood pressure may decrease a bit.   :thinking-008:

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~ Big "O". You are correct in saying that the big blue has a great turn rate but it cannot 'sustain' that turn rate which means that in order to hold altitude you will have to shallow out your bank angle thus widening your turn radius and letting the enemy saddle up on your 6 quicker. All of that 'turn and burn' stuff is NOT for Big Blue. You 'turn'..yes but, you 'burn' speed. Don't do it.  TD...out.

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

This "TD" guy talks like he has actually flown a real airplane....