Main Menu

United States' Lockheed P-38L Lightning fighter

• Photos
• Design
• Prototype
• Production
• Variants
• Usage
• Specifications

Photos

Lockheed P-38L Lightning fighter:

Design

Prototype

Production

The P-38L entered service in June 1944.¹

Variants

• Lockheed P-38L"droop snoot": Bomb aiming lead ships.¹ Had larger nose installed.¹ A navigator / bombardier would operate a Norden bombsight through a plexiglas section.¹

Usage

Specifications

	Lockheed P-38L Lightning1,2,3,4
Type	Fighter1,2,3 Fighter bomber1,2,3,4
Crew	11,2,3,4
Engine (Type)	2: Allison V-1710-111/113 turbo charged piston1,2 2: Allison V-1710-111/113 piston3,4
Cylinders	Inline1,2 V 123
Cooling
HP	1,425 each1, 1,475 each2, 1,600 each1
Propeller blades	3 each1,4
Dimensions
Span	52'1,2,3,4 15.85 m1,2,3,4
Length	37' 10"1,2,3,4 11.52 m2,3, 11.53 m1,4
Height	9' 10"1,2,3,4 2.99 m2,3, 3 m1,4
Wing area	327 ft2 1, 327.5 ft2 2,3 30.42 m2 1,2,3
Weight
Empty	12,800 lb2,3 5,806 kg2,3
Loaded	21,600 lb2, 21,800 lb3 9,798 kg2,3
Performance
Speed @ 25,000' 7,620 m	414 mph1,2,3 666 kph1,2,3
Climb to 20,000' / 6,095 m	7 minutes2,3
Service ceiling	44,000'1,2,3 13,400 m1, 13,410 m2,3
Range	450 miles2,3 724 km2,3
Range - internal fuel	475 miles1 765 km1
Armament
Nose	1: 20 mm1,2,3,4 4: 12.7 mm MG1,2,3 4: 0.5" MG1
Bombs - under wings	2: 1,000 lb1 2: 454 kg1
OR	2: 1,600 lb1,2,3 2: 726 kg1,2,3
OR	4,000 lb1 1,814 kg1
OR
Rockets - under wings	10: 5"1 10: 127 mm1

Sources:

1. Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
2. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
3. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, General Editor Chris Bishop, 1998
4. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998