Dear Subscribers, Most probably you noticed that we were gone for a while. We are really sorry for that but we are hopefully back on track! So, what happened? Well, we had to re-edit all of our videos due to some video production and footage mistakes we made previously. It was heartbreaking for us to delete all the content from the channel but this was the only way to fix it. We received several really supportive emails from you guys in that period so BIG thanks goes to you! So, what’s next? In the upcoming week you will see our videos being re-uploaded again step-by-step. We know that you have already watched most of those videos so please don’t be mad at us 🙏. On the other hand, if you enjoyed those videos for the first time, give them a chance and re-watch them again. You will notice new & unseen rare video footage. After we are done uploading our old videos, we will start gradually uploading new episodes that we have made for you guys. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we do! Thanks for your continued support! We have missed you! Military History Channel (MHC)
Damn, l really wish you people would do SOME resurch before you post these videos. The P-38 did NOT down the most Japanese aircraft, that trophy goes to the Grumman F6F Hellcat with over 5,223 kills. Followed by the Vaught F4U Corsair with 2100+ (Navy records) and the P-38 with 1800+ kills.
@@pat8988 Yeah, l'm not sure if it's a case of revisionist history, laziness, or just plain stupidity. l mean something like this is very easy to check so why can't they do the right thing to start with? After going to all the trouble of making the video, why wouldn't you want your facts to be right? Amateurs!
@@superchicken5285 All the way down to them referring to it as the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) during WW2, it wasn't called that during the war despite a lot of people thinking it was. In June of 1941 a full 6 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor it's name was changed to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). At no point during the war was it called the Air Corps.
Yes the Fork-tailed devil was feared a lot. It was the most feared airplane as my grand father told me. He was a soldier in the Luftwaffe. They really feared the Gabelschwanz Teufel. They feared it more than the Mustang or Spidfire. Greatings from Germany
No. The P38 was never feared or called" forktail devil"...hint: it does not translate at all. Just as in English, it does not flow in German. Aside from that, the P38 could not compete with single engine fighters.
@@gruenherz54 Well, my grandfather who was a soldier in the Luftwaffe feared it. He told me in person and I have no reason not to believe him and he had no reason to lie at me. So we can consider that there was at least one Person in the Luftwaffe who feared the P38. And yes he called it Gabeschwanzteufel. This is best translated to Devil with a fork tail. I am German native speaker and for me the translation is fine.
My friend who passed away. Flew the p 40 warhawk.and was in operation torch. He was in the 57 th fighter group. And flew in the black scorpion squadron. And was a part of the palm Sunday massacre. The USA gave the nazis an ass kicking that day. God bless all the veterans of ww2.
@@jacktattisLOL... true enough, Jack. Not to take anything away from the 57th but the RAF gave them their operational training in operational tactics and desert warfare in Sudan and then Egypt. The 66th FS was then attached to 112 Sqn (6 Oct '42) to learn the trade (El Alamein) and those pilots then returned to the 57th in late Nov '42 (after reaching Gazala) to train other lads in the Group. Contrary to the US websites, 66th FS joined 112 and 239 Wing, NOT the other way around and relied on Brit intelligence, planning briefings, airfield facilities and servicing... although they did have American beer delivered to the Sqn, LOL.
One aspect that does not get a lot of coverage is that the propellers were counter-rotating. This makes the plane as a whole torque neutral with the result that it could pull out equally to the port or starboard. Single engine planes could pull out well in one direction, but not the other. This was an advantage unique to the P-38 among fighter planes.
Don't forget the Curtis p40. It was a very good fighter bomber also. It flew early and almost always was outnumbered. My friend flew one all the way across the desert and had nothing but good to say how good it preformed. And particaped in the palm Sunday massacre..he was in the 57th fighter group. The first Americans to fly aginst the germans.
The F4U was given to US Allies and also used in the Pacific. It was the British, actually, who demonstrated that a circular approach rather than straight in approach to a Carrier allowed for enough visibility for the pilots to land on Carriers. From then on, the F4U was a formidable weapon in the Pacific.
....The key is the wording; "of the 3 outstanding USAAF Fighters" - 0:05 Except for operations like Jimmy Dolittle's Raid on Tokyo, etc., the USAAF operated in Europe, the F4U, Navy and Marines were in the Pacific theater.
When I was kid , my Dad who was in B-25- had a friend we would often meet for coffee- & he would tell stories of his missions- once i asked if he'd rather had a 51- he just smiled and shook his head- he particularly liked the inline guns & counter rotating props, giving him a tighter turn & roll opposite the enemy- he loved his plane!
What ever its faults the P-38 was in huge demand throughout the war. Its range, speed, maneuverability, firepower and versatility made it a true air superiority aircraft; the F-15 of its day.
The 38 production line never shut down , the 51 twice , the Corsair had 500 major changes and over 2,000 minor changes, the 474FG and others were operating at wars end. The plane shot down the first German plane in Europe, shot down by an American plane. It could carry 2, 1,000 lb. Bombs.
I met a former P-38 pilot, a veteran of the Pacific Theater, at the 1969 State Fair of Texas. Among other things, like how he loved the plane, he told me they were difficult to bail out of and survive due to the cross-tail design.
I know so many WWII fighters were amazing but I'd have wanted to fly the P-38 Lighting more than any other ally fighter, even the P-51 Mustang. There's just something so violently beautiful about the P-38. And don't get me started on the 20mm cannon. Wow.
The main reason you think that is you have yet to fly a P38. Your post is a combination of sour grapes, and there grass is greener on the other side of the fence. With a red herring thrown in.
Good to see your back! And yes twice you mentioned concentrated firepower in the nose. I'm glad you focused on that, because a lot of other channels to do a great job talking about the P38 Lightning, but don't go into that much. I had a really good friend and former P38 pilot in World War II, who said that's what really made him more confident with the plane, which was the gun platform. His quote to me was "It was like turning a garden hose on someone".
A lot of gun platforming does not get talked about in these new specials of war birds from WWII. Both USAAC and USNAC always relied on having larger or more proficient gun platforms and placement with a reliable strong engine and frame. The Japanese zeros were nimble AF and great daring pilots but even in the skies more guns meant better results.
The elimination of the limited range convergence guns made it so much easier for fighter pilots, because they could shoot the enemy at any range without having to get it in the convergence zone. This was borne out by the fact that most of the top aces including Dick Bong, Ace of Aces flew P-38s. in addition, speed, the most critical aspect of a fighter was well above any other plane especially the dive speed. Although my favorite plane is the iconic Voight F-4-U Corsair, mostly for the way it looks, I admire this plane for its performance.
You neglected to mention that the British Lightnings were delivered without superchargers and engines that both turned the same way. This was why the British called this batch "The Castrated Lightning". It was reported that these were later absorbed into USAAF Training Command and used in the US during the war.
"Both British and French delegations insisted the fighters be equipped with Allison s without turbo-superchargers and with strictly right-hand rotation because they wanted the engines interchangeable with those of the Curtiss H.81A Tomahawk that had been ordered by both Britain and France in large numbers. In addition the Committee wanted to optimize the aircraft for medium-altitude combat, as was currently the dominant mode of aerial warfare in Europe, rather than the high-altitude role for which the P-38 had been designed." Has ! Not secure warning Aerofiles Lightning I/II exports page
A few things not mentioned... Many of the problems with the P-38 were because it was the first plane to fly so high and fast. The compressiblity issue was due to a "slow speed" airfoil and all planes of that era had similar issues though the P-38 was the worst. That being said, it wasn't a problem at lower altitudes and I'm not aware of any combat pilots definitely being lost to it. And? Tales of German fighters diving away because they "knew the Lightnings wouldn't follow" is most likely because they weren't permitted to chase German fighters. The top speed isn't really known. There were official speed trials for the G but not the later J and L. Some records were lost but it seems that no one needed to know it's official top speed. There are estimates as high as 440mph but pilots didn't complain about being too slow. The Allison engine and turbo needed to grow into each other. The original intercooler was a bad design, and a lot of the problems were fixed when they changed it, but most of the problems were concentrated in England. Part of that was because of flying long ranges at such altitude and low temperature but part if it was the fuel. At the time the lightning was introduced the fuel being used in Britain wasn't quite as highly refined as what was sent to the Pacfic or North Africa. All high altitude aircraft had some problems with it but, those Allison's again, the P-38 was hit hardest. So? The P-38 going strong to the end of the war was very different than the one the 8th AirForce, rightly I think, gave up on. A huge "what if" is "what if there had been no P-51"? The record after the Lightnings left the 8th suggests it would have gone on pretty much as history records. The performance difference between the two is fractional when running right and the engine problems were pretty much solved. A big factor in replacing the Lightnings was actually cost. She cost more than a Mustang or Jug and that worked out great for the guys privileged to fly her.
The most difficult element of the P-38 was that it was easily identifiable. When the first shot would determine the result of a dogfight, knowing the identity made a life and death matter.
My Grandfather fought and died on Bougainville. He was on the cover of Yank Magazine, and was a war hero. Wish I had the chance to meet my Grandpa Harry.
My father, 23rd Fighter Group, Usaac flew the P40 first in Burma, then the P51C and D as they moved north into China, and finally the P38 D when Ground Atrack against the Japanese between Guangjo to Shanghai proved to be its forte. He always told me that the P38 was his favorite to fly as a Fighter and Ground Attack in the war, he stay in China until 1945 when Japan surrendered.
interesting tidbit charles lindberg was in the south pacific and tuned the p38 so well (major aircraft genius) he DOUBLED THE FLIGHT DISTANCE its here on youtube the story. his running allowed the p38 to decimate the japanese fighters
He had used the same fuel leaning out setting to enable his legend flight across the Atlantic years earlier. In hindsight why did this technique become standard practice for combat aircraft? Sakai Saburo used a similar technique on his damaged Zero to fly a record distance to Formosa.
I have always read that the engines were fine in the Pacific theater,but not so much in the European. No twin engined plane can dogfight with a single engine fighter-their roll rates will always be different. Fortunately in the Pacific,they found that boom and zoom tactics defeated the Zero,as it could not respond to the Lightnings,which refused to fight the Japanese way.
It's hard to beleive (understand) that the P-38 Lightning was built 2 years before the P-51 Mustang given ALOT of similarities of design! HAPPY (and Safe) 4th of JULY to all!!!
There have been numerous interviews with Luftwaffe pilots that flew Fw190s and BF109s. They did NOT fear the P-38 in a dogfight. They said it was easy to turn inside and shot down. They only feared it when it came down from above at speed.
@@brandonstrife9738 You talk nonsense. Fighter pilots did not really fear the P-38, there are more than 20 pilots who shot down more than five P-38. The aircraft was feared when used as fighter bomber.
My lifetime favorite since first seeing one as a kid in Germany in the early 80's. Dad was stationed there and I believe we went to a show or museum where I saw one.
My father flew the P-38 in the later years of WWII as part of the 23rd Fighter Group in China, after spending at first in 1942 - 43 in a P-40B then a C, and then a P-51C in 44, finally the P-38D in early 45 as the USAAC had essential rid the China skies of all Japanese aircraft and they needed the pilots to conduct Ground Attack and CloseAir Sport of US Army infantry units taking out the remainder of Japanese troops in Northern China. Of all the planes he flew, he loved the P-38 the most.
"Both British and French delegations insisted the fighters be equipped with Allison s without turbo-superchargers and with strictly right-hand rotation because they wanted the engines interchangeable with those of the Curtiss H.81A Tomahawk that had been ordered by both Britain and France in large numbers. In addition the Committee wanted to optimize the aircraft for medium-altitude combat, as was currently the dominant mode of aerial warfare in Europe, rather than the high-altitude role for which the P-38 had been designed." Has ! Not secure warning Aerofiles Lightning I/II exports page
"The P-38 was without doubt the strategically most important American fighter of World War II." Assessing the Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Air Power Australia page@@jacktattis
There was an issue in '43, where there was no standardization in wiring certain subsystems to the same controls, like radio, switching to belly tanks, dropping belly tanks, etc. When the word came down to standardize to a specific pattern, quite a few veteran pilots found that they were 'talking through their belly tanks' until everyone got up to speed on the changes.
Thanks you guys for providing these videos. They are critically important for not only current generations but for future generations as well. A couple of nit-picky points. First, a lot of the problems the ETO experienced with the Alison engines was attributed directly to the poor AvGas the Brits provided. Once the 100 octane fuel became abundant, most of the engine problems disappeared. Another thing was Lockheed’s use of the exhaust driven turbo charger (not a super charger which is driven off the crankshaft) meant the Alison in the P-38 could fly at the altitudes combat occurred at in Europe. Unlike the P-40, which only had a single stage supercharger and was altitude limited to 15000ft., the twin Alison’s of the P-38 were more than up to the challenges of the ETO.
The P-38's Allison did have a mechanical supercharger. Allison was never pushed to develop an efficient two-stage supercharger by the USAAF who preferred turbocharging for high altitude performance. That technology worked great with the radial engines of the B-24, B-17, and P-47, but was never completely sorted out on the P-38. Even the L model continued to have its share of hiccups. Of the myriad problems the -38's Allisons suffered in the ETO poor fuel quality was a definate contributor.
Thankyou for giving dick bong a spotlight. Our ace of aces. Loved that warbird. "Marge". Medal of Honor and died testing our own jet planes before the war ended. I know great video on America's greatest attack plane. When we had nothing to throw at an advanced formidable enemy . Alot like snoopy and Red Baron. From virtually out of thin air and ashes of defeat. It rose alone to answer and it was a darn good old American punch in the face. In one plane we said wait a minute. We are just getting started. You ain't won nothing. ❤❤❤. P38 lightning was the army air force right haymaker. Fights just starting
Reality is, the P-38 simply didn't do well in the colder climes of the Northern Hemisphere. They were devastating in the Pacific tropics, but pretty useless in Europe.
In the ETO they couldn't get rid of the P-38 fast enough. As ace Robin Olds said "I loved the P-38 but I got those kills in spite of the airplane, not because of it".
V-12s ARE in-line engines as the cylinders are arranged in a line in two banks as opposed to being arranged in a ring as in RADIAL engines as seen on P-47s, F-4 Wildcats, F-6 Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, A6M Zeros, B-17s, B-24s, etc.
One salvo from the P-38's 4--50 caliber guns plus one 20mm cannon was lethal to most enemy fighters. In particular the Zero which had no armor nor self-sealing fuel tanks.
When the USAAF finally realized that the B-17's needed fighter protection during daylight missions over Germany the P-38 was available, but was in high demand in every theater of the war. The P-38 was a difficult aircraft to learn to fly, and to maintain in the field. Reports are that it was not easy to get into full combat mode after hours of escorting bombers at slower speed. The cold cockpit was a major drawback. These drawbacks along with command bias towards single engine aircraft, and the need for a lot of good dependable long range aircraft and pilots to fly them led to the P-51 taking over most of the bomber escort duty.
The aircraft mechanics in the Pacific re-routed the fresh air intakes over the exhaust pipes and directed them to the cockpit. A simple valve allowed the pilot to choose the amount of heat he wanted into the cockpit. More heated fresh air could be directed to the windscreen which got rid of “foggy windshields.” The same mechanics invented a valve that automatically adjusted the air-fuel mixture to get the most power out of the engines when the fighters went into full combat mode. They did other things to improve performance and found ways to increase fuel load. Lockheed fitted all of these modifications into their assembly lines. I submit that by late 1944, and I admit I never researched this, the P-38 was at least as good as the P-51 Mustang, if not the better fighter.
@@williampaz2092 Yes, the lightning's design was way ahead of it's time, and sadly the demands of the combat situation in Europe didn't allow enough time for improvements to be implemented in the field. The P-38 took longer to learn how to fly effectively and the USAAF needed lots of good fighter pilots in a hurry. A review of the P-38's performance on escort missions revealed that the critical moment when Luftwaffe fighters were engaging from an advantageous position, the P-38 pilots had to perform several critical control maneuvers to get the plane up to very highs speeds.
The British ordered the P-38 without the contra rotating propellers. They did poorly and eventually had the engine swapped out for contra rotating ones. The main advantage to the P-38 was in approaching friendly bomber formations. P-51s resembled Bf109s and several were shot down by bomber gunners. The P-38 had no such problem. The other advantage was the two engines. There are numerous examples of P-38s that had one engine receive damage from flak or fighters that made it home on one engine.
Richard - I think you're confusing the direction of counter-rotation with not having counter rotating props. The early production units (that would have gone to the British before the Americans entered the war) had the tops of the props arcing inwards; the later production units had the tops of the props arcing outward. Regardless, all P-38s had counter-rotating props.
Also, how much experience did the p38 pilots have when sent over. The p38 took more training and many pilots were not proficient with the plane when rushed to the front.
Because the P-38 lightening was the greatest most powerful fighter plane for the time. Lt. Leroy Lutz (my Uncle) flew this plane an accomplished many missions until shot down over France 2 weeks after D day while destroying supply trains on their way to reinforce the German defense. His plane was mortally struck but instead of bailing out, he was able to steer away from a village and land in a cemetery. He did not survive, he saved the village. German forced away towns people trying to render aid. Instead they fired a bullet into him to make sure he was dead. Then the Germans drained his gas and left. The French so moved by the pilot's heroism saving their village, they took his body and buried him with full military honors and a memorial to his heroism. We his family were only told he was missing. In 1994, a Young man who witnessed the crash finally found his son, my cousin and told him what happened. He traveled to the French town and they held another ceremony. My cousin, rather than taking his father home, felt there was no more fitting place for him to be. I'm proud of my uncle and so sorry his mother my grandmother died never knowing what had truly happened to her boy.
Mr. Johnson was a flippin' Genius!!!! P-38: shot down Yamamoto when we did not have any other fighter that had the range to get there. Shot down more jap planes than any other USAAF fighter. Top 2 US. Aces flew it . War is a "team" effort. We had the best team..... Also the Pratt & Whitney 2800 double Wasp 2000+H.P. In 3 deadly fighters. Small wonder we WON!!!!😮
I read somewhere, a long time ago, that the RAF initial P-38 block was ordered WITHOUT the superchargers. Given the Spitfire had superchargers from reasonably early on, that would seem an odd decision Slick piece of aeroplane,; like so many other superb machines, swept aside by the gas-turbine engine. Has any madman given a P-38 the Cavalier turbo-prop treatment?
No they had seen the test with the F2 The US Govt would not allow its sale and they tried to fob off the C15 without Turbos and the RAF rejected them. Why this bloody lying, Why would the RAF buy a plane without its key component Hell the RAF had more experience than the USAAF.
I know of one that I account for in the ocean off of Tinian that was escorting my dad's Lockheed Ventura back to the island and decided to be a hotdog and rollover the top of my dad's plane. Unfortunately he clipped the Venturas wing tip and bend it up at a °45 angle. The P-38 went down but dad limped it home without flaps.
The Allison was actually a pretty good engine. The downfall was that Allison was told to not bother developing a supercharger. GE would provide the supercharger. GE fell flat. Late in the war Allison 1710 with an Allison supercharger would go toe-to-toe with the Merlin.
I think no because the Merlin did consumes more gas per hp : a turbocharger did use ~5% from the power from a engine and a engine driven supercharger need +30% from the power from the engine= more consumption...The climb rate from a P38 was fantastic, close twice the climb rate from a P51D, so with a ennemy in the tail, the best a pilot can make to leave is to climb full power at 45% climb angle...
First of all it couldn't even fit the Merlin or Griffon which would require a redesign of the nacelles, which would probably increase the drag of the plane... and it's already not worth it.
The Allison super/turbo charger on the P38 had more horsepower than then the 2 stage supercharged Merlin. The P38 was designed for the big turbochargers in the tail booms. The 2 stage supercharger that was designed by Packard for the Merlin engine didn't come out until late 43 early 44 and again never produced more horsepower than the Allison with the super/turbo charger combo that was used in the P38. Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles has and episode on this very topic. So no, The P38 wouldn't of benefitted from having the Merlin engine, it would of actually hurt the planes performance.
I want Correct you on your information : in June 1941 the Army Air Corp changed it's name to Army Air Force . I spent 20 years in the Air Force 1970 - 1990.
I remember my late mom told me how this wonderful fighter plane the double bodied plane the P38 chasing japanese plane in combat during the Second World War
I had a friend who was a barber down at the mall. Not once in his entire life did he mention the P38. In all actuality I think he didn’t even know what a P38 was, so *there.*
I've read blood thirsty P38 strafing stories of the effect of 20mm cannons and napalm on people. Visual images of horror that never fade. Wonderful air-craft, terrible man killer.♥️😎
When the Allies are trying to stop global Socialism, ( Nazis), it was good that it was a great killing machine. Also, P-38s in the E. T. O. had serious issues in cold high altitude air until the J model. In the Pacific, Bong, McGuire & Co. Flew @ medium & lower altitudes.
@@ronaldbrouhard1247 The NAZIS were not socialists. They were fascists. Even though it was in their name that was primarily a marketing ploy to gain acceptance.
Eighteen took off, two turned back due to aircraft malfunction. Sixteen engaged the Yamamoto flight and only one loss of a P38. Funny to note sixteen B25s launched of the carrier Hornet to be the first strike against the Japanese homeland exactly one year earlier.
In the P38 there would have been a loss of performance. It had supercharger/turbochargers for high performance, high altitude operation. The P39 didn't nor did the P51. That is the reason that the Merlin did so well.
The Russians preferred the P39 over any other fighter. It had a higher kill ratio than any fighter in the ETO. It was a superb fighter at low altitudes. It's lack of a dual supercharger was it's biggest limitation.
P-38 aircraft is one of unique of it time, server bombing campaign escort b17, server pacific theather and some are ugrade as a reconize aircraft. Is sad these plane ended there career when war is over but im happy u bring these bird back and im happy you mention special mission the hunt of yamamoto.
Maybe because it looked like it could either blow you out of the sky, or destroy whatever vehicle you were in (or near),and given half a chance, it did just that. all day, every day.
I would think the engines would block the piolets peripheral vision almost completely. Beautiful and powerful plane but there's no way I would dog fight in the thing.
"There is little wonder that loss rates were relatively high and the kill to loss ratio was below that of the P-47's which could be massed by the hundreds (700 P-47's flying escort was not uncommon). The Luftwaffe quickly learned to position the bulk of their fighters just beyond the range of the Thunderbolts and repeatedly flew aggressive small unit ambushes against the handful of P-38s tied to close escort and thus denied the freedom to engage at will." AIR POWER AUSTRALIA
The wooden wonder mosquito could carry nearly equal bomb load to a B17 and fight ( Not at the same time . ) I was astounded to read that the P38 carried nearly twice the bomb load of a B17 . These 2 planes are in my top 2 favourites from WW2 . Bombing Germany would have been a safer prospect with these 2 planes exclusively . And they could have escorted eachother or themselves .
First allied fightet over Berlin, force to fly with the bombers at 100 mph less than its abilities, kill ratio ,after being allowed to Free Range, of German fighters was almost the exact of the 51. BRASS blamed the 38 not poor tactis they ordered.
Dear Subscribers,
Most probably you noticed that we were gone for a while. We are really sorry for that but we are hopefully back on track!
So, what happened? Well, we had to re-edit all of our videos due to some video production and footage mistakes we made previously. It was heartbreaking for us to delete all the content from the channel but this was the only way to fix it. We received several really supportive emails from you guys in that period so BIG thanks goes to you!
So, what’s next? In the upcoming week you will see our videos being re-uploaded again step-by-step. We know that you have already watched most of those videos so please don’t be mad at us 🙏. On the other hand, if you enjoyed those videos for the first time, give them a chance and re-watch them again. You will notice new & unseen rare video footage.
After we are done uploading our old videos, we will start gradually uploading new episodes that we have made for you guys. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we do! Thanks for your continued support!
We have missed you!
Military History Channel (MHC)
Love your videos! Thanks for re uploading such good content :)
Damn, l really wish you people would do SOME resurch before you post these videos. The P-38 did NOT down the most Japanese aircraft, that trophy goes to the Grumman F6F Hellcat with over 5,223 kills. Followed by the Vaught F4U Corsair with 2100+ (Navy records) and the P-38 with 1800+ kills.
@@superchicken5285 Yeah, lots of good footage of the plane, but way too many factual errors.
@@pat8988 Yeah, l'm not sure if it's a case of revisionist history, laziness, or just plain stupidity. l mean something like this is very easy to check so why can't they do the right thing to start with? After going to all the trouble of making the video, why wouldn't you want your facts to be right? Amateurs!
@@superchicken5285
All the way down to them referring to it as the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) during WW2, it wasn't called that during the war despite a lot of people thinking it was.
In June of 1941 a full 6 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor it's name was changed to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
At no point during the war was it called the Air Corps.
Yes the Fork-tailed devil was feared a lot. It was the most feared airplane as my grand father told me. He was a soldier in the Luftwaffe. They really feared the Gabelschwanz Teufel. They feared it more than the Mustang or Spidfire. Greatings from Germany
My grandfather was responsible for more downed German planes than anyone. He was known as the worst mechanic in the Luftwaffe..
No. The P38 was never feared or called" forktail devil"...hint: it does not translate at all. Just as in English, it does not flow in German. Aside from that, the P38 could not compete with single engine fighters.
@@gruenherz54 Well, my grandfather who was a soldier in the Luftwaffe feared it. He told me in person and I have no reason not to believe him and he had no reason to lie at me. So we can consider that there was at least one Person in the Luftwaffe who feared the P38. And yes he called it Gabeschwanzteufel. This is best translated to Devil with a fork tail. I am German native speaker and for me the translation is fine.
@@gruenherz54did you not hear how many jap zeros the 38 shot down? It could compete just fine with single engine fighters.
@@gruenherz54 You're saying a P38 is going to have less energy because it's twin engine? You are mighty confident for someone so ignorant.
Thank God for the techs & ENGINEERS FOR building this awesome airplane!
My friend who passed away. Flew the p 40 warhawk.and was in operation torch. He was in the 57 th fighter group. And flew in the black scorpion squadron. And was a part of the palm Sunday massacre. The USA gave the nazis an ass kicking that day. God bless all the veterans of ww2.
Spits provided top cover.
@@bobsakamanos4469 Jesus mate don't tell them that Their psyche will be damaged
@@jacktattisLOL... true enough, Jack.
Not to take anything away from the 57th but the RAF gave them their operational training in operational tactics and desert warfare in Sudan and then Egypt. The 66th FS was then attached to 112 Sqn (6 Oct '42) to learn the trade (El Alamein) and those pilots then returned to the 57th in late Nov '42 (after reaching Gazala) to train other lads in the Group. Contrary to the US websites, 66th FS joined 112 and 239 Wing, NOT the other way around and relied on Brit intelligence, planning briefings, airfield facilities and servicing... although they did have American beer delivered to the Sqn, LOL.
The late p38 ace Richard bong would endorse this!
RICHARD bONG NEVER FLEW AGAINST THE lUFTWAFFE
He flew low level against a lesser enemy.
One aspect that does not get a lot of coverage is that the propellers were counter-rotating. This makes the plane as a whole torque neutral with the result that it could pull out equally to the port or starboard. Single engine planes could pull out well in one direction, but not the other. This was an advantage unique to the P-38 among fighter planes.
Thank you for that.
It also was a headache for ground crews as the two engines didn't have many interchangeable parts.
thats the drive system that nearly killed howard hughes
It did not help them They were easy meat for the Luftwaffe
and de compression flaps installed.
The late war f4u corsair is criminally underrated
Don't forget the Curtis p40. It was a very good fighter bomber also. It flew early and almost always was outnumbered. My friend flew one all the way across the desert and had nothing but good to say how good it preformed. And particaped in the palm Sunday massacre..he was in the 57th fighter group. The first Americans to fly aginst the germans.
The Brewster Buffalo was a game changer
The F4U was given to US Allies and also used in the Pacific. It was the British, actually, who demonstrated that a circular approach rather than straight in approach to a Carrier allowed for enough visibility for the pilots to land on Carriers.
From then on, the F4U was a formidable weapon in the Pacific.
....The key is the wording; "of the 3 outstanding USAAF Fighters" - 0:05 Except for operations like Jimmy Dolittle's Raid on Tokyo, etc., the USAAF operated in Europe, the F4U, Navy and Marines were in the Pacific theater.
@@JeffreyCotle the RAF taught them well.
When I was kid , my Dad who was in B-25- had a friend we would often meet for coffee- & he would tell stories of his missions- once i asked if he'd rather had a 51- he just smiled and shook his head- he particularly liked the inline guns & counter rotating props, giving him a tighter turn & roll opposite the enemy- he loved his plane!
What ever its faults the P-38 was in huge demand throughout the war. Its range, speed, maneuverability, firepower and versatility made it a true air superiority aircraft; the F-15 of its day.
The 38 production line never shut down , the 51 twice , the Corsair had 500 major changes and over 2,000 minor changes, the 474FG and others were operating at wars end. The plane shot down the first German plane in Europe, shot down by an American plane. It could carry 2, 1,000 lb. Bombs.
The DeHavilland Mosquito was better. More American BS.
@@billfarley9167 Yes indeed
@@billfarley9167How do you say bs in German?
@@billfarley9167not at high altitude
I met a former P-38 pilot, a veteran of the Pacific Theater, at the 1969 State Fair of Texas. Among other things, like how he loved the plane, he told me they were difficult to bail out of and survive due to the cross-tail design.
Where was he based the Pacific is a big place? What version? Thanks
I know so many WWII fighters were amazing but I'd have wanted to fly the P-38 Lighting more than any other ally fighter, even the P-51 Mustang. There's just something so violently beautiful about the P-38. And don't get me started on the 20mm cannon. Wow.
The main reason you think that is you have yet to fly a P38. Your post is a combination of sour grapes, and there grass is greener on the other side of the fence. With a red herring thrown in.
Good to see your back! And yes twice you mentioned concentrated firepower in the nose. I'm glad you focused on that, because a lot of other channels to do a great job talking about the P38 Lightning, but don't go into that much. I had a really good friend and former P38 pilot in World War II, who said that's what really made him more confident with the plane, which was the gun platform. His quote to me was "It was like turning a garden hose on someone".
A lot of gun platforming does not get talked about in these new specials of war birds from WWII. Both USAAC and USNAC always relied on having larger or more proficient gun platforms and placement with a reliable strong engine and frame. The Japanese zeros were nimble AF and great daring pilots but even in the skies more guns meant better results.
The elimination of the limited range convergence guns made it so much easier for fighter pilots, because they could shoot the enemy at any range without having to get it in the convergence zone. This was borne out by the fact that most of the top aces including Dick Bong, Ace of Aces flew P-38s. in addition, speed, the most critical aspect of a fighter was well above any other plane especially the dive speed.
Although my favorite plane is the iconic Voight F-4-U Corsair, mostly for the way it looks, I admire this plane for its performance.
You neglected to mention that the British Lightnings were delivered without superchargers and engines that both turned the same way. This was why the British called this batch "The Castrated Lightning". It was reported that these were later absorbed into USAAF Training Command and used in the US during the war.
The naivete of the US government to adhere to the neutrality rules and not ship the aircraft with the superchargers is totally amazing.
The British didn't want the counter turning engines
@@stephenmahood8724 maybe they thought it dishonorable to break an agreement
"Both British and French delegations insisted the fighters be equipped with Allison s without turbo-superchargers and with strictly right-hand rotation because they wanted the engines interchangeable with those of the Curtiss H.81A Tomahawk that had been ordered by both Britain and France in large numbers. In addition the Committee wanted to optimize the aircraft for medium-altitude combat, as was currently the dominant mode of aerial warfare in Europe, rather than the high-altitude role for which the P-38 had been designed."
Has ! Not secure warning
Aerofiles Lightning I/II exports page
@@nickdanger3802 That part of the narrative is left out in many accounts of why the lightning didn't live up to its early potential.
My Uncle ( Tom Mahoney ) was one of the Dynamite Gang who flew a P-38 in WWII
Nice!!!!
Reading ground attack accounts of P38 Canon, bomb and naplam attacks are some of the most spine chillingly horrific I've ever seen
My favorite of all time aircraft from WW II!
A few things not mentioned...
Many of the problems with the P-38 were because it was the first plane to fly so high and fast. The compressiblity issue was due to a "slow speed" airfoil and all planes of that era had similar issues though the P-38 was the worst. That being said, it wasn't a problem at lower altitudes and I'm not aware of any combat pilots definitely being lost to it. And? Tales of German fighters diving away because they "knew the Lightnings wouldn't follow" is most likely because they weren't permitted to chase German fighters.
The top speed isn't really known. There were official speed trials for the G but not the later J and L. Some records were lost but it seems that no one needed to know it's official top speed. There are estimates as high as 440mph but pilots didn't complain about being too slow.
The Allison engine and turbo needed to grow into each other. The original intercooler was a bad design, and a lot of the problems were fixed when they changed it, but most of the problems were concentrated in England. Part of that was because of flying long ranges at such altitude and low temperature but part if it was the fuel. At the time the lightning was introduced the fuel being used in Britain wasn't quite as highly refined as what was sent to the Pacfic or North Africa. All high altitude aircraft had some problems with it but, those Allison's again, the P-38 was hit hardest.
So? The P-38 going strong to the end of the war was very different than the one the 8th AirForce, rightly I think, gave up on. A huge "what if" is "what if there had been no P-51"? The record after the Lightnings left the 8th suggests it would have gone on pretty much as history records. The performance difference between the two is fractional when running right and the engine problems were pretty much solved. A big factor in replacing the Lightnings was actually cost. She cost more than a Mustang or Jug and that worked out great for the guys privileged to fly her.
The most difficult element of the P-38 was that it was easily identifiable. When the first shot would determine the result of a dogfight, knowing the identity made a life and death matter.
My Grandfather fought and died on Bougainville.
He was on the cover of Yank Magazine, and was a war hero.
Wish I had the chance to meet my Grandpa Harry.
None of us live forever, you’ll see him someday.
My father, 23rd Fighter Group, Usaac flew the P40 first in Burma, then the P51C and D as they moved north into China, and finally the P38 D when Ground Atrack against the Japanese between Guangjo to Shanghai proved to be its forte. He always told me that the P38 was his favorite to fly as a Fighter and Ground Attack in the war, he stay in China until 1945 when Japan surrendered.
Is Your Father Mentioned In Don Lopez's Autobiography, 'Into The Teeth Of The Tiger'?
What did he think about the atrocities in China by japan? Did he see any remnants of the violence?
One flew over my house in Corona, CA recently. It sounded awesome and was very fast!
interesting tidbit charles lindberg was in the south pacific and tuned the p38 so well (major aircraft genius) he DOUBLED THE FLIGHT DISTANCE its here on youtube the story. his running allowed the p38 to decimate the japanese fighters
He had used the same fuel leaning out setting to enable his legend flight across the Atlantic years earlier. In hindsight why did this technique become standard practice for combat aircraft? Sakai Saburo used a similar technique on his damaged Zero to fly a record distance to Formosa.
I have always read that the engines were fine in the Pacific theater,but not so much in the European. No twin engined plane can dogfight with a single engine fighter-their roll rates will always be different. Fortunately in the Pacific,they found that boom and zoom tactics defeated the Zero,as it could not respond to the Lightnings,which refused to fight the Japanese way.
It had nothing to do with the engines.
A truly skilled pilot could make the p38 really perform.
The turbos and radiators caused many problems in cold weather, but the Allisons also were flawed and couldnt handle being overboosted, etc.
It's hard to beleive (understand) that the P-38 Lightning was built 2 years before the P-51 Mustang given ALOT of similarities of design!
HAPPY (and Safe) 4th of JULY to all!!!
Highest scoring U.S. ace flew a lightning. Bad ass bird
自分がパイロットなら迷わずP38を選びますね。日本軍機相手なら低空での格闘戦に持ち込まなければ余程新米パイロットでも無い限り苦戦は免れ速度差を活かした高空からの一撃離脱戦法は優位。双発なので帰還率が高い。
There have been numerous interviews with Luftwaffe pilots that flew Fw190s and BF109s. They did NOT fear the P-38 in a dogfight. They said it was easy to turn inside and shot down. They only feared it when it came down from above at speed.
All that came from one luftwaffe ace that has been called out on his bullshit several times.
He leaves out the fact that he was shot down by 38's more than once.
@@brandonstrife9738It must have e been to diving Lightnings. 😂
So are you gonna even dispute what i said. @@squirrel6687
@@brandonstrife9738 You talk nonsense. Fighter pilots did not really fear the P-38, there are more than 20 pilots who shot down more than five P-38. The aircraft was feared when used as fighter bomber.
My lifetime favorite since first seeing one as a kid in Germany in the early 80's. Dad was stationed there and I believe we went to a show or museum where I saw one.
Plane did VERY WELL IN THE PHILIPPINES AS WELL.
I had a painting of a PT38 in my office and one day a WWII pilot came in and said he flew that plane
My father flew the P-38 in the later years of WWII as part of the 23rd Fighter Group in China, after spending at first in 1942 - 43 in a P-40B then a C, and then a P-51C in 44, finally the P-38D in early 45 as the USAAC had essential rid the China skies of all Japanese aircraft and they needed the pilots to conduct Ground Attack and CloseAir Sport of US Army infantry units taking out the remainder of Japanese troops in Northern China. Of all the planes he flew, he loved the P-38 the most.
This aircraft performs well.
I'm just glad you guys are back!
Thanks for your support Karl Joe 🙏
When I was a kid I lived next to an Air Guard base, used to see these flying over all the time.
Thank you Military History Channel for this excellent presentation !
"Both British and French delegations insisted the fighters be equipped with Allison s without turbo-superchargers and with strictly right-hand rotation because they wanted the engines interchangeable with those of the Curtiss H.81A Tomahawk that had been ordered by both Britain and France in large numbers. In addition the Committee wanted to optimize the aircraft for medium-altitude combat, as was currently the dominant mode of aerial warfare in Europe, rather than the high-altitude role for which the P-38 had been designed."
Has ! Not secure warning
Aerofiles Lightning I/II exports page
Rubbish Nick They tried to pull a swiftie
Rubbish Bill Gunston Combat Aircraft page 130
@BennyFranks-pj3mg That would be you my friend
"The P-38 was without doubt the strategically most important American fighter of World War II."
Assessing the Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Air Power Australia page@@jacktattis
There was an issue in '43, where there was no standardization in wiring certain subsystems to the same controls, like radio, switching to belly tanks, dropping belly tanks, etc. When the word came down to standardize to a specific pattern, quite a few veteran pilots found that they were 'talking through their belly tanks' until everyone got up to speed on the changes.
Thanks you guys for providing these videos. They are critically important for not only current generations but for future generations as well. A couple of nit-picky points. First, a lot of the problems the ETO experienced with the Alison engines was attributed directly to the poor AvGas the Brits provided. Once the 100 octane fuel became abundant, most of the engine problems disappeared. Another thing was Lockheed’s use of the exhaust driven turbo charger (not a super charger which is driven off the crankshaft) meant the Alison in the P-38 could fly at the altitudes combat occurred at in Europe. Unlike the P-40, which only had a single stage supercharger and was altitude limited to 15000ft., the twin Alison’s of the P-38 were more than up to the challenges of the ETO.
The P-38's Allison did have a mechanical supercharger. Allison was never pushed to develop an efficient two-stage supercharger by the USAAF who preferred turbocharging for high altitude performance. That technology worked great with the radial engines of the B-24, B-17, and P-47, but was never completely sorted out on the P-38. Even the L model continued to have its share of hiccups. Of the myriad problems the -38's Allisons suffered in the ETO poor fuel quality was a definate contributor.
Thankyou for giving dick bong a spotlight. Our ace of aces. Loved that warbird. "Marge". Medal of Honor and died testing our own jet planes before the war ended. I know great video on America's greatest attack plane. When we had nothing to throw at an advanced formidable enemy . Alot like snoopy and Red Baron. From virtually out of thin air and ashes of defeat. It rose alone to answer and it was a darn good old American punch in the face. In one plane we said wait a minute. We are just getting started. You ain't won nothing. ❤❤❤. P38 lightning was the army air force right haymaker. Fights just starting
I remember seeing one of these at an airshow in Oshkosh after it had been restored after being trapped under ice.
Reality is, the P-38 simply didn't do well in the colder climes of the Northern Hemisphere. They were devastating in the Pacific tropics, but pretty useless in Europe.
20,000 ft. is the same temperature no matter where you are.
@@modsquad20 30000+is not
Was any part of Japan outside the northern hemisphere?
Excellent coverage of this great plane.
Awesome job. We get a lot of untruths. Nice to see the failures and what we overcome. Keep up the great work. Awesome documentary. Thank you!!!
Thank you! Will do!
She sure is a beauty 👍
And I thought the P-38 was only deployed in the Pacific. Thanks for the video.
In the ETO they couldn't get rid of the P-38 fast enough. As ace Robin Olds said "I loved the P-38 but I got those kills in spite of the airplane, not because of it".
At about 1:55: the engines were NOT “in-line”. They are V-12’s
V-12s ARE in-line engines as the cylinders are arranged in a line in two banks as opposed to being arranged in a ring as in RADIAL engines as seen on P-47s, F-4 Wildcats, F-6 Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, A6M Zeros, B-17s, B-24s, etc.
One salvo from the P-38's 4--50 caliber guns plus one 20mm cannon was lethal to most enemy fighters. In particular the Zero which had no armor nor self-sealing fuel tanks.
The most surprising aspect of this, is that a 1st lieutenant had a good idea.
When the USAAF finally realized that the B-17's needed fighter protection during daylight missions over Germany the P-38 was available, but was in high demand in every theater of the war. The P-38 was a difficult aircraft to learn to fly, and to maintain in the field. Reports are that it was not easy to get into full combat mode after hours of escorting bombers at slower speed. The cold cockpit was a major drawback. These drawbacks along with command bias towards single engine aircraft, and the need for a lot of good dependable long range aircraft and pilots to fly them led to the P-51 taking over most of the bomber escort duty.
Additionally: Maybe not the least of all reasoning may have been, that the P-51 came at almost exactly half the price of a P-38.
The aircraft mechanics in the Pacific re-routed the fresh air intakes over the exhaust pipes and directed them to the cockpit. A simple valve allowed the pilot to choose the amount of heat he wanted into the cockpit. More heated fresh air could be directed to the windscreen which got rid of “foggy windshields.” The same mechanics invented a valve that automatically adjusted the air-fuel mixture to get the most power out of the engines when the fighters went into full combat mode. They did other things to improve performance and found ways to increase fuel load. Lockheed fitted all of these modifications into their assembly lines. I submit that by late 1944, and I admit I never researched this, the P-38 was at least as good as the P-51 Mustang, if not the better fighter.
@@williampaz2092 Yes, the lightning's design was way ahead of it's time, and sadly the demands of the combat situation in Europe didn't allow enough time for improvements to be implemented in the field. The P-38 took longer to learn how to fly effectively and the USAAF needed lots of good fighter pilots in a hurry. A review of the P-38's performance on escort missions revealed that the critical moment when Luftwaffe fighters were engaging from an advantageous position, the P-38 pilots had to perform several critical control maneuvers to get the plane up to very highs speeds.
No bias a single engine was better
@@williampaz2092 No twin engines and high wing loadings do not make a good fighter
The British ordered the P-38 without the contra rotating propellers. They did poorly and eventually had the engine swapped out for contra rotating ones. The main advantage to the P-38 was in approaching friendly bomber formations. P-51s resembled Bf109s and several were shot down by bomber gunners. The P-38 had no such problem. The other advantage was the two engines. There are numerous examples of P-38s that had one engine receive damage from flak or fighters that made it home on one engine.
No incorrect.
It was uniquely suited for the Pacific theater, with its vast over-water distances, due to having 2 engines.
Richard - I think you're confusing the direction of counter-rotation with not having counter rotating props. The early production units (that would have gone to the British before the Americans entered the war) had the tops of the props arcing inwards; the later production units had the tops of the props arcing outward. Regardless, all P-38s had counter-rotating props.
Afraid of? That's odd: Galland and Rall said they never had any problem with the p-38.
Mainly due to poor tactics, when used properly things were a bit different especially with later models
How long had they been flying air combat before they encountered P38's?
Also, how much experience did the p38 pilots have when sent over. The p38 took more training and many pilots were not proficient with the plane when rushed to the front.
I think it was Rall that said P38 had poor role rate
@@nickdanger3802 I would say not long after their win over a Condor on the way over
Take off with the cockpit window rolled down.....this thing was a death trap
Because the P-38 lightening was the greatest most powerful fighter plane for the time. Lt. Leroy Lutz (my Uncle) flew this plane an accomplished many missions until shot down over France 2 weeks after D day while destroying supply trains on their way to reinforce the German defense. His plane was mortally struck but instead of bailing out, he was able to steer away from a village and land in a cemetery. He did not survive, he saved the village. German forced away towns people trying to render aid. Instead they fired a bullet into him to make sure he was dead. Then the Germans drained his gas and left. The French so moved by the pilot's heroism saving their village, they took his body and buried him with full military honors and a memorial to his heroism. We his family were only told he was missing. In 1994, a Young man who witnessed the crash finally found his son, my cousin and told him what happened. He traveled to the French town and they held another ceremony. My cousin, rather than taking his father home, felt there was no more fitting place for him to be. I'm proud of my uncle and so sorry his mother my grandmother died never knowing what had truly happened to her boy.
Dad flew some badass planes,p39,p40,p51... but I always loved the lightning
"They never bothered me that much." -Adolf Galland.
Author of "THE FIRST AND THE LAST "
Thank you.
Kelly Johnson - nuff said
Mr. Johnson was a flippin' Genius!!!! P-38: shot down Yamamoto when we did not have any other fighter that had the range to get there. Shot down more jap planes than any other USAAF fighter. Top 2 US. Aces flew it . War is a "team" effort. We had the best team..... Also the Pratt & Whitney 2800 double Wasp 2000+H.P. In 3 deadly fighters. Small wonder we WON!!!!😮
The Cadillac of fighters.
From what I understand Yamamoto followed a plan an American used to " take. " pearl during war game exercises 10 yrs earlier...
I read somewhere, a long time ago, that the RAF initial P-38 block was ordered WITHOUT the superchargers.
Given the Spitfire had superchargers from reasonably early on, that would seem an odd decision
Slick piece of aeroplane,; like so many other superb machines, swept aside by the gas-turbine engine. Has any madman given a P-38 the Cavalier turbo-prop treatment?
No they had seen the test with the F2 The US Govt would not allow its sale and they tried to fob off the C15 without Turbos and the RAF rejected them. Why this bloody lying, Why would the RAF buy a plane without its key component Hell the RAF had more experience than the USAAF.
What? No mention of Richard Bong?? How can u talk about the P-38 without any mention of Richard Bong??
Never flew in the west.
Yes they called it the Two taild devil it started out as 2 p 52s on the same wing
Thanks for this!!!!!!! //Lars
I know of one that I account for in the ocean off of Tinian that was escorting my dad's Lockheed Ventura back to the island and decided to be a hotdog and rollover the top of my dad's plane.
Unfortunately he clipped the Venturas wing tip and bend it up at a °45 angle. The P-38 went down but dad limped it home without flaps.
Akways liked this ride
No mention of Bong's closest competitor/rival in the P-38, Maj. Thomas McGuire? He had 38 confirmed victories. McGuire AFB in NJ is named for him.
Really enjoy your videos.
Mike D Thank you 🙏
The Allison was actually a pretty good engine. The downfall was that Allison was told to not bother developing a supercharger. GE would provide the supercharger. GE fell flat. Late in the war Allison 1710 with an Allison supercharger would go toe-to-toe with the Merlin.
Only at low altitude When that second stage of the Merlin kicked in it was goodbye Allison
Sad to say some very misinformed comments here.
It was a P-38 from the 13th AAF that shot down Yamamoto.
First plane that took my imagination away fav all time
I wonder if the P38 Lightning would have benefitted if it had received Rolls Royce Merlin/Griffin engines?
I think no because the Merlin did consumes more gas per hp : a turbocharger did use ~5% from the power from a engine and a engine driven supercharger need +30% from the power from the engine= more consumption...The climb rate from a P38 was fantastic, close twice the climb rate from a P51D, so with a ennemy in the tail, the best a pilot can make to leave is to climb full power at 45% climb angle...
First of all it couldn't even fit the Merlin or Griffon which would require a redesign of the nacelles, which would probably increase the drag of the plane... and it's already not worth it.
The Allison super/turbo charger on the P38 had more horsepower than then the 2 stage supercharged Merlin. The P38 was designed for the big turbochargers in the tail booms. The 2 stage supercharger that was designed by Packard for the Merlin engine didn't come out until late 43 early 44 and again never produced more horsepower than the Allison with the super/turbo charger combo that was used in the P38. Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles has and episode on this very topic. So no, The P38 wouldn't of benefitted from having the Merlin engine, it would of actually hurt the planes performance.
@@kvnkaveman Pratt &Whitney developed the first two stage superchargers, they were in f4 wildcats
P-38 Lightning Why Not Merlin Engines?
ua-cam.com/video/oJPGFcXRZZI/v-deo.html
I loved the P38
Hard to believe this is an almost 90yr old design.
Well the Spitfire is 99 years old this year.
I want Correct you on your information : in June 1941 the
Army Air Corp changed it's name to Army Air Force .
I spent 20 years in the Air Force 1970 - 1990.
Thanks Doug! Noted 🎯
Air force-1947, dodged both world wars as a branch lol
Yes. Contrary to popular beliefs, the US Army 'Air Corp' never partook in WWII.
I remember my late mom told me how this wonderful fighter plane the double bodied plane the P38 chasing japanese plane in combat during the Second World War
I had a friend who was a barber down at the mall. Not once in his entire life did he mention the P38. In all actuality I think he didn’t even know what a P38 was, so *there.*
That's Ok..Admiral Yamamoto didn't know what it was either....but he was able to learn...briefly....
@@4catsnow My friend never got shot down though.
@@fatdad64able That puts him one up on this Samurai Son of the Emperor....
@@fatdad64able That puts him one up on the Admiral-san....
Thanks for this 👍
Great stuff. “AATW”.
I believe the Japanese called the P-38 "Two Planes, One Pilot."
in the philippines my father called DOUBLE BODY it is also use as reconnaisance plane taking photos..
This plane had significant advantages which were not used often enough. It could climb the fastest and reach the highest altitude.
Climb the fastest and the Highest compared to what
Why does the channel have to run the Abrams Tank clip ten times a hour? It’s driving everyone nuts!
I've read blood thirsty P38 strafing stories of the effect of 20mm cannons and napalm on people. Visual images of horror that never fade. Wonderful air-craft, terrible man killer.♥️😎
When the Allies are trying to stop global Socialism, ( Nazis), it was good that it was a great killing machine. Also, P-38s in the E. T. O. had serious issues in cold high altitude air until the J model. In the Pacific, Bong, McGuire & Co. Flew @ medium & lower altitudes.
@@ronaldbrouhard1247 The NAZIS were not socialists. They were fascists. Even though it was in their name that was primarily a marketing ploy to gain acceptance.
Eighteen took off, two turned back due to aircraft malfunction. Sixteen engaged the Yamamoto flight and only one loss of a P38. Funny to note sixteen B25s launched of the carrier Hornet to be the first strike against the Japanese homeland exactly one year earlier.
I wonder how the P38 and also the P39 would have performed with the same Merlin engines in the P51/Spitfire?
I dont think Rolls Royce would have allowed any to be used in another US plane. They had been diddled with the Mustang
In the P38 there would have been a loss of performance. It had supercharger/turbochargers for high performance, high altitude operation. The P39 didn't nor did the P51. That is the reason that the Merlin did so well.
The Russians preferred the P39 over any other fighter. It had a higher kill ratio than any fighter in the ETO. It was a superb fighter at low altitudes. It's lack of a dual supercharger was it's biggest limitation.
P-38 aircraft is one of unique of it time, server bombing campaign escort b17, server pacific theather and some are ugrade as a reconize aircraft. Is sad these plane ended there career when war is over but im happy u bring these bird back and im happy you mention special mission the hunt of yamamoto.
Skull, the correct spelling is reconnaissance.
Problem with the P-38 in Europe was they were not super charged . The Brits didn't want this for some reason I don't remember .
Maybe because it looked like it could either blow you out of the sky, or destroy whatever vehicle you were in (or near),and given half a chance, it did just that. all day, every day.
I would think the engines would block the piolets peripheral vision almost completely. Beautiful and powerful plane but there's no way I would dog fight in the thing.
Clickbait title. Annoying.
"There is little wonder that loss rates were relatively high and the kill to loss ratio was below that of the P-47's which could be massed by the hundreds (700 P-47's flying escort was not uncommon). The Luftwaffe quickly learned to position the bulk of their fighters just beyond the range of the Thunderbolts and repeatedly flew aggressive small unit ambushes against the handful of P-38s tied to close escort and thus denied the freedom to engage at will."
AIR POWER AUSTRALIA
What happened to the rest of your videos?
Most of the Mark I Lightnings that the British disliked in 1941, had no superchargers. It made all the difference in the performance.
The Brits never had them
The wooden wonder mosquito could carry nearly equal bomb load to a B17 and fight ( Not at the same time . )
I was astounded to read that the P38 carried nearly twice the bomb load of a B17 . These 2 planes are in my top 2 favourites from WW2 .
Bombing Germany would have been a safer prospect with these 2 planes exclusively . And they could have escorted eachother or themselves .
The 17 could carry 12,800 lbs of bombs.
@@miketrusky476 Trading off fuel load for bombs. I don't think that a B17 could get all the way to Berlin with 6 tons of bombs aboard.
Some German fighter pilots feared this plane. Some thought it was easy meat. Including Adolf Galland. So it's not at all clear-cut.
I’ve not read of any German pilot who ‘feared’ the P38. It wasn’t very successful in the ETO.
its an American airplane fighter and we use the english system of mph NOT kilometers as ALL our roads have speed limits in MPH ....get it???
AAF failed to use P38 as escorts in Europe theater and lost a lot of bombers.
First allied fightet over Berlin, force to fly with the bombers at 100 mph less than its abilities, kill ratio ,after being allowed to Free Range, of German fighters was almost the exact of the 51. BRASS blamed the 38 not poor tactis they ordered.
It was easily outmanoeuvred by the German two. And its dive was poor