Lockheed P-38J "Lightning"
Posted by: 
brwhiz
N 41° 09.762 W 112° 01.119
12T E 414540 N 4557318
This Static Aircraft Display of a Lockheed P-38J "Lightning" is inside the Hill Aerospace Museum located on the northwest corner of Hill Air Force Base at 7961 Wardleigh Road in Riverdale, Utah.
Waymark Code: WMGZY0
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 04/29/2013
Views: 3
Lockheed P-38J
"Lightning"
S?N 42-67638 Span: 52'0" Length: 37'10"
Height: 12'10" Weight: 17,500 lbs Crew: 1
Engines: Two Allison V-1710's of 1,475 hp Each
Armaments: Four .50-cal Machine Guns and
One 20mm Cannon Max Speed: 414 mph
The Lightning was designed in 1937 as a high-altitude interceptor. The first one built flew on February 11, 1939. It flew from California to New York in seven hours. Because of its unorthodox design, it required several years to perfect it for combat. Late in 1942, it went into large scale operations during the North African campaign. It was there the Luftwaffe named it "Der Gabelschwanz" - "The Fork-Tailed Devil". Equipped with droppable fuel tanks, the P-38 was used extensively as a long-range escort fighter. The P-38 saw action in practically every major combat area of the world. A very versatile aircraft, the P-38 was also used for dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing, and photo reconnaissance missions. By the end of 1945, 9,923 P-38's of all types had been built.