Military

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Manufacturer: Lockheed

The Lockheed P‑38 Lightning was a single‑seat, twin‑engine fighter that served throughout World War II. Its distinctive twin‑boom layout and central nacelle housed the pilot, armament and engines. The Lightning performed as a fighter, fighter‑bomber, night fighter, long‑range escort, bomber‑pathfinder and photo‑reconnaissance aircraft.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
lockheed-p-38-lightning
Class
Military
Registry Count
13
Example Registration
N138AM

Specifications

Wingspan
15.85 m / 52 ft
Length
11.53 m / 37 ft
Height
3.91 m / 12 ft
Max Speed
666 km/h / 414 mph
Cruise Speed
443 km/h / 275 mph
Range
2100 km / 1100 nmi
Ceiling
13000 m / 44000 ft
First Flight
1939-01-27
Production Start
1941
Total Built
10

Variants

  • P-38L- 6 registrations - Example N2114L
  • P-38J- 2 registrations - Example N138AM
  • P-38L-5- 2 registrations - Example N2897S
  • P-38- 1 registrations - Example N38LL
  • P-38H-1-LO- 1 registrations - Example N66534
  • P-38L-5LO- 1 registrations - Example N25Y

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources