Lockheed P-38 Questions

[KJ_Lesnick]

I remember hearing of several conceptual P-38 ideas

1. P-38E seaplane
....- It had a lengthened and raised tail as well as floats
....- The design was ultimately ruled as unnecessary, but the redesigned tail did, with modifications, provide the ability to dive at higher mach

2. P-38E Swordfish
....- The forward fuselage gondola was extended 2'6" in the front and featured a streamlined afterbody
....- The inboard wing outboard of the booms had a laminar-flow foil to evaluate reducing drag and possibly high speed flight

3. P-38 with 75mm cannon
....- It had a redesigned fuselage gondola with a blunter nose, bubblish canopy and afterbody

I'm wondering if any of these design features could have been useful on an operational design

[wuzak]

I'm wondering if any of these design features could have been useful on an operational design

1. Yes. It was feasible. Necessary or desireable was a different question.

2. No. It was basically a research aircraft (hence the extended nacelle for instruments and observer).

3. Never heard of that. It sounds more like a job for the XP-58 Chain Lightning.

[Wardukw]

One plane i have always loved is the P-38 ... and these pics might help you out a bit .

P-38 Seaplane ,drawing only ..never built


P-38 Swordfish .. Laminar Flow Wing Testbed

P-38 with 75mm cannon


And now the gun which was to be used .


Enjoy

Phill

[KJ_Lesnick]

wuzak

Yes. It was feasible. Necessary or desireable was a different question.

From what I remember, the modified tail was proposed as a way of attenuating mach-tuck: It was said that they could keep controllability to Mach 0.75 with the only change being stability