Lockheed F/A-19 A/B Typhoon

[PR19_Kit]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

[scooter]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

[McColm]

And people complain about me going off topic it's the Eurofighter Typhoon.

[zenrat]

Overwing tanks, like a Lightning, that's the way to go. 

That'll be a REAL Lightning, the one with its engines on top of each other...............

I think overwing tanks would be problematic on a REAL Lightning. 

I think the engines on top of each other would also be a problem on a real Lightning

I'm sure Tophe can come up with something...

[jcf]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

But it was named by y'all. 

It's also why the F-35 is the Lightning II.

[Pellson]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

But it was named by y'all. 

It's also why the F-35 is the Lightning II.

Having grown up in a Europe guarded by real Lightnings, I feel the F-35 rather should be called the "Short Circuit".. 

Sorry. Too obvious a piss to take to leave it dry.. 

[McColm]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

But it was named by y'all. 

It's also why the F-35 is the Lightning II.

A white elephant would be an appropriate name.
Having grown up in a Europe guarded by real Lightnings, I feel the F-35 rather should be called the "Short Circuit".. 

Sorry. Too obvious a piss to take to leave it dry.. 

[PR19_Kit]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

But it was named by y'all. 

It's also why the F-35 is the Lightning II.

It should be the Lightning III then.

[jcf]

That's an American Lightning, not the same thing at all..................

But it was named by y'all. 

It's also why the F-35 is the Lightning II.

It should be the Lightning III then.

That would only work if the EE Lightning had been built by Lockheed
and used by the US military. 

[PR19_Kit]

It's still the THIRD Lightning that's been flown by the RAF.

[McColm]

He's right you know,  the RAF flew the Lockheed P-38s during WWII.

[Scotaidh]

He's right you know,  the RAF flew the Lockheed P-38s during WWII.

I beg to differ - from The History Of War.org we have this:

Unlike many American aircraft of the Second World War the Lockheed Lightning did not see service with the RAF. However, the aircraft did gain its famous nickname from the British, during a period when it was being evaluated by the RAF.

France had placed the first export order for the Lightning, known for export as the Lockheed Model 322. The French order had been for 667 aircraft, using the Allison "C" series engines used on the XP-38, and without the turbo-supercharger. The supercharger seems to have been omitted partly for simplicity, and partly because the French saw the Lightning as a ground attack aircraft rather than as a high performance fighter.

After the collapse of France in June 1940, the RAF took over the French order. However the first three aircraft, by then given the British name Lightning Mk I did not reach Britain until 1942. By that time the need for them not as urgent as in 1940, and the un-turbo-supercharged Lightning did not perform well in RAF tests. The order was thus cancelled. The contract was then taken over by the USAAF, with early aircraft designated the P-322 and later aircraft merged into the P-38F and P-38G production runs.

IIRC, the US considered the P-38's turbochargers "secret" and wouldn't let them be exported. 

I've read a lot of stuff on this, and rarely do any two sources have the same info, so I'm sure someone somewhere has a source that says the RAF did fly the P-38.  I know they did order and evaluate them - but actually use them?  Not sure.

[McColm]

You are correct,  there were no RAF P-38 Squadrons during WWII but that didn't stop American pilots from flying them with RAF roundels painted on them.

[PR19_Kit]

It'd have been difficult to 'evaluate' the turbo-less P-38s without flying them....................

[Pellson]

It'd have been difficult to 'evaluate' the turbo-less P-38s without flying them....................

I don't know about that, considering the track record of military procurement in general..