Info from Mike Yoder

Re: P-38 and B-17

Posted on: 1/26/2005 9:02:54 PM

The P-38 seems to have been one of a kind in that respect, Art. The closest comparison might have been with Northrop's twin boom P-61 "Black Widow" night fighter. However, the Pratt and Whitney radials which powered the Widow don't seem to have been manufactured in a submodel which allowed for contrarotation. The concept of opposite rotation was introduced into the Lightning II and the first prototypes had the props swinging inboard. For reasons I don't completely understand, it improved roll stability to have the props swinging outboard, so Lockheed swapped the Allison V-12s from one boom to the other.The props swinging in opposite direction did cancel out the torque each generated. I'm not sure, but I seem to recall reading something about the slipstream from the propwash being directed into the intake for the Turbochargers more efficiently by having the props swinging outboard. Probably take an Engineer to answer that one. Here's a photo of a parked P-38 which shows the props pitched for outboard contra-rotation.

, just to elaborate on that; the RAF did place an order for the Lightning I, which preceded the advent of contrarotation. As for the supercharger, that item was banned for export prior to the US entering the war. The early version the RAF received was definitely a dog. The P-38 never achieved the star status of an air superiority fighter in Europe, although it was very effective in a ground support role. German troops dubbed it "Der Gabelschwanzteufel" (the Fork-Tailed Devil) as they became all too familiar with the way it shot up their supply lines and convoys.

The US 8th AF tried the P-38 as a fighter escort for the heavies, but only for a brief period of time. The plane had the range for that role but was at a distinct disadvantage in one on one combat against a FW-190. It was in the SW Pacific that the P-38 came into its own. Distinctly superior to anything the Japanese were flying, the Lightning was the scourge of the Solomons. A Squadron of P-38s flew an 1800 mile intercept mission which successfully downed Adm. Yamamoto's plane while he was on an inspection tour of Rabaul, New Guinea.

Charles Lindbergh flew a number of highly secret long-range recon missions in the P-38. He developed a flying technique which extended the range of the craft by nearly 1000 miles. Once at altitude and cruising speed, Lindbergh would throttle back the engines and set the prop pitch for maximum thrust. Maintenance people were concerned that the resulting lower manifold oil pressure would damage the engines, but a tear-down inspection revealed that this was not the case.

Also early P-38's did not have engines and props that rotated in opposite directions and the torque problems killed alot of cadets.