Lockheed P-38M Lightning - The Night Lightning

[Nostalgistic]

Would you like to see this in-game?

• Yes
• No

This suggestion was revised and reposted from my original suggestion in old forums.

Lockheed P-38M Lightning

   Hello everyone. I’d like to re-introduce and suggest the Lockheed P-38M Lightning for War Thunder. This P-38M is the final and unique combat variant after the P-38L and was built as a two-seat night fighter with a radar pod.

   The technical information regarding the P-38M is very limited and difficult to find online. I request your assistance in finding additional sources, and I encourage you to discuss and share your knowledge and findings in the comments on this topic.

---

Key Characteristics

• Converted P-38L as a radar-equipped night fighter
• Two-seat night fighter
• AN/APS-4 Radar Pod
• Conical flash hiders on all guns to conceal visible fire burst signatures
• Turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710-111/-113 (1,600 hp each) powerplants

---

History

The P-38M Lightning is a two-seat night fighter variant of the modified P-38L, fitted with an AN/APS-4 radar pod mounted under the nose. This variant traced back to the outcome of experiments early in 1943; the P-38Fs and P-38Js were modified as the experimental single-seat night fighters by the Fifth Air Force, fitted with SCR540 radar with a yagi antenna on the nose.

Flying the plane and operating the radar at the same time was too much of a job for one pilot, so in October 1944, Lockheed attempted to convert the P-38L as a two-seat night fighter 1944, which was identified as the P-38L-5-LO Serial Number 44-25237. An extra crew, a radar operator, would sit aft of the pilot under a raised section of the canopy, but it was very cramped for the radar operator to sit in. The aircraft was fitted with an AN/APS-4 radar in an external radome underneath the nose. It was also fitted with anti-flash gun muzzles. They were the flash eliminators to aid the pilot in retaining night vision when they were fired.

The conversion was successful, and it flew for the first time in January 1945, recording a top speed of 406 mph at 15,000 feet as compared to only 369 mph at 20,000 feet for the Northrop P-61A Black Widow. The Army Air Corps issued a contract for Lockheed to convert 80 P-38L-5-LOs into the P-38M twin-seat night fighters. They were painted glossy black overall.

However, deployment of the P-38M night fighters was delayed while crews were trained to use the new aircraft. The P-38Ms were reported to have only seen operational service in the Pacific in the last few days of the war, too late to score any kills. They remained in Japan with the 418th Night Fighter Squadron before phasing out early in 1946.

---

Specifications

Lockheed P-38M Lightning

General Characteristics

• Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Operator)
• Length: 37 ft 10 in (11.5 m)
• Height: 12 ft 10 in (3.9 m)
• Span: 52 ft (15.85 m)
• Wing area: 327 sq ft (30.4 sq m)
• Propellers: 2 x 3-bladed electric constant-speed propellers
• Powerplants: 2 x turbo-supercharged piston engines, Allison V-1710-111(Right)/-113(Left)
  → 3,200 hp (2,386 kW)
• Internal Fuel: 416 US gal. (1,575 L)
• Oil Tankage: 26 US gal. (98.4 L)
• Empty Weight: ~12,800 lb (5,805 kg)
• Gross Weight: 17,646 lb (8,008 kg)

Engine Ratings

• Take-Off (Sea Level):

  • 1,425 hp @ 3,000 rpm @ 54.0” hg

• War Emergency (S.L. - 15,000 ft):

  • 1,600 hp @ 3,000 rpm @ 60.0” hg

• Maximum Continuous (S.L. - 28,000 ft):

  • 1,000 hp @ 2,600 rpm @ 44.0” hg

Performance

• Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.18 hp/lb (0.30 kW/kg)
• Critical Altitude Speed: 406 mph @ 15,000 ft (654 km/h @ 4,572 m)
• Wing Loading: 54 lb/sq ft (264 kg/sq m)
• Time to Climb: 8.7 minutes to 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
• Service Ceiling: 44,000 ft (13,411 m)

Weapons System

• Radar:

  • AN/APS-4

• Guns:

  • 1 x 20-mm M2(c) Cannon (150 Rounds) with flash hiders
  • 4 x .50-cal. Heavy Machine Guns (2,000 Rounds) with flash hiders

• Rockets:

• 10 x 5-inch (127-mm) HVAR rockets

---

Supplemental Data

---

Diagrams

---

Cockpit

---

Images

---

Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

   I made this suggestion to request more World War II-era vehicles for War Thunder. This P-38M would make a welcoming addition to the P-38 Lightning family in War Thunder and is a perfect unique variant of the P-38 that offers a lighter alternative to the heavier P-63 Black Widow.

---

See Also

Lockheed P-38D Lightning - A Baseline for Future Lightnings

poll This suggestion was revised and reposted from my original suggestion in old forum. [image] Lockheed P-38D Lightning    Hello everybody. I’d like to introduce and suggest the Lockheed P-38D Lightning for War Thunder. It received minor improvements and is slightly different from the YP-38 in the game. Please pardon my short writeup story since there is not much information about this variant due to a short-lived history of service in the US Army Air Corps / US Army Air Forces and due to…

Lockheed P-38F-15-LO Lightning - The Lightning That Scored First Aerial Victory Against the Luftwaffe

poll [image] Lockheed P-38F-15-LO Lightning    Hello everybody. I’d like to introduce and suggest the Lockheed P-38F Lightning for War Thunder. The P-38F is a intermediate variant between P-38E and P-38G with different engines, underwing racks, and combat flaps. Key Characteristics Heavy fighter and interceptor First production variant with inboard underwing racks after P-38E Turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710-49/-53 (1,325 hp each) powerplants New combat flaps, which the P-38E lacked New…

Lockheed P-38H-5-LO Lightning - The Last Lightning With Sweptback Engines

poll This suggestion was revised and reposted from my original suggestion in old forums. [image] Lockheed P-38H-5-LO Lightning    Hello everybody. I’d like to re-introduce and suggest the Lockheed P-38H Lightning for War Thunder. The P-38H was an interim variant with an airframe of the late-block P-38G and more powerful engines of the P-38J. The P-38H-5 was introduced in mid-1943 as the final production batch of Lightnings with the original ‘sweptback’ engine cowling configuration. K…

---

Sources

• PILOT’S FLIGHT OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ARMY MODELS P-38H Series, P-38J Series, P-38L-1, L-5, and F-5B AIRPLANES (1944)
• P-38 Lightning in Action Aircraft In Action 1109 (1990)
• P-38 Lightning in detail & scale: P-38J through P-38M Part 2 (1998)
• Lockheed P-38M Night Lightning
• P-38 Variation : Nightfighter P-38M | P-38 Assn
• Lockheed P-38M Lightning
• Der Gabelschwanz Teufel - Assessing the Lockheed P-38 Lightning
• Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Wikipedia

---

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

[BillyBobDa3rd]

YES YES YES YES!!! I’ve wanted this for so long!!!

[jon_man1199]

Oh absolutely, 100% yes. You can take my +1

[Draco_Argentum]

I sure am glad I didn’t have to sit in that rear cockpit.

+1

[Nostalgistic]

Updated P-38M Specifications with Engine Ratings; added Supplemental Data and Diagrams sections.