Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twin-boom design with a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament.

Explore the Legacy of the P-38 Lightning, the iconic twin-tailed fighter aircraft that redefined aviation with its speed, innovation, and unmatched versatility.

Dec 18, 2025 · Built by the Lockheed Aircraft Company, it was designed to a 1937 specification calling for a high-altitude interceptor with heavy armament and a high rate of climb.

On Feb. 11, 1939, Lt. Ben Kelsey set a coast to coast record of 7 hours, 48 minutes in the sleek prototype Lightning, but crashed while landing. Despite the accident, development continued and the …

Developed by Lockheed, the P-38 was notable for its unique twin-boom design and twin-engine configuration. Description. The P-38 Lightning was a twin-engine, twin-boom fighter with a centrally …

Lockheed began developing the P-38 Lightning in 1937 as the company’s first venture into the military airplane market at a time when the U.S. military was modernizing its air forces in response to …

What would become one of the best fighters in World War II was created more by happenstance than by design. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was originally designed as a bomber-interceptor and was …

Jan 14, 2013 · By late 1943 the Lockheed P-38 Lightning had proven itself in a wide veriety of missions – high-altitude fighter sweeps, bomber escort, medium altitude dogfights, ground attack missions and …

It was the only American front-line fighter in production from the beginning of WWII until the end. It was the first 400 mph fighter in history and one of the few with a 40,000 foot ceiling. This aircraft was dug …

Johnson’s original patent application for the P‑38. In 1937 the Army Air Corps (AAC) put out the bid to the aircraft industry to submit their ideas/designs for a new aircraft. It must be a pursuit warbird …