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Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning?

Aircraft Requests Discuss Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning? in the Aviation forums; hey, im looking for info on the Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning, like what is it, what was it used ...


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Old 10-13-2005, 11:21 PM   #1
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Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning?

hey, im looking for info on the Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning, like what is it, what was it used for, and so on. Any pics would be awsome.
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Old 10-14-2005, 04:56 AM   #2
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A google search found this:

The site offers a model if you want one

http://www.anigrand.com/AA2038xp-58.html





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In 1940, Lockheed and USAAF reached an agreement that Lockheed was enable to sell the P-38 to England and France, with responsibility for designing a more advanced version of P-38 for US needs. The configuration of this advanced lightning was similar to P-38, central cabin between twin engine-buried booms but larger sized and more powerful armaments. The designation XP-58 Chain Lightning was given to the project. The original design was a single seat pursuit airplane, then requested to change into a double seats attacker, then into a bomber, and then into a tank buster, and finally into a bomber destroyer. The power-plants and armament configurations were also kept changing until 1943. The XP-58 prototype were finally rolled out and made its first flight in June 1944 after 4 years its design was begun. After completed 25 test flights in 1945, the XP-58 program was cancelled not only by the engine problems, but also USAAF had no further needs for the bomber destroyers.

A site about the completed model

http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/allies/us/xp58.htm





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Old 10-14-2005, 10:08 AM   #3
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It looks like a P61.
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Old 10-14-2005, 11:06 PM   #4
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Thanks for all your help.
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Old 10-15-2005, 07:37 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by syscom3
It looks like a P61.
It does. It also kind of looks like the Fokker G1.A
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Old 10-15-2005, 09:13 AM   #6
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I knew a guy at lockheed that worked on it - he said it was a beast!
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Old 10-15-2005, 01:07 PM   #7
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big, fat and hairy??
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Old 10-15-2005, 01:46 PM   #8
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big, fat and hairy??
And leaked all over the place!
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Old 10-15-2005, 03:20 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass
big, fat and hairy??
And leaked all over the place!
I don't remember the exact quote but Johnson called it the 10 engined fighter because the AAF kept switching engine types on it.

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Old 05-20-2007, 10:26 PM   #10
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So the XP-58 Chain Lighting was proposed as an updated version to improve the P-38 Lightning?
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Old 05-21-2007, 06:11 AM   #11
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So the XP-58 Chain Lighting was proposed as an updated version to improve the P-38 Lightning?
Yes and no - it was a whole new airframe and was supposed to be a bomber killer.
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Old 05-22-2007, 07:15 PM   #12
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Okay, they just looked so similar that I just assumed that the XP-58 Chain Lightning used the same airframe and parts as the P-38 Lightning except for engines...
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Old 05-22-2007, 07:48 PM   #13
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Anyone ever see the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine that published a pic of an USAAC P-38 with modified armament that included something like 12 .50BMGs or some such. I apologize that I cannot recall the magazine month/year, but I want to say it was about 2-3 years ago maybe? It was a one of a kind that was a personal airplane of some high-up-mucky-muck. Reminded me instantly of the XP-58.
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Old 05-27-2007, 07:43 PM   #14
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No, but wow, that would have packed a punch if you needed to use them. 12 .50 BMGs would certainly damage a target if they hit...
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