Dick Bong... Americas Leading Ace....

[GermansRGeniuses]

Originally Posted by wmaxt

Actually the American war department refused to allow either the countra rotating engines or the turbos. These aircraft were refused by the Brits (rightfuly so, these aircraft were an insult their performance was so bad). In the states they were used as training planes and called the "castrated lightnings" the engines were replaced before a year was out.

Darn, beaten to it!


Anyway, wasn't it the same story for the B-17's supplied to the RAF?

[The Jug Rules!]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

CC, perhaps i should make it clear, the RAF only bought them for evaluation, we didn't fly it in combat, because we thought it sucked, it was the americans that flew it in combat over europe...........

Brits thought it sucked because they got some of the sorriest models of the P-38.

[evangilder]

The war department refused the turbo-superchargers because of export restrictions of classified technology. But the counter rotating propellers were not disallowed. The Brits ordered them that way as they would be able to interchange engines quickly on either side of the aircraft.

The RAF received three total Lightnings. The performance was poor, as expected without the turbo-superchargers.

From my article on the P-38:
"The first 3 “Lightning I” airplanes arrived by sea in the UK in March of 1942. Each aircraft went to a different location for testing. The aircraft went to Swaythling in Southampton, Boscombe Down and Farnborough. Not surprisingly, the unturbocharged P-38 performed well below expectations and further deliveries were cancelled and refused."

One thing that did come out of the testing, it was the British that called them the "Lightning". The original name assigned them, by Lockheed, was the "Atlanta"

There are some additional firsts that can now be added to the list from the beginning.
· The first fighter with a top speed over 400 MPH
· First American fighter to shoot down a German airplane (Shared kill of a FW-200 Condor with a P-40C)
· First USAAF fighter to carry out an escort mission to Berlin
· First USAAF plane to land in Japan after that country had surrendered
It also holds a few other distinctions:
· Heaviest US fighter of World War 2
· The only American fighter in production at the time of Pearl Harbor to be still in production at the war's end
· Accounted for more Japanese aircraft destroyed in combat than any other US fighter.
· First single-seat fighter to complete a transatlantic crossing.


It should be noted that the design was done by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. He would later be responsible for over 40 Lockheed designs, including the SR-71 Blackbird, the U-2 and the C-130 among others.

[The Jug Rules!]

I thought the P-47 was the heaviest fighter, and that the P-51 was the first to berlin.

[wmaxt]

Originally Posted by The Jug Rules!

I thought the P-47 was the heaviest fighter, and that the P-51 was the first to berlin.

For single engined fighters. The P-38s of the 55th squadron were over Berlin first (the bombers turned back due to the weather).

The -38 also flew a strike mission over Borneo on the 15th of August 45 (a 2,800mi round trip) for the last mission of WWII.

If you add the 2,500 aircraft downed in the ETO/MTO it also can be said that the P-38 shot down more aircraft than any other American aircraft, the next was the P-51 with 5,932. The P-47 is credited with 7,000+ but maybe as many as half of those were on the ground.

[evangilder]

Maximum takeoff weight of the P-47N, 20,700 lbs. (Heaviest of single engine by a large margin). Maximum takeoff weight of the P-38J, 21,600 lbs.

I gave a presentation on the P-38 about 3 months ago and will be giving one on the P-47 this saturday at the museum where I volunteer.

The first escort mission to Berlin by the P-38 was on March 3, 1944, flown by the 55th Fighter Group, not squadron. The 55th FG consisted of the following squadrons, the 38th, 338thand 343rd squadrons. The bombers were indeed recalled and the fighters did not receive the message, but that was enough for the P-38 to become the first American fighter to fly over Berlin airspace.

[FLYBOYJ]

TOMORROW - 60 YEARS! LET'S NOT FORGET HIM!

[evangilder]

Thanks for the reminder, Joe. Rest well, old friend.

[lesofprimus]

Aten Hut....

[FLYBOYJ]

Nice gif Les - and a final salute to Major Bong!

[GT]

Cancelled.

[FLYBOYJ]

I knew Tony LeVeir when I worked at Lockheed. He told me that prior to Bong's death he didn't think anyone formally checked him out on the P-80. The same thing that killed Lockheed test pilot Milo Burcham killed Bong. LeVeir told me that after Burcham was killed some type of pump was installed to prevent flameouts. He thinks Bong was never briefed on this. LeVeir told me that if he had a chance to talk to Bong about flying the P-80, he might of never died....

[Nonskimmer]

What a kicker. A simple briefing on the pump may have saved his life. Jeez.

[evangilder]

Sad.

[FLYBOYJ]

And back then things like this were quickly forgotton or covered up!