Merlin engined P40 (2 Viewers)

[Reluctant Poster]

The P-38, P-39 and P-40 were initially all interceptors as any attack on the U.S. would be coming in the air. No need for strafing ground troops. As with all fighters, as the type ages, they are assigned more to close support of our troops as newer fighters do the air to air fighting. Brother Martin has fiction and opinion in with his facts. I have most of his books, including his works of fiction.

All his books should be considered as fiction.

 

[mjfur]

Either the XP-38 or a YP-38 is at Planes of Fame at Chino. GregP will know for certain which one. He may be able to identify which turbos are fitted though from memory the plate is not visible when installed

Neither the XP-38 or any of the YP-38's exist. Planes of Fame has a P-38J.

Lockheed P-38J 'Lightning' | Planes of Fame Air Museum

View our aircraft collection and information about each aircraft.

planesoffame.org

 

[MiTasol]

The 9th started out with F-4's (P-38E) and even had one engine that seemed to have been a V-1710C with a F series gearcase.

Well, the engine in question had a completely different coolant attachment from all the others.

That makes far more sense. C series cylinder banks will fit the E/F crankcase but have less coolant flow to the rear part of the cylinder head as we can see below.

Note the extra coolant connection to the cylinder head on the E/F cylinder bank inside the circle which shows up better in the schematic of the coolant system.

 

[MIflyer]

Well, the 9th had E's converted to F-4's and then moved on to the later models. But the only C series in the CBI would have been the Tomahawks of the AVG and the 9th would have had no reason to come in contact with them.

Why that particular F-4 had one odd engine, I guess we will never know. It ended up being something of a hangar queen and at one point was modified with guns to try to intercept a Dinah that was irritating the Allies by not only flying over but also issuing taunting radio messages. A stripped down P-40 finally got the Dinah.

I read where after the 14th AF got later P-40's that someone decided to take some of the older models and fly them to North Africa where they could be shipped to the USA for use in bond drives. But I don't think any of those airplanes survived the trip to the boat.

 

[Ivan1GFP]

And

And I've just scoured three books and several websites. It was designed to stay at low altitude. None mention the high altitude requirement that the P38 was designed too. They all say unequivocally that the P40 was bought because it could get brought into production quickly.
There is this thing called strafing too you know? I believe that's qualifies as ground attack.

Do any of those sources mention how the term "interceptor" as versus "persuit" came about and how the requirements and specifications differed?

 

[GreenKnight121]

Either the XP-38 or a YP-38 is at Planes of Fame at Chino. GregP will know for certain which one. He may be able to identify which turbos are fitted though from memory the plate is not visible when installed

The sole XP-38 was destroyed landing at Mitchel Field in Hempstead New York in Feb 1939, and was scrapped.