RAF P-38 / Lightning Mk XIV (finished)

[wingman777]

JeepsGunsTanks...I completely agree and even better so do the aviation records.  The main reason I thought this could've been a good option for the RAF is that they were given Lightnings that didn't have the turbo-superchargers.  The Merlins would've given a performance improvement over the "kit supplied" Allisons.  Not sure if you can notice it, but I turned the prop blades on the starboard engine so that they are counter rotating to the port side.  The P-38K was tested with the Hamilton Standard props and was the fastest Lightning, but was not put into production.

[wingman777]

I did the same concept a few years ago using two 1/48 Lightning kits.  For these conversions I did not replace the original P-38 nose but only attached the correct exhaust stacks which made the projects much more simple.  Hopefully the LSP staff won't mind if I show those images here as an extension pertaining to this 1/32 project.

The first one has the external, British, paper fuel tanks to give it that RAF flavor.  It is portrayed as having Merlin engines.

[wingman777]

[wingman777]

[wingman777]

This next adaptation is working with two Napier Sabre engines so the radiators on the twin booms have been removed.  The wing tips were cropped to give it a better roll rate and it's set up for ground attack.

[wingman777]

[wingman777]

[JeepsGunsTanks]

3 hours ago, wingman777 said:

JeepsGunsTanks...I completely agree and even better so do the aviation records.  The main reason I thought this could've been a good option for the RAF is that they were given Lightnings that didn't have the turbo-superchargers.  The Merlins would've given a performance improvement over the "kit supplied" Allisons.  Not sure if you can notice it, but I turned the prop blades on the starboard engine so that they are counter rotating to the port side.  The P-38K was tested with the Hamilton Standard props and was the fastest Lightning, but was not put into production.

 

 

Oh i get it now! That makes sense.  How many P-38s did they end up with? I thought Lockheed ended up keeping most and used them up in testing.

 

I find it one of the wars great travesties that the P-38K did not get produced. Lockheed needed another factory. Of course, the Air Force was considering killing production completely on the P-38 in 43 and replacing it with the P-47, but if the story is true, the General in charge of the 5th Air Force in the Pacific, George Kenney, he begged William Knudsen to keep them in production!

[BradG]

That's nice work mate, I'm sorry that I missed your completed pictures, I will add you to the gallery now.