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P-38 "Lightning"Multipurpose FighterLockheed![]() Heavy fighter P-38А had very exotic three fuselage design. In lateral fuselages landing gears and two turbocompressors were placed. The cabin of the pilot placed in a central nacelle, in the same place there was a nose shooting battery and the rack of a forward wheel. It is necessary to notice, that it was a first-ever fighter with a nose wheel. Prototype ХР-38 has made the first flight on January, 27, 1939. After numerous adaptations in August, 1941 modification "Lightning" P-38D has gone to a small series (36 aircrafts). The power plant. Two engines Allison, for the solution of problems of reaction of a propeller, engines rotated in the different sides, from here a designation of modifications - left / starboard engine. Modification P-38H with engines V-1710-89/91 already had the automatic gills of an oil cooler allowing automatically to regulate temperature of oil. Armament In a nose of an airplane was placed all shooting armament is allowed to exclude from a design synchronizers for shooting through a screw. All during manufacture 10037 airplanes of this type, since "Model 22" have been made. These machines successfully battled on all fronts where the American armies acted.
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