From: andrem@pyrtech.mis.pyramid.com (Andre Molyneux)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Falcon vs. Hellcats
Date: 21 Dec 92 23:42:19 GMT
Reply-To: andrem@pyrtech.mis.pyramid.com (Andre Molyneux)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Pyramid Technologies, Mt. View, California.

>Yes, there were several copies of the night version of the P-38 during WWII.
>
>Not many saw action, but there were production models off the lines.
>
>-=C. Patrick Simons

This is straying a bit from the topic of HOTP, but jfb@ihlpl.att.com
(Joseph F Baugher) has been posting an excellent series of articles to the
sci.military newsgroup about the P-series planes, and recently the history
of the P-38 was covered.  I'll include the portions of the P-38 history
that deal with the night-fighter varients below (quite lengthy).  One
piece of information that is interesting due to the Leyte Gulf scenarios
is "One of them, operating from Tacoban, Leyte, scored its first kill on
January 9, 1945."

If you're interested in gathering information on the real performance of
aircraft, WWII or otherwise, sci.military is an excellent place to ask.
I'm sure someone there can provide accurate info on the various F6F Hellcat
varients, as well as the other aircraft that appear in HOTP.


I haven't asked Joe if it's ok to reproduce sections of his work here, but
hope he won't mind.  The portions reproduced here are only a small part of
the fairly comprehensive history, which was so detailed it was posted in
eleven parts:

===========================================================================

[lots of stuff deleted] 

Two P-38J-20-LOs (serials 44-23544 and 44-23549) were modified in
Australia during the autumn of 1944 for use as single-seat night
fighters, carrying AN/APS-4 radar in a pod underneath the starboard
wing.  These modifications were tested in New Guinea and the
Philippines.

A P-38J-5-LO (serial number 42-67104) was tested at Wright Field and
Orlando, Florida as an experimental night fighter with a radar
operator sitting on a jump seat just aft of the pilot.  The AN/APS-4
radar was initially mounted under the fuselage in a pod just aft of
the nosewheel.  This pod proved to be rather easily damaged by stones
thrown up by the nosewheel during takeoffs and landings, so it was
repositioned beneath the starboard wing, but this resulted in
interference from the adjacent engine nacelle.

[lots more deleted]

Early in 1943, at least two unidentified P-38Fs were modified in the
field by the Fifth Air Force as single-seat night fighters by fitting
an SCR540 radar with yagi antennae on the nose on both sides of the
central nacelle, and above and below the wings.  In order to make room
for the radar, two of the 0.50-inch machine guns and their ammunition
boxes had to be moved forward.  Three P-38Js were also modified in the
field as experimental night fighters.

However, these modifications were all single seaters, and it was found
that the flying of the plane and the operation of the radar was too
much of a job for just one person.  Consequently, Lockheed attempted
to adapt the P-38L as a two-seat night fighter.  In 1944, Lockheed
converted P-83L-5-LO Ser No 44-25237 as a two-seat night fighter, with
the radar operator sitting aft of the pilot under a raised section of
the canopy.  The aircraft was fitted with an AN/APS-6 radar in an
external radome underneath the nose, relocated radio equipment and
anti-flash gun muzzles.

This modification was successful, and provided the USAAF with a night
fighter having a top speed of 406 mph at 15,000 feet as compared to
only 369 mph at 20,000 feet for the Northrop P-61A Black Widow.
Consequently, the Army issued a contract change calling for the
Lockheed Modification Center in Dallas to convert 75 additional
P-38L-5-LOs into P-38M twin-seat night fighters.  They were painted
glossy black overall.  These were just entering service when the war
ended.  The P-38M saw operational service in the Pacific in the last
few days of the war.  It was an effective night fighter with very
little performance penalty over the standard single-seat Lightning.

Flash eliminators were fitted to all guns, mainly to aid the pilot in
retaining night vision when they were fired.  Experiments were
conducted with the object of shielding the turbosupercharger exhaust,
but the entire exhaust system was so hot that it glowed at night,
making the small reduction of visibility possible with the shielding
of the actual efflux relatively pointless.  Consequently, no
modifications of the exhaust system were undertaken on "production"
P-38Ms.  Initial climb rate was 3075 feet per minute, and an altitude
of 20,000 feet could be attained in 8.7 minutes.

Serials of P-38Ls converted to P-38M configuration were as follows:
44-26831, 26863, 26865, 26892, 26951, 26997, 26999/27000, 27018,
27233, 27234, 27236/27238, 27245, 27249/27252, 27254, 27256/27258,
53011/53017, 53019/53020, 53022/53023, 53025, 53029/53032,
53034/53035, 53042, 53050, 53052, 53056, 53062/53063, 53066/53069,
53073/53074, 53076/53077, 53079, 53080, 53082/53090, 53092/53098,
53100/53101, 53106/53107, 53019/53110, 53112.

There is a P-38M on display at the Champlin Fighter Museum at Falcon
Field, Mesa, Arizona.  It no longer has its radome slung under the
nose, but the two-seat configuration is still retained.  That radar
operator in the rear must have been REALLY cramped!

[still more stuff deleted]

During this time, two P-38Fs of the 6th Fighter Squadron of the 18th
Fighter Group were equipped with radar as single seat night fighters
operating from Henderson Field to curb the activities of "Bedcheck
Charlie", a Japanese aircraft flying nuisance sorties over Gualdacanal
at night.

Two P-38J-20-LO single-seat night fighters were fitted at Townville
with AN/APS-4 radar in a pod under the starboard wing.  These were
operated during the winter of 1944-45 by the 547th Night Fighter
Squadron.  One of them, operating from Tacoban, Leyte, scored its
first kill on January 9, 1945.

[yet more stuff deleted]

In 1945, three Night Fighter Squadrons (421st, 547th, and 550th) were
sent to the Pacific zone with P-38M night-fighter Lightnings.

Sources:

  Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute Press,
  1987

  The P-38J-M Lockheed Lightning, Profile Publications, Le Roy Weber
  Profile Publications, Ltd, 1965.

  War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William Green,
  Doubleday, 1964.

  Famous Fighters of the Second World War, William Green, Doubleday, 1967.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Anguluci and Peter Bowers, Orion Books, 1987.

  United States Military Aircraft since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M.
  Bowers, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.