P-38 Lightning Start up, flight & shut down

Just another day of living history at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA, featuring the P-38 Lightning. Saturday April 6th, 2019.

[@bufordt.justice1539]

Like others here… my father also flew a P-38 F5 reconnaissance, only he flew over Germany in the European theater of WWII. He was part of the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Unit. He loved the 38 - said it was the best plane ever made! He used to tell me how it’s abilities saved his life many times. In one mission, he was under attack by 5 enemy planes and managed to out-fly them all (remember F5 Reconn had no guns, just cameras) and get away. However, he took a lot of fire and lost one of his engines. He had to make an emergency landing in Sweden where they had never seen a P-38 or it’s “modern technology” before. It made quite a splash in the papers. Today, the yoke of his P-38 is on display at a museum in Sweden. Sadly, my father passed away in 1976, but not before he took me to an air show in Corona, CA., in 1975, where a P-38 was part of the exhibits, and I guess because he was a former 38 pilot, they let my father climb in to the cockpit and he took me with him (I was a young boy at the time). I’ll never forget the joy and delight on his face as I saw him seat into that chair. He was one with that P-38! You could just see the memories pouring across his face... My father and that P-38 were like two old deep friends/partners reunited again after so many years. It was incredible and that moment left a lasting impression upon me that I’ve carried my entire life. If you aren’t already a member, I invite anyone who loves the P-38 to consider joining the National P-38 Association (p38assn.org) as there’s so much to learn and know about the 38!

[@docalexander2853]

Great story

[@marchills4131]

That's an awesome memory of an amazing warrior. You were lucky to have him as your father and we are all lucky for his service to America and its allies.

[@hirotakakokubu1268]

Well taken video shots. Congratulations!

[@davidcullen6797]

My father (still going at 94!) flew the recon version of the 38 in the South Pacific. He joined the Army Air Corps right out of high school. Following months of training and just a few months short of turning 20, he was sent to Morotai and was a member of the "Lonely Wolves." He told his mother in a letter that flying the Lightning was like riding a rocketship. Dad was discharged Christmas Day, 1945. He couldn't vote for another month yet. They were just boys. Thanks for your service, Dad. We will always be grateful.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+David Cullen The aircraft dump on Morotai was still there until the 1980s but off-limits. Your father's P-38 may have still been there if he had left it and went home. Rather than allowing salvage of the aircraft, local officials brought in scrappers and cleared the entire dump. live.staticflickr.com/8206/8229691892_a5e872ed32_b.jpg

[@michaelmace924]

Nice!! I wish your father good luck!! We owe his generation our lives. If they weren't in Europe and Asia fighting fascism then they were working on the home front supplying our boys & they were boys. Today people are offended by everything & anything, never would have won that war with these daisies. Thank God for that

[@Minoltalphafan]

That was the most dangerous P-38 duty. No guns and flying low for optimal images. Images vital for targeting outposts and airfields in the Pacific theater. I read somewhere the loss rate for recon P-38 pilots was 70% early on.

[@ihitwrongbutton194]

Concurred and thank you

[@davidcullen6797]

@@mewrongwayKOCXF Thank you for your thoughtful reply! We are all blessed by their service. I must report, though, that my "Lone Wolf" passed into the arms of his Lord on March 22 of this year. (He turned 95 in late January and we had quite a bash for him.) Following winds and clear skies, Dad -- for you and all the compatriots with whom you are now reunited, heroes all.

[@McRocket]

I had read these planes were quiet - and I read right. This plane sounded remarkably quiet for such a powerful bird...at least to me.

[@finalthemickith476]

mainly due to the turbochargers. Most other planes were supercharged and they create much more noise. Turbos reduce it noise because it muffles and acts as a exhaust system kind of.

[@ihitwrongbutton194]

Allison v1710 had a turbo supercharged system. Turbo system is an exhaust driven impeller system while supers charger system are belt or gear driven. Combine the two and yeah it would just sound like air being rushed considering all the compression is directly to the piston and manifold.

[@brainandforce]

@@ihitwrongbutton194 Back in the day a "turbosupercharger" referred to what we call a turbocharger today. If it had both it would be called twincharged.

[@ihitwrongbutton194]

@@brainandforce Thanks for the information. Saying twin totally beats mentioning turbo super combo, yet l would imagine it would confuse most. Considering a twin turbo unit itself is a small impeller to a big impeller but is commonly mistaken for a bi or dual units. Non the less very enlightening.

[@brycejohnson3533]

@@brainandforce biggest 2 way to tell whether theyre super charged or turbo charged is 1. Look for the 12 exhaust ports on the side of the engine cowl. Those with are super charged those without are turbocharged. 2. The sound. Super charge models have a louder more pronounced enhaust note and produced an incredible scream from the super charger. The p51 and coursair are 2 planes that are notable for there incredible super charger scream, the coursair even being nicknamed the screaming death. As a general rule turbochargers perform better at high altitude but are more complicated so many manufacturers remedied this by using multistage superchargers or more simply put mulit geared. to speed up the super charger at high altitude to account for the lose in air density. A turbocharger by nature does this automatically as the air thins since its is free spinning and not gear driven like the supercharger

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

Very envious of the pilot. What must he be feeling behind the controls of an authentic warbirds

[@kurtiscravingbavaria3291]

The man trusted by 99% of warbird owners to fly their plane!! Steve’s the man

[@Enid2Sacramento]

What the heck is the other 1% thinking?

[@kurtiscravingbavaria3291]

Dana Hess “that’s my plane I can fly it myself!” 🤣

[@792slayer]

I want to be him.

[@marknelson5929]

I still find it hard to believe to this day re the average age of the pilots who flew these aircraft in combat, in that 'they couldn't vote' (as per David Cullen's reply below) or have the ability to have a car licence, let alone own a car. Imagine today if you went to an airshow and saw a 19 year old walking out to this very same P-38, doing the pre-flight checks etc then getting in and off he goes. The audience would be gobsmacked and rightly so. Yet it was very much the norm back then what these young people were doing for the country and sadly in many cases they sacrificed their lives.

[@dhy5342]

Actually, the average age of WW2 pilots was 21-25. There weren't any just out of high school. most were college age and were Lieutenants or Captains.

[@marknelson5929]

Fair enough, many UK fighter and bomber pilots particularly during the Battle of Britain in 1940 were much younger due to the rabid need for pilots, unlike the 'relaxed' and extensive training times you had in the US & Canada in the later years of the war.

[@nesbittjohn]

One of my absolute favorite planes. Thank you!

[@fishsquishguy1833]

Was just thinking how cool it would be to see a “Heritage Flight” with a an F35 and a P38. How great did that prop wash feel?

[@Red-rl1xx]

There's a number of Heritage Flight videos on KZbin. I'm guessing that if you look around, you might find one with an F35 and P38.

[@bufordt.justice1539]

There’s a heritage flight video with a P-38 and F-35 that flew over Luke AFB in Phoenix, AZ in 2016, filmed by Elston Media. They have a KZbin channel. Look them up to find the video.

[@fishsquishguy1833]

@@bufordt.justice1539 Thanks bud! I’ll check it out. My favorite WWII era aircraft and have been to many airshows and museums but have never had the opportunity to see one close up or flying.

[@oldbaldfatman2766]

Jan. 25, 2021----And to think this aircraft with all so many others of that period were designed using nothing more than sliderulers, drafting tables and wind tunnels..

[@kwiturbitchin5277]

A Kelly Johnson masterpiece. That man was an aeronautical genius!

[@ToddBreda]

Beautiful bird, one of my all-time favorites. Tiny constructive criticism...Would have loved to see the takeoff and landing. Still, anytime I can watch a P-38 in action is a delight.

[@RakRescue]

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't they powered by 2 Allison engines

[@phillip_mcguinness7025]

It's amazing when you can hear the engines THROUGH the props.

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

super video

[@PaulieLDP]

Gorgeous plane, they seem surprisingly quiet for a twin engine fighter compared to other warbirds.

[@noclu4u384]

Love this plane. Im 3rd generation flyboy. Another great twin is the De Haviland mosquitoes . It was a jack of all trades and a workhorse .

[@ChrisJohnson-hk6es]

Wow!! I was expecting it to be much louder! What a beauty!! I still think this plane was way ahead of its time.

[@Concorde1059]

Yup, the turbochargers help to muffle the exhaust noise

[@Red-rl1xx]

One of my favorite planes! I've got several nice models of P38's. You can see videos of them on my channel.

[@crystalclearwindowcleaning3458]

My favorite warbird. I've seen one flying in person. Absolutely amazing. Thanks.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

My favorite WWII plane too

[@thetexmaster]

and for some messed up reason the P51 gets all the glory.

[@ken-dw4or]

The P-38 in central europe did not do well as a high altitude fighter above 20,000 ft. The Allison engines would throw rods, suck valves, the generator would burn out and sometimes the turbos would also stay stuck wide open plus pilots would freeze in the cockpits with no heater, some pilots suffered from frost bite. Colonel Rau of the 20th FG gave a critical report on the P-38 engine performance and saying that the multitasking of 2 engines with poor switches and lever layout was hard enough for season pilots let alone new pilots who never checked out on the P-38. The plane did perform very well in the PTO & MTO due to the warmer air at altitude.

[@sultros]

@@ken-dw4or Quality reply right here. That pretty much covers it all.

[@thetexmaster]

@@ken-dw4or Not exactly sure how that takes away its enormous accomplishments. That certainly wasn't the case in the Pacific where it shot down more Japanese planes than any other American fighter or the fact America's two top aces were P38 pilots

[@ken-dw4or]

At the end of the reply I did write that the P-38 did well in the PTO (Pacific) & MTO (Mediterranean) and I forgot the CBI (China-Burma). The air battles in those theaters where fought below 20,000 ft and the P-38 did very well. I also read that by 1944 in Europe the P-38 was being replaced by the P-51 except in recon squadrons.

[@ihitwrongbutton194]

Hell cat

[@antoniodellaragione6091]

Secondo un mio Parere del tutto personale , il P38 e' il PIU BEL AEREO a Pistoni progettato e costruito nel millennio Scorso . E' SPETTACOLARE ed EMOZIONANTE vederlo solcare i cieli . Complimenti al pilota e il proprietario ( hanno un aereo Preziosissimo ) alla pari del P51.

[@RobertWilson-td7eb]

Pappi (Col. USAF) flew a P-38 in WWII (early 20's) and the AC-119 gun ship in Viet Nam (then retired). I always asked my Pappi when he went TDY in the later years.- JUST WHAT DO YOU DO? "I'm in the business of KILLING BASTARDS - AND BUSINESS IS DAMN GOOD"

[@silvirhunter3607]

sounds like something major payne would say. lol.

[@mgraemem]

The Japanese called these "fork tailed devils." They look like flying artwork to me.

[@mpw8883]

A fellow historian and aviation nut friend of mine had a friendly disagreement the other day, over which aircraft is more ‘aesthetically pleasing’ (ie, which is the better looking) - he maintains it is the Supermarine Spitfire, yet i maintain that it is the P38

[@grantcambron3597]

Bumpyburrito Yeah the Japanese called it something along the lines of “two planes one pilot” iirc

[@BlindingGlow]

German's called it forktailed devil. Japanese called it "two planes one pilot"

[@quanfa88]

Coolest plane of all time.

[@tomlepone2290]

What a gorgeous airplane. One of the best ever built.

[@bobsurgranny]

Nice start up 🤓👍

[@doudymac]

Went to March Field Air Museum last weekend and got a whole history lesson on these. Was so cool seeing one up close. 👍👍👍

[@The72challenger]

like a double p-51...what a hot rod of a plane.

[@craigbmm4675]

wow that thing is so quiet and smooth

[@dorito1446]

Great Catch!!! I Have Never Seen One Of Those Your The Best

[@johnc1975]

One clockwise, one counterclockwise, seems like a good idea to me. It seems like other WWII multi-engine aircraft all turn counterclockwise, which seems like a bad idea to me. But I'm not an aircraft engineer, so what do I know?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+John C It doesn't matter which direction of rotation because the aircraft will yaw in the opposite direction of rotation creating difficult handling. Opposite handed props on a twin will cancel the yaw effect. Contra-rotating props on a single engine will cancel the yaw effect. In WW2, the Royal Navy wanted some props to rotate in a specific direction so that planes would yaw away from the island structure on carriers to reduce risks and accidents.

[@b43xoit]

Yeah, W'pedia says these engines could be built to turn in either direction with relatively inexpensive changes.

[@rdollie1]

Early block models actually spin inwards like this models but upgraded design has them spin outwards which pilots preferred.

[@Kspat2]

Twin Turbo Allisons *chefs kiss*

[@rafaelpinto5268]

A mais bela aeronave ja construida!

[@andrewbranch4918]

Gorgeous airplane 👍❤️

[@ramblinman4197]

Thank you so much for sharing. My grandfather gave me a small model of one of these when I was a kid and I’ve always been fascinated by them.

[@garyhaber333]

I used to work there as a volunteer docent. I miss POF. Great staff. Lots of cool stuff!

[@billm.814]

My great uncle was a mechanic on the p38 in ww2. His nickname was "Old Man" or "Pappy" because while many of the pilots were 18/19 y/o he was about 25 at the time.

[@gusm2752]

Great plane and the pilot Steve Hinton one of the best to strap on a warbird. 👍🇺🇸

[@sana-cm7oc]

I love this plane.

[@Chuckles..]

P-51 or P-38?. I'm going with the Lightening.

[@Joop.23-2-63]

Both......

[@CaneFu]

Some people actually get to live their dreams.

[@BogeyTheBear]

Joining a jug-band of cartoon hippos is sadly still out of my reach.

[@jaime4354]

Honor to have painted this P-38 Lightning with Tony Corbo, before capt. Jeff Harris passing 2013.

[@docalexander2853]

Plane that won WW2

[@IngolfTube]

Awesome video👍👍👍👍

[@kirktravis5780]

Saw one fly at the olympia airport on fathers day. First for me. So quiet compared to a merlin, which i love the sound of, but the p-38 was so smooth it purred like a kitten. NO FU€{ING BARREL ROLLS PLEASE!

[@dysnomia-anarchia]

Blue2 P-38 Pacific Fighter Pilot interview: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6i5moZqiMuEick

[@joshlewis5065]

I love turbocharged planes. They were truly a game changer

[@danaperko2981]

Left propeller goes clockwise, right propellers goes counter clockwise, interesting

[@michaelratliff905]

Beautiful and Deadly..all in one, what a combination,..reminds me of something else ..😁 🇺🇸

[@tomnekuda3818]

What a beautiful, fantastic bird!

[@michaelexman5474]

Aviation engines alway sound strange to me they way lope along

[@ebt1992]

She is a beauty.

[@USNVA11]

Amazing aircraft. Hard to believe that it’s a design from eighty years ago.

[@icewaterslim7260]

That's a very futuristic concept of an aircraft for 1937. Grumman F3F biplane fighter was in production. The fixed landing gear Nakajima Ki-27 was in production. Must've seemed like something from the Buck rogers comics. Very bold design and damned rangy and useful in the vast Pacific. Charles Lindberg advised cruising speed tips that got P38 groups 10 hours flight time which exceeds that of the rangy A6M Zero aka Zeke.

[@youmustbethatninja]

It’s extra insane when you realize Lockheed never actually built a combat plane before this let alone designed one

[@BogeyTheBear]

@@youmustbethatninjaLockheed did try to market a two-seat fighter in the early 1930's but no one bought it. The P-38 is the first warplane they did get to make. Was also the first Lockheed plane that had just one seat.

[@puirYorick]

If only her new namesake was twin-engined as well. I see the pilot brings his own orthopedic cushion along. Nice.

[@recnepsgnitnarb6530]

Sounds like a turboprop thanks to those massive turbochargers!

[@DanielGomez-gw4kt]

Is this at Planes of Fame Chino ?

[@spencerhughes2255]

Yes

[@donross7820]

What a gorgeous machine! Thanks for sharing.

[@gusm2752]

Great plane and the pilot Steve Hinton one of the best to strap on a warbird. 👍🇺🇸

[@marcosinnes5999]

Great video

[@thomasfarr7934]

Awesome aircraft! My favorite of WW2.

[@joalmeria891]

The silent pur of the engines made me want to take a nap

[@claiborneeastjr4129]

Yamamoto's nemesis and ultimate nightmare!

[@liamharris4479]

Love this plane I doas flown it on x plane its sic so manovible

[@Cuccos19]

But where is the 20mm cannon on the 981?

[@custardthepipecat6584]

mind blown

[@johnstephens3829]

My boss in Oregon flew a F7 Hellcact

[@emersonguimaraes8811]

Essa aeronave é uma raridade!

[@stanmo4331]

It's amazingly quiet...

[@avriljenifersexton912]

Beautiful I love all WW2 and WW1 planes

[@jrident]

Yes... just yes!

[@chrismair8161]

Kelly Johnson built it but Charles Lindbergh taught them how to really fly it.

[@BogeyTheBear]

No he didn't. Lindbergh taught them how to hypermile the crate for overwater ferry flights.

[@FlyersAviation]

Fantastic Video mate!👍

[@mattchaiser1247]

Did they ever try Merlins in a p38

[@justaprotogen8391]

You are witnessing one of very few (I believe 4) p-38 lightings that are still air worthy

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

Actually about 6. Maybe 8.

[@dr.bshousecalls141]

My father flew a P-38 in the Philippines. He didn't talk much about it, but sometimes.... He never flew again. He saw a lot of comrades die. Some just never made it back to base - they had no real navigation technology. They all had brass balls, that's for sure. I was visiting a rural town in the Philippines about 20 years ago. I mentioned to an old man that my father was there fighting the Japanese during WWII - the old man came over and gave me a huge hug...

[@ps-ic8pm]

Hey, someone stole its 20mm cannon!

[@rodrigoayarza9397]

Counter-rotating! Interesting.

[@Joop.23-2-63]

No torque......

[@rodrigoayarza9397]

@@Joop.23-2-63 yes! But, two things: at that time? And.. most counter rotating today are inward not outward. So we got the largest vector "far away" on both proppellers?

[@BogeyTheBear]

The props are so big that the wash coming off them affects the center wing. The prototype had the propellors spin inward, but the prop wash ruined the lift from the center wing. All models after that spins the props outward so the wash strikes the underside of the center wing sections, keeping the lift created there.

[@existentialerasure]

Third grade at Bluebonnet Elementary school in Ft Worth in '65. As soon as we went to the library, I found "Great American Fighter Pilots of WW2". Richard I Bong, P 38, 40 kills! I must have checked it out 15 times. The P 38 and P 47 don't get the love that the P 51 does, it's a shame. The P 47 was the A 10's dad

[@BJBlaskovichGaming]

My favorite WW2 fighter.

[@mike-w3e2c]

Planes of Fame and Fighter rebuilders are located next to each other at the Chino Airport. Well worth the trip. Steve Hinton, the Pilot you just watched is an amazing character. Should you ever have the pleasure to chat with him, you'll never meet a more straight forward, no nonsense, humble and talented man. A wealth of knowledge that goes back years. Make sure to see the museum.

[@rbilleaud]

I was lucky enough to visit the hanger at Lafayette Regional Airport back in the 70s during the restoration of the "Scatterbrain Kid". Watched it go from a hollowed out shell to flyable. Fascinating stuff. The dedication of those working on the plane was incredible. If they lacked a part, which they frequently did, they machined a new one right there. Unfortunately, the plane was lost along with the pilot in a crash on takeoff in the early 80s Lost an engine, and as they were prone to do, it just flipped over and went straight in. Real tragedy.

[@AlanPaul-o6h]

Freakin awesome! Great photography as well. If I was a movie star, or really rich, THIS is the plane Id want!

[@kevincooney1014]

Very fast , a great fighter too .

[@HeitorAugustoComAga-ki4eo]

Caça com dois motores v12

[@saldada6928]

an uncle of mine was a AAF pilot of the P-38 during the European theatre of WW2;long live the LM P-38 supercharger "turbo" prop plane!

[@dougbell5950]

27 dislikes❓❓❓❓ What's with that? Going out today to take a look at the P38 and do some video as well.

[@josephine.1226]

So beautiful...

[@randyberetta6277]

The Lighting and Mosquito are my favorite WW ll planes.!!!👍

[@CopperheadAirsoft]

that thing sounds very very intimidating aggressive and angry @ 4:10

[@Kay_213_]

I wish Pudgy IV was still flyable. This plane looks a lot like it with that chrome camo

[@mrhobs]

So no takeoff OR landing? I'll be nice and just not like the video rather than dislike it. :P

[@gregoryvanronse144]

The p38 lightning is one of my favorite ww2 airplain✈️

[@robertoferrari5397]

..my favorite too.😃😃

[@plaisbois951]

I love in South Corona and love seeing these beautiful classics fly by on the weekends. Is there a spot there at the airport we can park and hangout to watch the planes I would love to take my kids

[@Entity_BlackRed777]

The cute little P-38 starts its little engines beginning at 0:12!

[@Stromzilla]

Thank you for sharing

[@jacquelinetay732]

Hahaha.......the P-38 sure sounded like a chopper after starting up! 😂

[@ihitwrongbutton194]

For having two Allisons the lighting is surprisingly not that loud. Honestly thought it would be an unbearable roar but seems stealthy, guess that's why it was so good at recon and night fighting.

[@dewainaudiss2023]

The gondola between the beams made it perfect for Arial photos and combat.