The Story Of How Charles Lindbergh SECRETLY Improved The P-38 Lightning

In 1944, as a civilian, Charles A. Lindbergh would fly several combat missions in P-38 lightning and discovered a method to increase its range by over 400 miles. This led to them becoming a much more effective aircraft against the Japanese in the Pacific theatre.
This is his story.
***Disclaimer - I do not personally support or condone Charles Lindbergh's political views, I merely aim to report a historical fact.
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Welcome to my channel where I share my love of history and aviation. I first fell in love with military aviation when reading Biggles books as a boy, then I studied history at university. I like finding interesting stories and sharing them with others.
I also followed this passion into the real world and managed to get a Private Pilot's Licence on 10th May 2014.
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⏱️ Timestamp:
0:00 intro
1:30 Lindbergh's association with Germany
4:49 Lindbergh in the Pacific theater
6:41 Lindbergh and the P-38 lightning
9:52 How Lindbergh extended the P-38's range
⭐ Some recommended other channels are:
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/ @thearmchairhistorian
/ theimperatorknight
#aviationhistory#history

[@CalibanRising]

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[@leonardoglesby1730]

My 99 year old father was a pilot in the 5th Air Force, 49th Fighter, 9th Fighter Squadron flying P-38's. He first saw combat in New Guinea in 1943. In 1944 Lindbergh instructed the flyers on how to optimize range in the P-38. In October 1944 my father was part of the fighter escort on that Balikpapan. In the fighting over Balikpapan he was credited with two kills. That mission was the longest escort mission of the entire war. Lindbergh was part of that mission, and one of my father's relics is his "Short Snorter" one Dollar bill (a silver certificate) signed by Charles Lindbergh, Tommy McGuire, and several others. Dad will be 100 in July 2023.

[@somercet1]

Wow! What a story. Lindbergh _and_ McGuire? Please tell your dad an anonymous KZbin watcher wishes him a happy and proud Memorial Day!

[@bobnewkirk7186]

God Bless you and your Dad! I just re-read, (for about the 50th time!), a great P-38 book..."The Fork Tailed Devil, The P-38" by Martin Caiden. An excellent read.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

Please convey our respect and gratitude to you father for his exceptional service to our country...

[@leonardoglesby1730]

@@Mike-eq4ky Thank you. I have always been in awe of the part he played especially knowing that he is the lone survivor of the P-38 fighter escort for the Japanese surrender envoys between Japan and Ishima, and the McArthur Honor flight as the first occupying unit at Atsugi. He has been honored with the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal + 5 OLC, and 5 Campaign Stars to the Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Philippines Liberation Medal. The 9th Fighter Squadron also earned a Presidential Unit Citation + OLC.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

@@bobnewkirk7186... check out Jeff Ethell's book as well!

[@toddeaton3269]

This principle of cruise on the supercharger works great with the old Paxton musclecars too, it gets amazing MPG Highway results with a smaller engine and taller gearing, and by using a wide-ratio trans with overdrive it got the best of both worlds (City & Hwy!)... Lindbergh's practical genius was really something!

[@SamGlasser]

I am glad to see Linberg get some credit for this, but one thing more, the improved range made it possible for the Lightnings to make the trip to meet Yamamoto.

[@choctawone8266]

I was shocked that this fact was not mentioned in an otherwise comprehensive video.

[@billy4072]

@@choctawone8266 they had extra tanks

[@williamrobinson827]

Lindbergh's assistance came in mid 1944. Yamamoto had been shot down over a year earlier, on April 18, 1943. They used extra tanks, which they may not have needed, if they had known the Lindberg trick earlier.

[@noele6588]

I saw an RAF poster from 1940 that said" decrease the revs, and increase the boost, and you will have fuel to come home to roost". So it wasn't an unknown technique, but like many things Anglophone may have been ignored by the PTB.

[@adirondacker007]

Great video! A firsthand account of a P-38 pilot flying with Lindbergh, as well as Bong, can be read in War Pilot, True Tales of Combat and Adventure by Richard Kirkland.

[@CalibanRising]

I'll try and pick up a copy, thanks!

[@russell4718]

General Jimmy Dolittle did the same thing for the B-26 And saved the program and a great plane

[@philgiglio7922]

was about to mention him... instrument flying with a hood over his head so he couldn't see out 130-150 octane avgas trophy winning air racer probably forgetting something

[@petewilliams4965]

Lindy was one of the most gifted sick-and-rudder guys who ever lived, but he nearly got killed on August 1, 1944 when he got caught low and slow near the Palaus in his 38. Only bad gunnery on the Japanese pilots part saved his life that time.

[@CalibanRising]

Perhaps that is why they cut his "tour" short and kicked him back state side?

[@razorback20]

A while ago, I had read an article in which a pilot from 475th FG told that Lindbergh literally taught them to put their P-38s into overdrive, but without really elaborating about the method. Today, this in-depth video gave me all the missing details about the settings he used. Mistery solved. Thank you Caliban. 🤩

[@I8ASUPRAforLUNCH]

One of the most informative flight channels here on KZbin. Keep it up, sir.

[@CalibanRising]

Wow, thanks!

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

The settings Lindbergh used were ALWAYS in the Lockheed pilot's manual for the P-38. Always. Set the props to 1600 RPM. The mixture to auto LEAN. The throttles to 26"-32" of MAP, to produce the required cruise speed. All Lindbergh had to do was read the manual. It would have REALLY helped had he made sure that the information was distributed throughout the entire Army Air Corps. Had he done so, he'd have saved dozens of planes and pilots of the 8th AF between 10/43 and 3/44. Not only does it more than DOUBLE the combat radius, it also save the entire engine system from EXTREME wear and tear, and often serious damage. It also did wonders for preventing "rough engines" and the attending "early returns". Combined with the correct radiator and oil cooler door settings, it also yields heat for the cockpit, and more importantly, allows the engines to remain at optimum temperatures, so that 100%-110% power is available in an instant once combat begins. In Europe, only the 8th AF used the incorrect settings, and only the 8th AF had any significant problems with performance or reliability from the P-38.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the clarification. I read a book recently that said the majority of the American air force was made up of servicemen with less than 5 years service. I guess this is what happens when you have to build an air force from scratch.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

RTFM is what we usually say... but that's what happens when you've got maybe 150hr of stick time before going into combat with an advanced fighter. Not only are you expected to efficiently fly and operate the aircraft but you need to be able shoot the enemy down. All while getting shot at. That's a pretty tall order...

[@philgiglio7922]

​@@Mike-eq4ky ... the motto was..."fly 5 and survive

[@pierrelahaie6359]

I'vr read numerous pilot stories, and the low RPM/High man. pressure seemed "unnatural" to them. Took a while before they learned. Plus back then, the fuel used would gum up the spark plugs really fast. A shot of high RPM was required just before takeoff. -It's still recommended on most of today's piston aircraft.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

@@pierrelahaie6359 so the fuel issue is actually a really interesting point in many regards. The spark plug fouling issue in particular bit the Japanese quite a bit, first they didn't have great quality aircraft fuel secondly they had terrible spark plugs. And that was apparently a big part of the reason their engines had a lot of reliability issues was frequent spark fouling. But as you noted operational practices can sometimes mitigate it, and the US was fortunate enough to have the best fuel in the war as well as good engine components like Spark plugs!

[@thehobgoblin9790]

Basically, he told the pilots to fly within the limits of the manufacturers handbook.

[@IncogNito-gg6uh]

The P-38 pilots also recognized that Lindberg's engine management innovations would mean longer, more dangerous missions. Which is exactly what happened.

[@questioneverything1366]

Well Done! That was the first time I've heard or seen Lindbergh's earlier connection with Germany in context with the gov't issue with Lindbergh in war zones. Again, Well Done!

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for watching.

[@Jedi.Toby.M]

Lindy, was a complicated guy...kinda hard to like, more so with hindsight...but he had his moments... fantastic content! Cheers!

[@CalibanRising]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@raphaelrae8186]

Another thing he did that most don't know, is that he once left an Air Force trainer at the end of a base airstrip, to anger the base commander-so he'd look irate and insecure. The commander angrily thundered into the conference room and yelled "Who's the moron who left [the plane] at the end of the runway??" And Lindberg stood up and said "I did, sir." The commander expressed shock. So Lindberg was not only isolationist, but subversive.

[@mattclark6246]

Charles Lindbergh & Howard Hughes We’re some of the smartest aviation experts engineers during the 1930-1940s We need more aviation enthusiasts like them for future generations & future aviation Love flying above angels 10 In ace combat franchise game But i absolutely love WW2 aviation On both fronts from the zero to the FW-190 Shalom dove 🕊️ of peace ☮️

[@RemoteViewr1]

Great contextual background information on Lindbegh's contributions. Passing on such detailed factoids must have taken hours of research. Lindy proved whose side he was on when the chips were down. An overall appreciation of the man needs tp take this into account; you have improved historical appreciation here. Subbed, ofc.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for watching.

[@secretagent86]

despite that one glaring error, i gave it a like as it taught me a lot

[@CalibanRising]

Please feel free to make the correction here. I know that errors make it into my videos despite my best intentions.

[@secretagent86]

@@CalibanRising another already pointed out the flight direction error in first minute. Just an oopsie.. we all do it

[@larry1824]

I've heard stories over the years Lindy helped plan the Yamamoto hit.

[@cudathehawgjetfixer7520]

Also Lucky Lindey was an Ace too but it's all uncredited because he was a civilian not a combat pilot and he was supposed to leave any combat engagements, but he stuck around and bagged a few. I've learned this from a retired AF pilot that flew with the U.S.'s best during the War. They don't make them like they used to!!!

[@freddieclark]

Clearly they do as there seem to be lots of Nazi's surfacing in America right now!

[@williamrobinson827]

Great video. I only had one criticism. At 0:18, where he was discussing Lindbergh's flight from New York to Paris, the clip being used clearly showed 2 men in the plane. There had been previous flights from New York to Paris, but Lindberg's accomplishment was the first SOLO flight. The Spirit of St. Louis was a single seater with barely enough room for one, let alone two. Others have already mentioned the other gaffe - "Paris to New York'. After these 2 errors, I loved the rest of the video.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the feedback mate. These types of comments really help me make better videos, so I appreciate you taking the time.

[@robertphillips3078]

Thx 4 "sharing " this video. Xcellent content. Do u have any info on the Spitfire pls . Merlin & Griffon Engines & the counter rotating props . And also the P51 Mustang. I am a Spitfire fan & like the p51 . They weren't much good untill they had the Merlins plonked in them

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for watching. I'll have more Spitfire and P51 content coming!

[@Mike-eq4ky]

Check out Greg's Airplanes and Automobiles for deep technical coverage of all those topics and more.

[@crabfat1494]

Basically, all Lindbergh did was tell the pilots to fly the planes within the contents of the operation manuals and pilots notes. regarding fuel settings etc.

[@seventhson27]

A little speculation as to what would have happened if Linberg had been allowed to join the air service as he wanted to earlier and was shot down. I don't think the video gives nearly the credit to what extending the range of the P-38 meant. The equivalent of adding hundreds, if not thousands, of aircraft.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sorry that the sentiment doesn't come through, I think it was one of the most important things that happened for the P-38.

[@tomjustis7237]

Small correction. At the beginning of the video (0:14) you say Lindbergh flew from Paris to New York. He actually flew from New York to Paris. I'm sure you knew that and simply misspoke. As to Lindbergh being an "American Nazi", nothing could be further from the truth. While he WAS an isolationist and spoke at "America First" rallies, the vast majority of Americans were in fact isolationist at that time and saw no reason to become involved in a "European war" which posed no threat to the US. (This was before intercontinental bombers and ICBMs when the vast Atlantic Ocean was protection enough from attack by any European power.) Most people alive then also remembered the sacrifices American soldiers made in Europe during WWI (The War to End all Wars) only to see it flare up again a short 20 years later. Can you really blame them for thinking, "Not again!"? Also, even the American Air Corps admitted (as you pointed out) they had received no reliable information regarding the Luftwaffe until Lindbergh returned from his tour and briefed them. If Lindbergh HAD been a Nazi and German sympathizer, would he have provided such valuable intelligence to the American military? Finally, while Lindbergh may have been anti-Semitic, that was sadly not unusual in those days. Believe it or not, the vast majority of first class hotels across the United States in those days had a "No Jewish" policy because anti-Semitism was unfortunately normal. That misguided belief does not equate to him being a Nazi. In short, I think Lindbergh proved his patriotism by his actions in the pacific. Sadly, many people do not know about this phase of his life, so thank you for bringing it out.

[@CalibanRising]

Fantastic feedback, thank you!

[@Ob1sdarkside]

All I know about Lindbergh was he set a flying record and one of his children was kidnapped. This is quite interesting

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

It's a complicated story and a complicated man.

[@Paladin1873]

I've read several books on Lindbergh and you are only scratching the surface regarding his beliefs and accomplishments. Thanks for saving me the the effort to post similar comments. I'll end by saying my Dad admired the man (and my Dad was Jewish).

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

A European power did cross the Atlantic, in early 1942. "Operation Drumbeat" brought u-boats to the eastern seaboard and wrought havoc with shipping there for several months, then to the Caribbean. Ships which had crossed the dangerous Atlantic were sunk in some numbers, as USA did not introduce convoys or adequate air and ship patrols. B17s needed long-range escorts into German air space and if P38s could have made it further than they did . . . . lives would have been saved. P51s had the range, but P47s didn't. No comment made on engine performance or deterioration. No piston heads burnt out, or cylinder valves burnt?

[@jaybee9269]

USAF dates from 1947. Lindeberg would have been in the U.S. Army Air Force.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the correction.

[@philgiglio7922]

my dad's B4 bag is stenciled US ARMY AIR CORPS

[@RANDALLBRIGGS]

The F4Us are marked in Korean War-era national markings, with the red stripe in each white bar flanking the central star and ball.

[@Tusk2001]

Excellent video!! Although I dislike his politics, he was a gifted aviator. Keep up the good work!!!

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for watching Joseph.

[@Tusk2001]

@@CalibanRising my pleasure

[@davidstange4174]

He taught pilots how to extend the range of their fighters do to his vast knowledge on the subject

[@wolffweber7019]

Well, I have read a great book: Race of Aces by John Bruning. Not so bright picture of Lindbergh in New Guinea. But that is one point of wiev for sure. Anyway, a book worth to read.

[@davidstange4174]

@@wolffweber7019 I will have to check it out thank you for the recommendation

[@wolffweber7019]

@@davidstange4174 Anyway, I am a sort of fan of Lindbergh but… Check it Yourselves. More clearly: maybe, in another life, I want to be a sort of ‚war tourist’ which apparently he used to be.

[@willboudreau1187]

"do to" ... ummm, I think somebody should get hooked on phonics.

[@davidstange4174]

@@willboudreau1187 Thank you for pointing out that it should be due and not do. The English language is grand is it not.

[@WilliamJohnwon1522]

I heard about his link to the Ns.

[@NVRAMboi]

People are complex and great men are no exception. None of us are either all good or bad. Each of us is some unique/crazy mixture of the in-between. I knew this story, and I knew Lindbergh was an isolationist. I did not know he was an anti-semite. He and Henry Ford must've gotten along famously and perhaps even met up now and then with US Ambassador to the UK Joe Kennedy - who was also a racist (and defeatist where the UK in WWII was concerned) along w/being a greedy weasel. Lindbergh not only extended the range of the Lightning but I'm sure also indirectly saved many pilots lives while doing so.

[@bbb8182]

Every account I read or watched of how Lindbergh made this mileage improvement is wildly different than the next. I think we will never know which was real now that the people are mostly dead. I consider his contribution as being among the most valuable of the war by a single individual. Probably next to Curtis Lemay. Thousands of Allied pilots saved or who accomplished more effective combat and thousands of axis personnel killed or injured who would been have out of reach. May more lives save due to the war ending early

[@RMJTOOLS]

My guess is that he probably used what is now called “Lean of Peak” mixture control combined with coarse pitch on the prop and high manifold pressure. And possibly trimming the plane to fly cleanly.

[@COACHWARBLE]

Once Pearl Harbor happened Lindbergh was ready to fight but FDR said no f’n way. We learned about German planes when Doolittle visited Germany representing Shell Oil Company in 1938.

[@PassportToPimlico]

Lindbergh was happy to fight the Japanese but I think cool to the idea of fighting the Germans.

[@jackt6112]

It was contrary to pilot and crew chief understanding, training, and had experienced. They became convinced only AFTER him taking the risk along with themselves, outfitting Lindbergh's with new engines and tearing down his engines and comparing them to others after the same missions and similar number of hours. I had never heard the MacArthur angle before but it wouldn't surprise me that someone would want to tap top talent for ideas, fuel or otherwise. High performance aviation was new to everyone and people forget that for quite a number of pilots, they had a B-17 pilots license before they had a car drivers license. The US was made up of immigrants who left Europe because of the constant wars they had. Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor 80% of the US didn't want to get involved with the war with Germany. That all reversed on December 7, 1941, including for Lindbergh. Another cardinal sin was telling the US they didn't have the best air force. Small men in the wrong positions with the wrong character and motives blocked him from helping them more and earlier. Fortunately other officers had a different set of priorities and leveraged him by working around the small people. The US learned from WW II, a war that never had to have been fought, and was simply because the Allies did not stop the aggression when it is started. The US learned that if you do not help them and stop it now, it will be you next. This changed US foreign policy forever and NATO.

[@jayyydizzzle]

Was that Greg from Greg's airplane and automobiles narrating the quote at 2:23 ?

[@CalibanRising]

lol, not unless he's got a job as an AI-generated voice actor

[@billy4072]

The expression.." no one likes a smart arse " immediately springs to mind..... all those pilots...now looking fwd to more time in the air,,,, and more opportunity to meeting the grim reaper. Yeh ..thanks Mr Lindbergh. .... 🙄

[@keithbesherse6324]

Do you have the story of Eddie Rickenbacker in the Pacific too?

[@CalibanRising]

Yes, I thought John Bruning's book was a good description of Rickenbacker's influence on the fighter pilots of the pacific.

[@CalibanRising]

📢 If you've enjoyed this video, Why not watch another one. Or even better, support this channel through Patreon, giving a virtual tip or making a usual purchase through one of my affiliate links (at no extra cost to you). 👍Find more details here: calibanrising.com/support/ I appreciate your help and together we can make this channel even better!

[@dennismason3740]

I love your channel HOWEVER I'm a composer and pretty much everybody else's music choices messes up my composing and playing. I know it's low volume but still I can't unhear your background. Just sayin'.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the feedback. Adding music to my videos is definitely my Achille's heel.

[@dennismason3740]

@@CalibanRising - thanks for replying. The story you tell doesn't need musical support or interpretation, it's riveting enough. I just told this story (Charles and the P-38) in the comments on another vid and I typed Eddie Rickenbacker instead of Lindbergh. Woops!

[@philipelewis1]

***Disclaimer - I do not personally support or condone Charles Lindbergh's political views, I merely aim to report a historical fact. For a completely different view of your supposed historical "fact" , see "Lindbergh vs. Roosevelet..." by Duffy. Lindbergh was smeared for politcal gain by FDR and he rendered very valuable service to the U.S. both before and during the war.

[@CalibanRising]

I'll try to give it a read, thanks for the suggestion.

[@jessepollard7132]

Wasn't all that secret - the mechanics working on the plane knew and asked why he had more fuel left than the others. The reply was just that he adjusted the feathering on the props and reduced engine speed slightly.

[@svendragon8139]

Lindbergh was a badass

[@rogerruhland8897]

It figures that Ford would take Lindy in since he himself was in the same light. Besides horse drawn vehicles most of the trucks the Germans had were Fords.

[@williamrobinson827]

Sorry, the Germans used several different trucks, and all were German built, and some built by Mercedes after the fall of France. Any Fords they might have used were captured.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

The outbreak of war in September 1939 resulted inevitably in the full conversion by GM and Ford of their Axis plants to the production of military aircraft and trucks.... On the ground, GM and Ford subsidiaries built nearly 90 percent of the armoured "mule" 3-ton half-trucks and more than 70 percent of the Reich's medium and heavy-duty trucks. These vehicles, according to American intelligence reports, served as "the backbone of the German Army transportation system.".... Ford owned 80% of Opel. * Extracted from Bradford C. Snell, American Ground Transport: A Proposal for Restructuring the Automobile, Truck, Bus and Rail Industries. *

[@rogerdavies6226]

Perhaps Roosevelt did America a great favor by denying Lindberg' re-enlistment Would he ever have gotten the opportunities to upgrade/fine tune our aircraft???likely not

[@44hawk28]

Interesting video, though almost none of it is in chronological order the way it actually happened. Lindbergh actually ran out of fuel and fouled a Runway almost killing several pilots. That is when he figured out how to get more range out of the P38 and gave them instructions the next day. But in order to prove it he had to fly it. He extended the range to almost 2,600 miles. Combat range is how far it can fly while in a fouled environment. But overall range, which was critical in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, was how far it could go before it could reach the mixture and go back to doing combat. It was the precise reason why they were able to take out Yamamoto and still have plenty of fuel to spare. And that was a flight that was almost a thousand miles one way or somewhere close to that. A friend of mine's father was on the island where he developed that particular ability and flew the P38 with Charles Lindbergh. And eventually was on the mission that took down Yamamoto. It is also entirely possible that, although his personal feelings for some of the Nationalist concepts of the Nazi party were supported by Charles lindbergh, it was more than likely that they're globalist Concepts were abysmal. And I fail to understand why Roosevelt would have failed to support that because he was in support of murdering the Jews just as much as Hitler was. He made sure that none of the Rail lines going to the death camps were ever fouled during the main part of the war. Remember, that Roosevelt was an avowed racist. And he grew up at a time when the same scientific Community that's trying to sell us on global warming was the same ones that were telling us that blacks and Jews were subhuman and that American Indians weren't human at all. They're still trying to remove American Indians from ever having existed in this country. Even taking our names off of sports teams. There's only a couple left like the Braves and the Chiefs that even allude to our existence. The Redskins is a name Crawford by no less than three American Indian tribes. It is not a racist term!

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the additional information.

[@brucepoole8552]

Conspiracy theory syndrome is a real thing

[@williamrobinson827]

Interesting, since Yamamoto was shot down almost a year before Lindburgh's suggestion was used.

[@junaidyaustero7807]

😍🤩

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

B17s needed long-range escorts into German air space and if P38s could have made it further than they did . . . . lives would have been saved. P51s had the range, but P47s didn't. No comment made on engine performance or deterioration. No piston heads burnt out, or cylinder valves burnt or other damage found?

[@ehfoiwehfowjedioheoih4829]

In 1940 the country was 90% against joining!!!

[@radiosnail]

I had heard of this, briefly years ago. Good to see a video bout it. A great man and not the only one to be hoodwinked by Hitler. Pity about the antisemitism though.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

Agreed, but his views were not uncommon for the time even in the US. That does not vindicate them and nor do I support them either. But tragically, some of the seeds for the thinking of the Third Reich and it's "Final Solution" began earlier in the US at mental institutions. And at the time Lindbergh espoused his political views, there was no public awareness of the holocaust in progress. But unlike many Progressives today, he still stood up and fought for his nation when it became necessary.

[@jeffreybobela6388]

Please show me a P-38 with 6 hard points between the engines? Almost sure this never happened, only 2 hardpoints (between the engines-NOT out board)

[@Mike-eq4ky]

HA. Found it for you... here, kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5_IeIuja8qXjJY at :59 seconds in. Perfect shot, six hardpoints. That bird carried more pounds of bombs than the Mossie did, of course the Mossie was a more flexible bomber. But the P38 was arguably better at strafing ground targets, hitting rail cars, etc. Those 4 .50 cals plus a 20mm cannon in the nose were devastating...

[@wolffweber7019]

@@Mike-eq4ky Over four twenty mil. Hispanos of Mossie? Not a way. P-38 was better dogfighter, on pair with top one engine fighters, Mossie could not compare there.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

@@wolffweber7019 HA! Completely agree. And if it had been fully developed incorporating the same NACA advances used in later US fighters it would have been far better. The K version was tested with Allisons of over 2000HP and the paddle props needed to make use of the power. But that never happened since the plane cost TWICE as much as a P51 which already had the necessary capability for the role of bomber escort... Also, most people don't know that even though the Lightning's roll rate was inferior to both the 109 and 190, (although hydraulically boosted ailerons in the J(?) and later closed the gap) it had a better turn rate at lower speeds and altitudes? Drop the Fowler flaps into combat maneuvering position! Add to that the excellent rudder authority, stability as a gun platform, and no gun convergence issues it made a formidable adversary in the hands of an experienced, capable pilot. Of course there is the dive speed issue from a low mach number and compressibility issues in the ETO, but it was a better fighter than many give it credit for. Just my two cents worth!

[@wolffweber7019]

@@Mike-eq4ky Agree. My favorite WW2 fighters are 190 D, P-38 and - not by heart but reason - P-51. Add to them F4U and P-47. In fact, all late war fighters produced by the USA, GB and Germany were remarkable. But my heart is with Dora and Fork Tail Devil.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

@@wolffweber7019 They certainly each had special virtues and excelled at different flight regimens. I find the FW 190 particularly interesting because it was quite advanced from an ergonomic layout and there's a lot of things that aren't obvious from looking at it the way that Kurt talk designed that aircraft for ease of serviceability and a really outstanding pilot interface in the cockpit layout it was really unique in that regard very well ahead of its time. P38 is my favorite because it's such an art deco Masterpiece and an early Pioneer of advanced Aviation. It certainly had its share of faults that took quite a while to sort out but it was a beautiful bird nonetheless. If you have not already found it you need to check out Greg's airplanes and Automobiles channel, he's got a whole series on the FW line 190 as well as the Dora and it's very very interesting great stuff... all wonderful aircraft. People don't realize though was it was really about pilot experience and skills that really made the difference can't forget about that.. each of those airplanes in the hands of a competent pilot could better the other. But I'm also a radio control model aircraft Builder and flyer, and used to fly competitively in Precision aerobatics. On my bucket list is a 1/3 scale P38 complete with counter rotating props retractable landing gear and functioning Fowler flaps... it will happen!

[@saltyroe3179]

Don't give me a P38, with props that counter rotate. It will spin, it will role, but soon it will auger you in, Don't give me a P38. Friends dad flew P38 in the Pacific and complained about how you had to have energy advantage over more maneuverable enemy planes or you ended up dead.

[@CalibanRising]

I have a P 38 video coming out this week!

[@carlwessels2671]

The counter rotating props negated torque when both were running. Losing an engine with a twin(except a push/pull twin) will cause a lot of asymmetric thrust,that has to be dealt with(rudder).

[@carlwessels2671]

Since the P 38 had a big speed advantage keeping your energy high should be second nature.

[@carlwessels2671]

That's with the Japanese.

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

That's only part of that poem. There's a complete stanza for the P-51 as well. There was no U.S. fighter that didn't have to fight Japanese fighters the same way. Unless of course your name was Bong, McGuire, McDonald, etc.

[@neddyladdy]

Who flew the P-38 better than he few the Wright Flyer ?

[@orcstr8d]

“In April, 1941, he walked away from the Air Force.” This was after FDR had publicly called his patriotism into question, comparing him to a Confederate sympathizer from the Civil War era. Tho Lindbergh should have taken the high road, FDR is equally small by not accepting Lindbergh back into service after US entry into the war.

[@32shumble]

Mind you Lindbergh was a big fan of Hitler and visited on a few occasions and some of his speeches in the run up to FDRs re-election were anti-Semitic

[@orcstr8d]

@@32shumble He was a flawed man, great pilot but flawed. Don’t know if he ever met with Hitler but by 1938, both had been on Time Magazine’s cover as “Man of the Year.”- The thinking of that era seems odd by today’s standards. In trying to find some redeeming quality in his “service” as a pilot, there is his work as the aircraft consultant. His time in the Pacific ( both mentioned in the video) and I suppose a third would be his work before the war for Pan Am exploring new air routes around the globe which would later be used ferrying planes, men and supplies in the war effort.

[@32shumble]

​@@orcstr8d He campaigned tirelessly to stop FDR from being elected to stop America sending help to Britain in its hour of need. If he had succeeded all of Europe would have fallen - and become a Nazi empire with greater resources and population than America

[@orcstr8d]

@@32shumble he might have been the Lone Eagle but he wasn’t the lone sympathizer or appeaser when it came to Germany. And wasnt he asked by some members of the military to take a tour of German factories and get an assessment of their capabilities. I thought what he came back with helped to spur the development of a super long range bomber. Something along the lines of the B29.

[@32shumble]

@@orcstr8d Not the lone eagle - but definitely the most high profile advocate for not supporting Britain. Many speaking engagements...

[@MrRobster1234]

This video seems determined to call Lindbergh an anti-semite. What does that have to do with him stretching the mileage of a P-38?

[@CalibanRising]

I think his political views had a big influence on his exclusion from the air force in 1940. This ultimately led him to SE Asia.

[@secretagent86]

it is interesting Lindbergh was awarded the MOH... something he definitely did not deserve.

[@philgiglio7922]

thought it was a DFC which can be awarded in peace time as well as during war

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

On the contrary, the regulations of the award have changed over time. your characterization is a bit overboard.

[@alancranford3398]

Reality is messy. FDR's feud against Lindberg may have cost 50,000 American airmen over Germany because Lindberg's increase of P-38 operational radius would have reduced casualties due to improved fighter escort range.

[@sotabaka]

lindberg wouldnt have had access to the decision over P38 performance in ETO in 1942-1944

[@alancranford3398]

@@sotabaka Lindberg was supposed to have been banished entirely from Planet Earth, but FDR couldn't do that. Lindberg criticized FDR's handling of mail contracts and FDR could never forgive that bit of treason. The part of the world Lindberg wound up in was pretty much invisible to FDR until Lindberg became an "ace" -- then there were orders to arrest that traitor. Did Hitler play FDR for a fool and cause the president to throw away an asset? Because Lindberg could have died in the Philippines during the 8 December 1941 attack just a few hours after Pearl Harbor as a member of the USAAF. Can't really say what COULD have happened, but what DID happen was exile and squandering of talent. Lindberg wasn't the only casualty of petty vengeance. Take-away from this is "don't make enemies" unless you really have to--and expect that those enemies will bear any burden, pay any price to get back at you.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

My only counterpoint is range was not really a limiting fact in the ETO. The Lightning had a variety of teething issues when it was first employed in cold, high altitude environment encountered there.. Range factored in but it still had the longest legs of any fighter in the field until the P51 was available in large numbers with the Merlins. Of course, if the P47 had properly incorporated the use of drop tanks the situation might have been different but the 38 took some time to develop and by that time there were better options for long range high altitude escort duty in the European Theatre and the 38's had much more impact in the Pacific where it's shortcomings were less relevant to combat success.

[@alancranford3398]

@@Mike-eq4ky One factor that lost the Battle of Britain for the Germans was that the Bf-109 had insufficient range to escort bombers and fight over England. The shoe was on the other foot with British Hurricanes and Spitfires and lead the RAF to abandon daylight bombing raids over Germany due to lack of fighter escorts--no range.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

@@alancranford3398 That's all absolutely true except in the case of the Lightning. It's primary role was that of Interceptor and in the European theatre of operations was primarily to be used as long range bomber escort. The P38 had the longest range for those missions until the P51B's (Merlin powered) became available. In fact, in the Pacific, the Lighting were the only bird capable of executing the Yamamoto mission which they completed successfully after I think a 9(?) hour intercept flight. Factor in twin engine reliability and fearsome firepower and it was a war winner in the pacific. The 38 had a LOT of problems. especially with dive compressiblilty, but range was never it's shortcoming, pun intended!!

[@mindmedic9435]

I knew he went to the Pacific and taught pilots to get better mileage, and I knew he was an isolationist that spoke out about entering the war. But I didn't know about the anti Semite, racism and Nazi fan stuff. Shame.

[@hughculliton3174]

Still think Grandpa was a better pilot.

[@robertdillard5738]

It is not true that he was a Nazi sympathizers. A revision of his true views. Too complex to refute those comments in this setting.

[@CalibanRising]

Do you have any recommended reading? I'm more than happy to be corrected on this point.

[@davidsuzukiispolpot]

You mentioned Lindbergh's anti-Semitism and that Ford was the only one to keep using Lindbergh, but you didn't mention Ford's anti-Semitism. could it have been the reason he liked Lindbergh?

[@CalibanRising]

An interesting idea to research...

[@alanchantiefighterskuanlia627]

Just like me trying to promote higher gearing sprocket to a motorcyling club that i m in.

[@runeb4440]

The amount and VOLUMEN of the "Not-background-Musack" is just AWFULL, making the video allmost unbearable to listen to as it all blurs together into just NOICE !

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@2centsworth766]

He did not improve the P38, he showed the pilots how to increase the distance the aircraft could fly on a tank of fuel. This enabled them to attack at greater distances. Gee wiss anyhow.

[@theswampangel3635]

Can you document any antisemitism in any of Lindbergh’s speeches?

[@billthomas635]

Two choices, commentary or intrusive music. Bye.

[@CalibanRising]

Thanks for the feedback

[@secretagent86]

omg CHANGE your narration... you said Lindbergh went from Paris to New York!!! major snafu

[@CalibanRising]

ah, I see it now. You are right, slip of the tongue and didn't catch that in editing.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Lindberg was a big fan of the Nazis

[@CalibanRising]

It seems so. Which wasn't that uncommon in many places outside Germany.

[@genebyrd9588]

Did the P38 group kill admiral Yamamoto? (Spelling). After the range was extended?

[@williamrobinson827]

@@genebyrd9588 Yamamoto was shot down on April 18, 1943, and the Lightnings used in that mission had extra fuel tanks. Lindbergh's suggestion wasn't followed until mid-1944, about a year later.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

Eastern Europe probably; UK, France and western Europe had some but it wasn't common.

[@Glicksman1]

No question, Lindbergh was a talented pilot, maybe the best of his era. He was also a twisted anti-Semite and white supremacist/racist. Those things are not mutually exclusive. Richard Wagner was one of the greatest composers of all time and was a proto Nazi, POS of a human being. Mel Gibson may not be in their terrible league, but he is a hateful, sick man who also happens to be a talented, entertaining actor/director. There are and have been many like that. One might reasonably expect that great art would vastly enlighten the spirit and it often does for both the creator and the observer, but not always. Go figure.

[@bigdougscommentary5719]

BUT he didn’t use his talents against WHITE Europeans. NOT a good guy.

[@willboudreau1187]

So I guess the point of this video is, that, even an anti-semite can make a good wing man?????