P-38 on floats?

Hi
An earlier thread maybe of interest
cheers
jerry

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=104287

Very early in the Pacific War, a scheme was proposed to fit Lightnings with floats to allow them to make long-range ferry flights. The floats would be removed before the aircraft went into combat. There were concerns that saltwater spray would corrode the tailplane, and so in March 1942, P-38E c/n 5204 was modified with a tailplane raised some 16-18 in (41–46 cm), booms lengthened by two feet and a rearward-facing second seat added for an observer to monitor the effectiveness of the new arrangement. A second version was crafted on the same airframe with the twin booms given greater sideplane area to augment the vertical rudders. This arrangement was removed and a final third version was fabricated that had the booms returned to normal length but the tail raised 33 in (84 cm). All three tail modifications were designed by George H. “Bert” Estabrook. The final version was used for a quick series of dive tests on 7 December 1942 in which Milo Burcham performed the test maneuvers and Kelly Johnson observed from the rear seat. Johnson concluded that the raised floatplane tail gave no advantage in solving the problem of compressibility. At no time was this P-38E testbed airframe actually fitted with floats, and the idea was quickly abandoned as the U.S. Navy proved to have enough sealift capacity to keep up with P-38 deliveries to the South Pacific.

Proposed floatplane P-38E testbed, 41-1986, c/n 222-5204, shown with second version of upswept tail designed to keep tail out of water upon takeoff

There was a P-38J fitted with experimental retractable snow ski landing gear, but this idea never reached operational service either.
P-38J-LO, “Lightning”, #213565

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_P-38_Lightning

scroll down a bit to “Very early in the Pacific War,…”

It wasn’t the normal ‘Report from the Aleutians’ clip of the P-38 in the water soaked runway from memory, and I’m sure it was coming more head on from left to right. I don’t remember it having loads of water spray either and I’m sure it was black and white, and not colour like the Aleutians clip! It was such a short clip, that my brain didn’t have time to register it fully. I’m going to have to watch it again now to check!

Thanks for the updates. If anybody hasn’t seen the clip it’s on Demand 5, the Channel 5 i-player “thingie”.

I was surprised to see that they had grabbed a clip of a P-38 with wheels on a flooded airfield – lazy researcheritis

There was a proposal to put a P-38 on floats – it would have had upswept tail booms to keep the tail out the water.

From memory, the sole completed RAF Lightning II was used for trials in connection with the scheme (to test dropping torpedos)

TV programs

Unfortunately many people believe what they see or read as the “truth” without checking other sources.
Some of the non-truths are on purpose ie to further a cause OR its just bad research or non at all.

About float aircraft, I suppose we have all seen the C-47 or Ju-52 on floats. Quite a sight!

Pen Pushers got it spot on.

Seen that clip before. Just a bog standard P-38 with wheels splashing through puddles in the Aleutian Islands I think it was.

Didn’t think a TV company would get an aviation clip right did you?.

Brian

If it’s the clip of it taxiing right to left amid plumes of water, I think it was just a normal P-38 on a semi-flooded airfield. It was shown whilst the narrator was talking about seaplanes but that means nothing….!

Thanks, I’m glad I wasn’t seeing things. I wonder what the story is/was?

I saw the clip too, and I thought it was a P-38 and was surprised.