I think this might have been discussed before here …but was wondering if the USAAF & RAF tried to put a pair of Merlin’s on a P-38 in place of the Allison engines? This might have given the Lighting a better chance as a long range escort in the E.T.O before the P-51’s began to take over this duty.
By: dj51d - 30th December 2004 at 02:25
According to “Double Menace: P/F-82 Twin Mustang” by David R. McLaren the reasons for switching to the Allision were economics and politics. The plants in the US producing the Merlin had closed after the end of the war, so any Merlins would have to be sourced from England. For what its worth, with the exception of the XP-82A all of the P-82s prior to the E model had the Merlin. There were 23 Merlin powered P-82s and 259 Allison powered P-82s.
By: agent86 - 29th December 2004 at 21:33
I heard that they didnt want to pay the licenseing fees to Rolls Royce for Merlins and so used readily and cheaply available Alisons. Tim
By: J Boyle - 29th December 2004 at 19:48
Why Allisons?
I’m not trying to start an argument here…I love Merlins….but why did the they put Allisons in the P-82 Twin Mustang?
Better fuel consumption for long range missions?
If so, that could explain why they stuck with Allisons in P-38s.
By: BlueNoser352 - 29th December 2004 at 15:52
Thanks men for the info on the Merlins& P-38!
Thanks for the link on this subject, its sad to think this setup was not tried by the War Production Board, typical bonehead thinking by those in power!
By: Locobuster - 29th December 2004 at 13:40
Yes, it was considered but never came to fruition. Oddly enough I just transcribed a 1976 audio letter from Col. Harold Rau, former Commander of the 20th. Fighter Group and he mentions how he would have loved to have had the Merlin-powered Lightnings. Take a look at Warren Bodie’s excellent book “The Lockheed P-38 Lightning” for more about the subject.
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December 29, 2004 at 8:08 am