USAAF armorer 1st Lieutenant H. A. Blood examining the 20mm cannon ammunition of P-38 Lightning aircraft 'Babe', date unknown

Caption     USAAF armorer 1st Lieutenant H. A. Blood examining the 20mm cannon ammunition of P-38 Lightning aircraft 'Babe', date unknown ww2dbase
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States Air Force
More on...   
P-38 Lightning   Main article  Photos  
20 mm M2 Hispano   Main article  Photos  
Photo Size 860 x 653 pixels
Added By David Stubblebine
Licensing  Public Domain. According to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government".

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
28 Dec 2015 03:38:16 PM

LIGHTNING BLITZ:

The Lockheed P-38 was armed with 1 x 20mm cannon with 150 rounds and 4 x .50 caliber machine guns with 500 rounds per gun. That sounds impressive.
However, the firing time for the cannon was 14 seconds and 35 seconds for the fifty caliber machine guns. Did you know the P-38 cost the US Tax Payer $97,147 1940s Dollars back in the day, that was a lot of money.

WAR SURPLUS:

At wars end surplus P-38's were going for $1,200
dollars fly away...believe it or not. the USAAF kept a few in service, most were scrapped and the P-38 was later retired from service survivors were bought or transferred to friendly post-war nations.

WAR LOAD: TAKE IT TO THE ENEMY

Besides the fixed armament, the Lightning could carry located on the inner hard points long range drop tanks and napalm
4 x M10 4.5 in rocket launchers
2 x 2,000 lb bombs
2 x 1,000 lb bombs
4 x 500 lb bombs
4 x 250 lb bombs
6 x 250 lb bombs

Outer hard points

10 x 5in HVAR (High Velocity Aircraft Rockets) or
2 x 500lb bombs
2 x 250lb bombs

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