Contents
Facts about the Photo Lightning
Bare-metal F-5E and its female pilot, a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilot).
ContentsFacts about the Photo Lightning |
Bare-metal F-5E and its female pilot, a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilot). |
FS2002: Unzip the file F-5E-2.zip in FS2002's Aircraft folder. A new folder called F-5E-2 will be created. Several sub-folders will be created.
CFS2: do the same, the delete the file F-5E-2\sound\sound.cfg and rename the file F-5E-2\sound\sound.cfg.cfs2 to F-5E-2\sound\sound.cfg
Notes:
- This model was made for Flight Simulator 2002 but provisions were made for it to work fairly well in CFS2. (CFS2 users: the model is NOT multi-res)
Be sure to visit www.kazoku.org/xp-38n for the latest updates, etc.
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of the most prominent fighters throughout WWII in
both theaters of operation. P-38s scored the first kills in the Pacific Theater as they
served in the arctic cold of Aleutian Islands. In Europe, they often provided
high-altitude long range escorts for bombers.
The P-38 was originally developed in response to the US Army Air Corps' need for a high
altitude 'interceptor' in the late 1930s. The Air Corps' requirements specified a craft
that could reach an altitude of 20,000 ft in six minutes, attain a top speed of 360 mph
and fly at full throttle for one hour. In addition, it would carry more armament that any
previous fighter.
Lockheed's legendary aeronautical engineer, Kelly Johnson, drew on his past experience
with twin-tail craft such as the Electra and proposed a twin-engine, twin-boom arrangement
with turbo-supercharged engines. (Kelly Johnson went on to design the F-104, the U-2 and
the SR-71.)
The XP-38 was first flown in January 1939. After logging just 11 flight-test hours, it
embarked on a record-breaking cross-country flight that proved the capabilities of the
design, but also lead its demise when it plowed into a golf course just before landing.
The only fighter-craft to remain in production throughout the war, the P-38 proved to be a
very versatile platform for a wide range of operations including long-range escort, photo
reconnaissance, fighter/interceptor, ground attack, and even formation bombing. It evolved
through several variations, each iteration more successful than the last.
Perhaps its strongest asset was its concentrated fire power. Being a twin engine aircraft
allowed it to have four guns and one cannon mounted in the nose. This clustered
arrangement meant that the guns did not have to be sighted to converge at some optimum
target range. In the hands of skilled pilot, the Lightning was a formidable fighter. No
wonder America's top two fighter aces scored their victories in P-38s.
However, it was not without its faults. Early into the European war it gained a reputation
for poor high altitude performance. Even though this was eventually traced to the use of
lower-grade British fuels, the reputation remained. The two liquid-cooled Allison engines
required a lot of attention, and there was trouble with the turbo superchargers as well.
The P-38 was the first aircraft to seriously encounter a potentially fatal phenomenon:
compressibility. During a high-speed dive the wings would lose lift, resulting in loss of
control. The enemy soon began exploiting this weakness to elude the P-38s. The problem was
finally solved when, late in the J series production, dive recovery flaps were added which
gave pilots the freedom to enter into high speed dives with confidence. Early Lightnings
also had poor roll rate and required a lot of muscle to turn. When the dive recovery
flaps were added during the J-25 production block, hydraulically boosted ailerons were
also added. This welcome addition gave pilots "power steering," greatly
increasing the roll rate.
As the need for night fighters increased, Lockheed produced the two-seater M series. The
addition of a radar operator relieved the pilot from radar duties and allowed him to
concentrate on the mission objectives.
Nearly 10,000 P-38s were built, the bulk of which where J and L series. After the end of
the war, the Army Air Force surplused them for $1,200 a piece. Of course you had to
arrange for delivery, which was no trivial task since as many of them were in the south
Pacific. Today, only a handful remains. Only a few are in flying condition.
There is a saying that goes something like "fighters win battles, photographs win wars." Perhaps the most significant role the P-38 Lightning played in a strategic sense was to provide high-speed, high altitude photo reconnaissance. Approximately one of every eight P-38 Lightnings built were either built as or modified to become so-called "Photo Lightnings." Designated F-4 and F-5, these Lightnings had several cameras mounted in the nose instead of guns and ammunition. Like their P-38 siblings, the F4/F-5 aircraft evolved over time, and often no two aircraft were alike, as many field modifications were made to adapt to specific needs.
Equipped with only cameras, fuel and speed, "Photo-Joes" usually flew solo deep over enemy territory to bring back very valuable photo intelligence. While most of their missions were conducted at high altitude, some very low-level, high speed operations were conducted in the days leading up to D-Day, providing accurate information of gun and troop placements just before the Allied invasion.
Many F-4/F-5s were painted in a special paint called PRU blue, in an attempt to camouflage the aircraft against the sky. The effect was only mildly successful, and eventually, just like their P-38 counterparts, F-5s were delivered in their bare metal skins.
The plane depicted in this model ("Queenie"), is a F-5E-2, and was based on a P-38J-20. It was delivered to the ETO in mid 1944 and served with the 33rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron.
Project XP-38N is my on-going effort to model what might have been the next version of the P-38 had the war not ended. My first version was for FS98 and later versions subsequently supported CFS1 and FS2000 and now CFS2 and FS2002. This F-5E-2 is a spin off from XP-38N version 3.1. I also have a P-38M, P-38L-5, P38J-15 and P-38J-15 Droop Snoot. Eventually I hope to make all P-38 variants, with XP-38N being my flagship model.
For any CFS2 model, there can be up to four aspects of the visual model: 1) external geometry, 2) textures (paint), 3) 2D panel and 4) virtual cockpit with 3D working panel. My design is intentionally a balance between computer performance, modeling time (that is, the time I can dedicate to this hobby), aesthetics, detail, etc.
FSDS 1.6 was used to build the model. In version 1.3 I've made a few minor enhancements to the landing gear doors, wings, wing fillets, lights and cockpit.
AA 1.3 was used to animate the parts. Animation features include:
- Asynchronous landing gear deployment
- moving control surfaces (ailerons, elevator, rudders, flaps)
- spinning propellers
- moving nose wheel (via rudder-control*)
- landing gear and gear doors
- shining landing light
- tail strobe lights, navigation and identification lights
*There was no control of the nose wheel on the real aircraft. Steering was accomplished with differential braking and differential thrust. The nose wheel was a caster, and simply moved like a shopping cart's front wheels. XP-38N has rudder-control steering, and I left this feature in this model because... well, because I wanted to. :-)
The textures correspond to S/N 44-23245, dubbed "Queenie" by its first pilot, Capt. William C. Clevenger and retained by Lieutenant Tom Gordon who inherited the plane from Clevenger. The plane was PRU blue, but the spinners were left natural metal.
The basic textures were derived from scanned images obtained from several scale-modeling books on the P-38 (see References below). I then attempted to make them appear PRU blue with Paintshop Pro. I am not a graphic artist, but I did the best I could. For me, painting the model is the most difficult and tedious part of the entire project.
The panel has been arranged to represent the rough layout of the P-38J panel. To do so, I made some coarse changes to CFS2's stock P-38F panel bitmap. I've also added a few modern instruments, such as GPS, radios, VOR and autopilot.
Previous version have had a static panel in the virtual cockpit. This is my first attempt at putting working gauges into the virtual cockpit panel. I hope to refine it a bit over time, but it is doubtful I will ever produce a masterpiece.
I readily admit that I am not a pilot. Ironically, I actually hate real-life flying and avoid it whenever possible. But I can spend hours and hours flying my P-38!!! (I even flew it around the virtual world!) Of all the modeling elements, the flight model is the most important to me, and has thus been the focus of most of my effort.
This flight model was developed as part of my ongoing XP-38N project. The first versions of XP-38N's AIR file were based on FS98 AIR files. I spent hundreds of hours developing that AIR file and I didn't want to give it up. For version XP-38N 3.0, I successfully transferred many of the old parameters to a CFS2-based AIR file. To refine the flight characteristics even more I then began studying P-38 videos and printed references. I also had help from someone who actually flew the plane. I have had the privilege of corresponding with a former P-38 pilot, Lt. Col. (ret) William C. Sharpsteen II, who flew with the 339th FS/ 347th FG in the South Pacific. Mr. Sharpsteen has taught me much about the handling of the P-38, in the air and on the ground, and about the differences between the earlier G model, which he spent quite a bit of time in, and the late J-25/L, which he also flew.
For version XP-38N 3.1, I used FSEdit to transfer the primary flight model parameters to the aircraft.cfg file, as per FS2002's new approach. I also overcame one of the major limitations in previous versions: propeller torque effects. Not until CFS2 could counter-rotating propellers (and the resultant zero net torque) be modeled properly. This major improvement is now implemented in this F-5E-2.
The flight model was designed and tested in both CFS2 and FS2002, with the difficulty level set to "Hard," or 100%. During certain maneuvers above 410 mph the plane will buffet a bit. This is intentional. While the actual plane may not have buffeted exactly like this, I am trying to simulate the fact that it did have a tendency to buffet at high speeds as indicated in the actual flight manual. As stated in the manual, use the dive recovery flaps to stop the buffeting. You will also note that it rolls well at high speeds and, at most speeds, it is very difficult to stall, which was apparently true of the actual airplane.
I do not claim this to be the best or the most accurate flight dynamics model for the P-38J, as AIR file/flight dynamics modeling is still somewhat of an art. However, I do believe I have captured the essence of the P-38J.
AvHistory.org - for their methods and AirEd.ini file. While I did not employ their "Assembly Line" process, I admire their methodical and scientific approach and have learned much from their work. I did borrow the propeller tables from their P-38J-25 AIR file.
Special thanks to Jerry Lindell, for assistance with the virtual cockpit panel with working gauges.
Very special thanks to Chris Davis, of the 33rd PRS Online website, and to Lieutenant Colonel (ret) Tom Gordon, one of the pilots of "Queenie," for their help with the plane's colors, markings and remarks about its operations.
Also, thanks to the many people who continue to express interest in my P-38 models. These models would not exisit without the encouragement of others.
- P-38 Lightning in Detail and Scale Part 1: XP-38 through P-38H, Bert Kinzey. Squadron/Signal Publications, 1998.
- P-38 Lightning in Detail and Scale Part 2: P-38J through P-38M, Bert Kinzey. Squadron/Signal Publications, 1998.
- P-38 Lightning in Action, Larry Davis, et. al. Squadron/Signal Publications, 1990
- P-38 Lightning in World War II Color, Jeffrey L. Ethell. Motorbooks International, 1994.
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Warbird Tech Series), Frederick A. Johnson. Specialty Press, 1996.
- Peter Three Eight The Pilots Story, John Stanaway. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1986.
- P-38 Lightning Aces of the ETO/MTO, John Stanaway. Osprey Publishing, 1998.
- P-38 Lightning Aces of the Pacific and CBI, John Stanaway. Osprey Publishing, 1997.
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Production Line to Frontline Series), Michael O'Leary. Osprey Publishing, 1999.
- Pilots Manual for Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Lockheed/US Army circa 1944. republished by Aviation Publications sometime in the mid 1970s.
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Steve Pace. Motorbooks International, 1996.
- America's Hundred Thousand, Francis H. Dean, Shiffer Publishing, 1997.
- Fork Tailed Devil, Martin Caidin, iBooks, 2001 (original printing 1972).
- The P-38J-M Lockheed Lightning, Profile Publications no. 106 (1966)
- The P-38 Lightning, Pamela Reynolds and the P-38 National Convention, Turner Publishing Co., 1989.
- The Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Warren M. Bodie, Widewing Publications, 2001 (first printing 1991).
- The Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Edward T. Maloney, Aero Publications, 1968.
- Comouflage & Markings: Lockheed P-38, F-4 & F-5 Lightning USAAF ETO & MTO 1942 - 1945, Ducimus Books Ltd
- Great Planes, Series 1, Volume 10 (P-38), Aeroco, Inc. 1989.
- Warbird Checkout No.1 "P-38 Flight Characteristics", (and other period films), Historic Aviation,
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Program Power Entertainment, 1997.
- P-38 Inspection, (USAAF period film for mechanics), EAA Paul Harvey A/V Center.
This model is released as FREEWARE. If Freeware can be copyrighted, then I claim Copyright © 1998-2002 David C. Copley. This package, including each and every file, may NOT be included in a commercial package.
I grant permission to repaint the visual model and/or modify the flight dynamics so long as such derivative works are released only as FREEWARE and include proper credits for all respective authors.
As explained above, this model is really a spin-off of Project XP-38N. However it has its own version history:
13 Apr 2002 - F-5E-2 version 1.0.0 released
(26 Jan 2002 - XP-38N ver. 3.1)
(14 Jul 2001 - XP-38N ver. 3 (CFS2/FS2000))
(22 Apr 2000 - XP-38N ver. 2 for FS2000)
(17 Jan 2000 - XP-38N ver. 1.1 for FS98/CFS)
(20 July 1999 - XP-38N ver. 1.0 for FS98)
(Sep 1998 - began project XP-38N)
By day I am an acoustical engineer for a major industrial company. By night (when I'm not spending time with my family or engaged in other real-life activities) I am a P-38 nut. I am also a musician, so my 'free' time is split between flying/making P-38s and making music.
You may contact me at db@kazoku.org, or visit my web site www.kazoku.org/xp-38n.