XP-58 CHAIN LIGHTNING

The Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning was a prototype US-made fighter aircraft from the Second World War. The drive was provided by two motors Allison V-3420 with 3,000 hp each. The first flight of this machine took place in June 1944 - the plane never entered mass production. The deck armament was to consist of four 12.7 mm machine guns and four 37 mm cannons. It is also planned to mount a 75 mm caliber gun. The XP-58 Chain Lightning was created as a bottom-up initiative of the Lockheed label and was a development of the P-38 Lightning design. The new machine differed in a completely changed shape of the hull, much more powerful engines and more powerful on-board weapons. It was to have a large range of up to 4,800 kilometers, but also the ability to act as an attack aircraft. However, the work on the XP-58 proceeded very slowly and when the plane was flown it did not represent a new quality in relation to the fighters already used by the USAAF. This resulted in the entire program being canceled. Probably only a single copy of this plane was made.