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Description
Kelly Johnson, the famous aviation scientist and Lockheed director, was disappointed that the USN considered his revolutionary P-38 unsuitable for aircraft carriers (Model 822).
Suddenly Professor Anton Veeblefitzer, Soldier of Fortune and thoroughly Mad aircraft scientist, materialized into this particular alt' universe and exclaimed: "Here I am to save the Day!"
PAV whipped out blueprints of His vision of an aircraft carrier-worthy Lightning, . . . . . and Kelly was astonished!
Later that week, at the Skunkworks, Kelly and Anton, now buddies, had detached the twin Allison liquid cooled engines, rated at 1,000 + hp each from a preproduction P-38E Lightning, and replaced them with two PW R-1830 radial air cooled engines, with propellers, slightly widened, but the same used on the famous Grumman F4F, rated 1,200 take off power. They molded the engine-to-boom frame into a streamlined shape as was possible.
Johnson and Veeblefitzer also beefed up the landing gear to handle the "controlled crash" onto a carrier deck. They also anticipated, that the narrow aft tail boom needed to be strengthened to withstand landing impacts. A robust "tail hook" was housed in a spring-loaded tube, which automatically popped open when the landing gear was extended, buried in the aft half of the central pod. To prevent damage to the tail rudder upon a rough landing, a stout spring loaded rubber shock absorber was mounted beneath the vertical tail planes. This would pop open at the same time that landing gear was lowered. Deck crew could easily retract these devices, which were automatically spring loaded, for the next landing. And to top it off, the wing folded up, just outward of the engine boom.
The two masters of air machines, for their prototype, added four underwing pylons to carry two 500 lb bombs and two external fuel cells.
This could be altered, to carry heavier loads, from 1,000 lbs bombs to a 2,000 lb torpedo (!).
The original P-38 design was so streamlined, that it could achieve diving speeds that were dangerous and sometimes fatal.
The new F1VL-A (Fighter-number one-Veeb' Lock' - A version) blunt engine cowls created enough resistance to prevent the "Sea Lightning", as it was christened, from approaching terminal velocity, and many pilots survived desperate evasive dives due to this.
The original P-38 design would easily top 400 mph in level flight, if the engines were properly operating (Boy! Did they have teething problems with this plane!). At maximum power, unloaded, with half the fuel weight gone, the Sea Lightning could top 385 mph. In 1942, this gave the USN an astonishing advantage over the IJN Zero etc. .
It was superior to everything else then flying, for its rate of climb, altitude, range, ruggedness, and firepower superior to most of its opponents.
Maneuverability could be comparable to Axis aircraft, if the pilot was skilled in "double throttle", where the pilot throttled back on one engine, and pushed the opposite engine forward a bit. The Sea Lightning would then pivot around in a tight loop, the pilot now able to bring his guns to aim at a pursuing enemy. The only drawback to this method is speed was lost. This tactic worked at higher altitudes, which gave the F1VL pilot an opportunity to dive, build up speed, and ascend back into a fight.
The big drawback was the high landing and takeoff speed. The F1VL could only be used on the larger aircraft carriers, such as Lexington and Saratoga, and the later Essex class carriers. There was a moto: "Last to leave, first to land!" The Sea Lightning required every inch of deck for takeoff, especially when fully loaded. And the landing deck cables were increased in numbers, and positioned forward almost opposite to the main island structure.
Only the best pilots were allowed to fly this hot plane.
Pictured left, is a fanciful image of a Sea Lightning dropping its external fuel tanks, as it climbs for altitude advantage, where the pilot will use the double throttle move, invert his path, and dive upon the two four engine Super Nell escort gunships, escorting the standard two engine Nells, seen diving in escape mode. Note the Super Nell already firing his cannon.
(After I started this project, I googled "USN P-38", pictured top right, and I found that a scale artist had beaten me to the task. His model is precisely what I had in mind. Please compare the original P-38 profile with the Veeblefitzer version).
The aircraft profiled here, was flown by Lt Cdr James Walker, who flew number 5 Sea Lightning, named the "MerAngle" which featured a cartoon of a sword-armed mermaid, with white angel wings, off of the USS Saratoga in 1942. He is credited with downing eight enemy aircraft, and sinking the IJN light carrier Shitzu, during the two day engagement of the Battle of New Zealand, in the summer of 1942, in this totally crazy universe of Professor Anton Veeblefitzer . . . .The Mad Scientist of aircraft engineering.

Description
Kelly Johnson, the famous aviation scientist and Lockheed director, was disappointed that the USN considered his revolutionary P-38 unsuitable for aircraft carriers (Model 822).
Suddenly Professor Anton Veeblefitzer, Soldier of Fortune and thoroughly Mad aircraft scientist, materialized into this particular alt' universe and exclaimed: "Here I am to save the Day!"
PAV whipped out blueprints of His vision of an aircraft carrier-worthy Lightning, . . . . . and Kelly was astonished!
Later that week, at the Skunkworks, Kelly and Anton, now buddies, had detached the twin Allison liquid cooled engines, rated at 1,000 + hp each from a preproduction P-38E Lightning, and replaced them with two PW R-1830 radial air cooled engines, with propellers, slightly widened, but the same used on the famous Grumman F4F, rated 1,200 take off power. They molded the engine-to-boom frame into a streamlined shape as was possible.
Johnson and Veeblefitzer also beefed up the landing gear to handle the "controlled crash" onto a carrier deck. They also anticipated, that the narrow aft tail boom needed to be strengthened to withstand landing impacts. A robust "tail hook" was housed in a spring-loaded tube, which automatically popped open when the landing gear was extended, buried in the aft half of the central pod. To prevent damage to the tail rudder upon a rough landing, a stout spring loaded rubber shock absorber was mounted beneath the vertical tail planes. This would pop open at the same time that landing gear was lowered. Deck crew could easily retract these devices, which were automatically spring loaded, for the next landing. And to top it off, the wing folded up, just outward of the engine boom.
The two masters of air machines, for their prototype, added four underwing pylons to carry two 500 lb bombs and two external fuel cells.
This could be altered, to carry heavier loads, from 1,000 lbs bombs to a 2,000 lb torpedo (!).
The original P-38 design was so streamlined, that it could achieve diving speeds that were dangerous and sometimes fatal.
The new F1VL-A (Fighter-number one-Veeb' Lock' - A version) blunt engine cowls created enough resistance to prevent the "Sea Lightning", as it was christened, from approaching terminal velocity, and many pilots survived desperate evasive dives due to this.
The original P-38 design would easily top 400 mph in level flight, if the engines were properly operating (Boy! Did they have teething problems with this plane!). At maximum power, unloaded, with half the fuel weight gone, the Sea Lightning could top 385 mph. In 1942, this gave the USN an astonishing advantage over the IJN Zero etc. .
It was superior to everything else then flying, for its rate of climb, altitude, range, ruggedness, and firepower superior to most of its opponents.
Maneuverability could be comparable to Axis aircraft, if the pilot was skilled in "double throttle", where the pilot throttled back on one engine, and pushed the opposite engine forward a bit. The Sea Lightning would then pivot around in a tight loop, the pilot now able to bring his guns to aim at a pursuing enemy. The only drawback to this method is speed was lost. This tactic worked at higher altitudes, which gave the F1VL pilot an opportunity to dive, build up speed, and ascend back into a fight.
The big drawback was the high landing and takeoff speed. The F1VL could only be used on the larger aircraft carriers, such as Lexington and Saratoga, and the later Essex class carriers. There was a moto: "Last to leave, first to land!" The Sea Lightning required every inch of deck for takeoff, especially when fully loaded. And the landing deck cables were increased in numbers, and positioned forward almost opposite to the main island structure.
Only the best pilots were allowed to fly this hot plane.
Pictured left, is a fanciful image of a Sea Lightning dropping its external fuel tanks, as it climbs for altitude advantage, where the pilot will use the double throttle move, invert his path, and dive upon the two four engine Super Nell escort gunships, escorting the standard two engine Nells, seen diving in escape mode. Note the Super Nell already firing his cannon.
(After I started this project, I googled "USN P-38", pictured top right, and I found that a scale artist had beaten me to the task. His model is precisely what I had in mind. Please compare the original P-38 profile with the Veeblefitzer version).
The aircraft profiled here, was flown by Lt Cdr James Walker, who flew number 5 Sea Lightning, named the "MerAngle" which featured a cartoon of a sword-armed mermaid, with white angel wings, off of the USS Saratoga in 1942. He is credited with downing eight enemy aircraft, and sinking the IJN light carrier Shitzu, during the two day engagement of the Battle of New Zealand, in the summer of 1942, in this totally crazy universe of Professor Anton Veeblefitzer . . . .The Mad Scientist of aircraft engineering.