June 8th, 1940 on a cloudy mid-morning Lockheed rolled out the first of the preproduction P-38s. There had been a few problems which delayed the roll out about a week past the Air Corps' schedule. But all things considered it was considered an achievement #1 P-38 was only a week late. Before Lockheed released the plane to the Army they wanted to conduct a number of flight tests over the next 3 or 4 days. This would give Lockheed's design team immediate information on the #1 P-38's flight characteristics. Which would indicate what, if any, changes would be needed on the following P-38s design. The second of which, providing no major changes, was expected to be rolled out in 3 weeks.
Marshall Headle, the most experienced company pilot Lockheed had would fly the series of tests over the next few days. Including full on power dives starting from 20,000 and up to eventually 35,000. The Air Corps Captain who'd been present at the roll out had objected pointing out these same tests and more would be flown at Wright Field and that his orders were to fly the #1 P-38 to Wright Field immediately after it had passed its initial check out flights. Robert Gross had explained to the Captain that the information gained from Lockheed's extended test flights would benefit future production and likely speed things up too. In the meantime the Captain would be able to familiarize himself with the new plane and discuss the P-38s' flight characteristics with Headle.
There were cheers and clapping from a small crowd of onlookers as #1 P-38 lifted off the runway on its first flight piloted by the capable Marshall Headle. As Robert Gross watched the P-38 begin its climb out he thought about the Army's impatience for their new airplane. Not so unusual really. But he felt that things were a little different nowadays. The latest news from Europe was shocking. The British and French armies in Northern France and Belgium had been defeated in a matter of weeks. How was that possible? The French had the biggest army in Europe and the British had fielded the best part of their Army. Apparently the British had barely managed to evacuate their surviving forces back to England. France would now have to fight on alone. They still had the biggest army in Europe Gross thought. After the French dug in for defensive operations then the war would bog down into the trench warfare similar to the last war. He'd thought it was likely it'll drag on for months if not years. The Great War round 2.
On a bright and sunny early morning on the 14th of June a relieved Air Corps Captain took off from the Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank, California on his 3 step journey to Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. Where some highly interested pilots were eager to get the hands on the P-38. Before he'd let them fly there was some intensive briefing they'd need on this new and very hot pursuit plane. They were after all supposed to examine it in flight and on the ground, not crack it up. Using Lockheed's pilot's notes as a starting base their job was to determine the proper operating procedures for the P-38 and then write up the manual the Air Corp would use to help train new pilots on this newest and hottest pursuit plane.
Back at Lockheed the results gained from the #1 P-38's flight testing had been analyzed and discussed in depth. They were considered largely favourable. It looked like the compressibility and Mach tuck problems had been resolved. The revised canopy and wing filleting had slightly increased the critical Mach number from .76 to .78. Marshall Headle's report had echoed Ben Kelseys'. Diving steeply from as high as 35,000 feet throttles fully opened the P-38 would enter compressibility after a descent of a few thousand feet. The buffeting, while heavy wasn't severe enough to damage the airplane. The elevator wasn't totally locked up and and it was possible to move it with enough effort.
But the simplest way to recover was to simply throttle the engines back and initiate a gradual pull up. This method could be used at any altitude and airspeed and the recovery would begin almost immediately. With full recovery and level flight reached no lower then 12,000 feet. Headle had reported that during testing he hadn't encountered compressibility when diving almost vertically with full throttle from 20,000 feet. He had to climb up to 25,000 before he'd see the effects. The P-38s' compressibility problem appeared to be fully resolved.
The next item being evaluated was the new rectangular shaped coolant radiators in their new location in the centre wing extended leading edge. They had worked very effectively at keeping the engine coolant temperatures within healthy limits. If fact Headle had reported that other when in a full power extended climb the shutters didn't need to be opened widely. In cruise flight about one third open was sufficient to maintain proper coolant temperatures.
The other item on the discussion list was the new windshield and canopy. Both Marshall Headle and the Air Corps Captain had praised that improvement. The visibility front, sides and rearward has much improved. And the ease of sliding a canopy to open and close instead of the original lid and roll up side windows was also praised.
"Still can't open the canopy in flight," Headle had commented. "Even cracking it open slightly gets the elevator trembling." "Why would you want to open it?" Hall Hibbard had asked. " Well Hall, it gets a bit warm and stuffy in there when flying down low. I'd hate to think what it'll be like in the Philippines or Panama." There was no reply to that comment but a thoughtful look did appear on a couple of faces.
Last to speak about the canopy was Kelly Johnson. He described the inspection and maintenance carried out on #1 P-38 before releasing it to the Air Corps. The canopy had been closely examined. There were no signs of cracking or warping on the plexiglass either on its open surfaces and where it was fastened to its framing. Considering the aerodynamic forces it had been subjected to during the high speed diving and the compressibility shock waves and buffeting it had experienced Kelly Johnson stated that the new canopy was sufficiently robust for mass production. Lockheed had batted 3 for 3 on these matters. But what would the future bring?
