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Alberta's Aviation Heritage
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Fighter and Reconnaissance

Very Versatile

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Very Versatile

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was used in many roles throughout the Second World War, becoming a fighter, escort and interceptor. It had the rare ability to fly at high altitudes and choose when it wanted to attack.

The aircraft performed dive-bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photographic reconnaissance. It could fly with great manoeuvrability at a ceiling of 12,192 meters, and at speeds between 442 and 666 kilometres per hour. With the addition of droppable fuel tanks, the aircraft could also fly on long-range missions.

In the Pacific, the P-38 could fly faster, turn faster at high altitudes, and dive faster than the Japanese Zero, even out-performing the P-47 when it was developed and used during the Second World War.

 

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