Shock in the Solomons: Japanese Pilots Stunned by the P-38 Lightning
Автор: Pastoria
Загружено: 2026-01-20
Просмотров: 27
Discover how the arrival of the twin-tailed P-38 Lightning shattered the myth of the Zero’s invincibility, as Japanese pilots—accustomed to luring sluggish American Wildcats into turning fights—watched in horror as this new "Fork-Tailed Devil" dove on them at 400 mph and climbed away vertically before they could even rack their guns. This aerial paradigm shift traces the air war over Guadalcanal and New Guinea in 1942-1943, featuring the specific physics of the P-38's twin engines and contra-rotating propellers which eliminated torque roll, allowing for a steady gun platform that concentrated four .50 caliber machine guns and a 20mm cannon in the nose (avoiding the convergence issues of wing-mounted guns). Through the combat logs of aces like Richard Bong and Tommy McGuire who utilized "boom and zoom" tactics to slash through Japanese formations with impunity, and the psychological impact on the Imperial Navy Air Service which realized their agile but fragile planes were helpless against an enemy that refused to dogfight, this narrative reveals the technological pivot of the Pacific War, ultimately proving that speed and altitude are the ultimate arbiters of aerial combat.
Доступные форматы для скачивания:
Скачать видео mp4
-
Информация по загрузке: