Summary and Key Points: The Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the first aircraft produced by Skunk Works under Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, played a pivotal role in World War II. Some experts declare it ...

Key point: The P-38 was a forerunner of modern multi-role fighters. In 1937, the U.S. Army Air Corp called for proposals for an interceptor capable of flying 360 miles-per-hour and climbing ...