XP-58 Chain Lightning
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{{infobox Aircraft
|name =XP-58 Chain Lightning
|type =Heavy fighter
|manufacturer =[[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]]
|image =Image:Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning 12670.jpg
|caption =The sole completed XP-58
|designer =
|first flight =[[1 June]] [[1944]]
|introduced =
|retired =
|status =Cancelled
|primary user =
|more users =
|produced =
|number built =1
|unit cost =
|variants with their own articles =
}}
The '''Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning''' was an [[United States|American]] long-range fighter developed during [[World War II]]. Although derived from the successful [[P-38 Lightning]], the XP-58 was plagued by technical problems with its engines that eventually led to the cancellation of the project.
==Design and development==
The '''XP-58''' was a [[Lockheed Aircraft Company]] funded initiative to develop an improved Lightning as a long-range fighter following the release by the U.S. Army Air Corps of the Lightning for sale to Britain on [[20 April]] [[1940]]. Initially, two designs were formulated, both using the Continental IV-1440 engines. One would be a single seat aircraft with one 20 mm cannon and four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. The second would be a two-seat aircraft with the addition of a flexible .50 in gun at the end of each tail boom.
By July 1940, when use of the Pratt & Whitney XH-2600 was entertained, it was decided that the aircraft would have two seats, and the aircraft was designated '''XP-58'''. However, soon Lockheed was advised the development of the XH-2600 engine was terminated. After consideration of the engine alternatives, the design was changed to use two [[Wright R-2160]] Tornado engines, as well as a change of the rear facing armament to two turrets, one upper and the other lower on the fuselage, each turret containing two .50 in machine guns. As support equipment for the two crewmen was added the estimated weight of the XP-58 grew to {{lb to kg|34232|sp=us|abbr=on|precision=0}} by August 1941.
As vacillation continued over the engine and role of the XP-58, the USAAF agreed to a Lockheed proposal for a second XP-58 that would incorporate features to obtain a range of 3,000 miles (4,800 km). In September 1942, a decision was made to convert the aircraft for a role as a low-altitude tank-killer, which introduced complications as the Beechcraft [[XA-38 Grizzly]] was being developed for this role. As a result, the second XP-58 was canceled and the role of the design reverted to that of a high-altitude fighter, but one using 75 mm cannon to break up bomber formations.
==Testing==
In February 1943, use of another engine, the Allison V-3420, was necessary due to poor progress with the Tornado engine development. With this change, the second XP-58 was resurrected. The XP-58 finally flew on [[6 June]] [[1944]], but flight test work on the XP-58 took second place to other higher priority developments. Eventually 25 test flights were completed. The XP-58 was then flown to Wright Field for USAAF acceptance tests, even though the turbo-superchargers were experiencing torching and a number of systems were not installed including provision for cockpit pressurization and armament with its fire-control equipment. Although the prototype arrived at Wright Field on [[22 October]] [[1944]] the aircraft was a maintenance headache and no further trials were conducted. The construction of the second prototype was abandoned.
==Specifications (XP-58)==
[[Image:Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning side view.jpg|right|thumb|Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning side view.]]
{{aircraft specifications|
<!-- if you do not understand how to use this template, please ask at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Aircraft]] -->
<!-- please answer the following questions -->
|plane or copter?=plane
|jet or prop?=prop
<!-- Now, fill out the specs. Please include units where appropriate (main comes first, alt in parentheses). If an item doesn't apply, like capacity, leave it blank. For additional lines, end your alt units with )</li> and start a new, fully-formatted line with <li> -->
|crew=two, pilot and gunner
|length main=49 ft 4 in
|length alt=15.0 m
|span main=70 ft
|span alt=21.3 m
|height main=16 ft
|height alt=4.9 m
|area main=600 ft²
|area alt=56 m²
|empty weight main=21,624 lb
|empty weight alt=9,808 kg
|loaded weight main= lb
|loaded weight alt= kg
|max takeoff weight main=39,192 lb
|max takeoff weight alt=17,777 kg
|engine (prop)= [[Allison V-3420]]
|type of prop= 24 cylinder liquid-cooled engines
|number of props= 2
|power main= 3,000 hp
|power alt= 2,200 kW
|max speed main=436 mi/h at 25,000 ft
|max speed alt=702 km/h
|range main=statute miles
|range alt=km
|ceiling main=38,400 ft
|ceiling alt=11,700 m
|climb rate main= 2,660 ft/min
|climb rate alt= 13.5 m/min
|loading main=kg/m²
|loading alt= lb/ft²
|power/mass main= 0.15 hp/lb
|power/mass alt= 0.12 kW/kg
|armament=
*Four [[37 mm cannon]] and four [[.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns]] in two remotely controlled flexible turrets or,
*One [[75 mm cannon]] and two [[.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns]] in the nose and two turrets.
}}
==References==
=== Notes ===
{{Reflist|2}}
=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
* Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters''. London: MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (Sixth impression 1969). ISBN 0-356-01448-7.
* Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. ''WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: US Army Air Force Fighters, Part 2''. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1978. ISBN 0-354-01072-7.
{{refend}}
==See also==
{{aircontent|
<!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. -->
|related=<!-- related developments -->
|similar aircraft=<!-- similar or comparable aircraft -->
*[[Bristol Beaufighter]]
*[[P-61 Black Widow]]
|sequence=
*''Pre-1948 USAAC/F:''
**[[XP-55 Ascender|XP-55]] - [[XP-56 Black Bullet|XP-56]] - [[Tucker XP-57|XP-57]] - [[XP-58 Chain Lightning|XP-58]] - [[P-59 Airacomet|P-59]] - [[Curtiss P-60|P-60]] - [[P-61 Black Widow|P-61]]
|lists=<!-- related lists -->
|see also=
*[[List of Lockheed aircraft]]
}}
{{Lockheed}}
{{USAF fighters}}
{{aviation lists}}
[[Category:Lockheed Corporation]]
[[Category:United States fighter aircraft 1940-1949|P-58]]
[[Category:Cancelled aircraft projects]]
[[cs:Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning]]
[[no:Lockheed XP-58]]
[[pl:Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning]]