Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Aircraft and simulator background
The P-38 developed as a twin-engine interceptor and later served escort, reconnaissance and attack roles. The L was the final production version, with deliveries beginning in June 1944.
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron Simulations · Read more ↗Two different flap systems
The manual lists Fowler-flap settings of 8, 20 and 40 degrees. Separate 35-degree dive-recovery flaps have a different purpose from speedbrakes. Hydraulically boosted ailerons accompany pitch and rudder trim. Its IAS table lists 130 knots for full flap and 152 knots for gear.
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron Simulations · Read more ↗Later flight-model revisions
Versions 1.2.0 and 1.2.1 revise controls, compressibility and the three flap positions. The notes also fix an MSFS 2024 cockpit interaction issue and remove a spurious roll during gear retraction.
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron Simulations · Read more ↗The independent X-Plane 12 conversion
The public conversion author's v2.3 instructions of July 2025 describe an independent ACF conversion and object changes, with permission stated. They also retain an old-dataref startup warning. This work has its own authorship and version scope.
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
X-Plane.org conversion authors · Read more ↗Meet Lockheed P-38L Lightning
The P-38 developed as a twin-engine interceptor and later served escort, reconnaissance and attack roles. The L was the final production version, with deliveries beginning in June 1944.
FlyingIron's P-38L has hydraulically boosted ailerons, pitch and rudder trim, Fowler flaps and separate dive-recovery flaps. Its release history includes later work on compressibility and control response.
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
Lockheed → · Explore the family →
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron Simulations · P-38L Lightning for Microsoft Flight Simulator public manual download ↗Aircraft type designators
No type designator selected for this reference.
History & design
Development into the L model
The museum traces the Lightning from the prototype through the September 1940 YP-38 and successive wartime variants. The P-38J brought improvements to cockpit heating, cooling, fuel and manoeuvrability. Deliveries of the final P-38L began in June 1944 and continued until August 1945.
National Museum of the United States Air Force · Lockheed P-38L Lightning ↗P-38 Lightning Development and The Museum's Aircraft; L deliveries June 1944–August 1945
Systems & details
Two different flap systems
The manual lists Fowler-flap settings of 8, 20 and 40 degrees. Separate 35-degree dive-recovery flaps have a different purpose from speedbrakes. Hydraulically boosted ailerons accompany pitch and rudder trim. Its IAS table lists 130 knots for full flap and 152 knots for gear.
Later flight-model revisions
Versions 1.2.0 and 1.2.1 revise controls, compressibility and the three flap positions. The notes also fix an MSFS 2024 cockpit interaction issue and remove a spurious roll during gear retraction.
The independent X-Plane 12 conversion
The public conversion author's v2.3 instructions of July 2025 describe an independent ACF conversion and object changes, with permission stated. They also retain an old-dataref startup warning. This work has its own authorship and version scope.
In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
Compare simulator versions →MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024FlyingIron P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron · Released
FlyingIron P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron · Released
X-Plane 12FlyingIron / Alpeggio P-38L XP12 conversion
FlyingIron / Alpeggio · Released
FlyingIron / Alpeggio P-38L XP12 conversion
FlyingIron / Alpeggio · Released
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Museum history
Lockheed P-38L LightningLockheed P-38L Lightning
P-38 Lightning Development and The Museum's Aircraft; L deliveries June 1944–August 1945
National Museum of the United States Air Force · Read the source ↗Developer documentation
P-38L Lightning exact product classificationLockheed P-38L Lightning
Product features and XP12 patch link
X-Plane.org authorized store · Read the source ↗P-38L 1.2.0 and 1.2.1 current systemsLockheed P-38L Lightning
Flight Model Improvements; Bug Fixes
FlyingIron Simulations · Read the source ↗FlyingIron P38 XP12 independent conversionLockheed P-38L Lightning
Public conversion author instructions
X-Plane.org conversion authors · Read the source ↗P-38L Lightning for Microsoft Flight Simulator public manual downloadLockheed P-38L Lightning
PDF pp21-22, 44, 46; speed table rendered and inspected
FlyingIron Simulations · Read the source ↗P-38L Lightning for Microsoft Flight SimulatorLockheed P-38L Lightning
Product description and feature list
FlyingIron Simulations · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Museum history
Lockheed P-38L LightningNational Museum of the United States Air Force · P-38 Lightning Development and The Museum's Aircraft; L deliveries June 1944–August 1945Developer documentation
P-38L Lightning exact product classificationX-Plane.org authorized store · Product features and XP12 patch link P-38L 1.2.0 and 1.2.1 current systemsFlyingIron Simulations · Flight Model Improvements; Bug Fixes FlyingIron P38 XP12 independent conversionX-Plane.org conversion authors · Public conversion author instructions P-38L Lightning for Microsoft Flight Simulator public manual downloadFlyingIron Simulations · PDF pp21-22, 44, 46; speed table rendered and inspected P-38L Lightning for Microsoft Flight SimulatorFlyingIron Simulations · Product description and feature listBuilt-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 2 profile choices
FlyingIron P-38L Lightning
FlyingIron · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
The final production Lightning, with boosted ailerons and separate dive-recovery flaps.
FlyingIron / Alpeggio P-38L XP12 conversion
FlyingIron / Alpeggio · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
X-Plane 12
The final production Lightning, with boosted ailerons and separate dive-recovery flaps.
Discuss this aircraft (0)
Questions, observations and useful sources from the community.
No published discussions yet. Bring a question or share a useful source.
Open aircraft discussions →Content expanded · What’s new
Something missing or a source that needs attention?
Suggest a correction ↗
