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Description
After the success of the famous WW2 fighter P-38 Lightning decided Lockheed company to design even bigger and stronger type with the same conception. When they were allowed to export Lightnings to France and Great Britain, they promised to build the new airplane at their own expense. In May 1940 Air Force required a two seated version and ordered to use stronger engines Pratt and Whitney XH-2600-9/11. In October of the same year PaW canceled develope of the engine, the Air Force then wanted to use Wright XR-2160 Tornado, that increase weight of the plane from 7500kg to 15500kg. Then USA entered the war, construction team was reduced and develope of the Tornado engine was even more delayed. USAAF knew that XP-58 is not already good enough as fighter, they want to use it as tactic bomber and later as "bomber destroyer"(when Douglas A-26 started to fly as the tactic bomber). In the June 1944 the first and the only prototype landed at last (with a heavy and bad Allison engines), in the October flew to the Wright Field army base, but nobody knew what to do with it, so it ended as ground stuff trainer.

Description
After the success of the famous WW2 fighter P-38 Lightning decided Lockheed company to design even bigger and stronger type with the same conception. When they were allowed to export Lightnings to France and Great Britain, they promised to build the new airplane at their own expense. In May 1940 Air Force required a two seated version and ordered to use stronger engines Pratt and Whitney XH-2600-9/11. In October of the same year PaW canceled develope of the engine, the Air Force then wanted to use Wright XR-2160 Tornado, that increase weight of the plane from 7500kg to 15500kg. Then USA entered the war, construction team was reduced and develope of the Tornado engine was even more delayed. USAAF knew that XP-58 is not already good enough as fighter, they want to use it as tactic bomber and later as "bomber destroyer"(when Douglas A-26 started to fly as the tactic bomber). In the June 1944 the first and the only prototype landed at last (with a heavy and bad Allison engines), in the October flew to the Wright Field army base, but nobody knew what to do with it, so it ended as ground stuff trainer.