Author Topic: P38 Drivers Notice (Read 9061 times)

gofaster · « **Reply #75 on:** January 09, 2004, 02:01:45 PM »

I'm swearing off of P-38s. Thing can't roll worth a hoot, its too big and clumsy to avoid HO'ing Spitfires, and compresses just about the time I start getting close enough to Mustangs, Typhoons, and LA-7s to actually have a shot at hitting them. N1ks own P-38s, as do Yaks and Hurricanes.

Guppy35 · « **Reply #76 on:** January 09, 2004, 02:27:17 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SlapShot
The P38 has always intrigued me, and I am always in awe when watching a competent P38 pilot fly, but I have never been really had much success in it. Well, this thread inspired me to try it last night.

I hooked up with the Nomads, Delirium in particular, and between him and Silat, I got a brief, but comprehensive tutorial on how to fly this behemoth.

Careful around Delirium Slapshot. He's one of those guys who claims to be lousy, and apologizes for his kills, when in fact he's about as deadly as they come. I've flown wing with him a lot going back to the AW days in the Nomads.

His SA is incredible. He sees everything going on. Once again he'll deny being anything but being lousy but don't believe him. He's a lot like Leviathn in that respect. I know that I stay alive a lot longer when he's around.

We were up on Wednesday night in 38s over 39. He's popping baduns regularly and I'm actually getting kills. We finally head back with low fuel. I'm thinking, three kills, about 400 rounds left of 50 cal. I didn't do to bad for me. Del says he's got about 900 rounds left.

We land. Slack 3 kills.......Del 10 kills.....

Damn frightening it was

As for Silat. he sucks, but then again everyone knows that

Dan/Slack

XtrmeJ · « **Reply #77 on:** January 09, 2004, 03:27:49 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SlapShot
The P38 has always intrigued me, and I am always in awe when watching a competent P38 pilot fly, but I have never been really had much success in it. Well, this thread inspired me to try it last night.

I hooked up with the Nomads, Delirium in particular, and between him and Silat, I got a brief, but comprehensive tutorial on how to fly this behemoth.

COMBAT TRIM OFF !!! - MANUAL TRIM ONLY !!! (new concept for me)

Well, I got my arse handed to me quite a bit for the first hour or so but as the time passed and I became more familar with trimming this bird, the results started to slide back in my favor.

Had a great fight with Souls ... him buzzin my P38 on the deck with a 109 I believe, for what seemed like hours. I started to get a blister on my thumb, trimming and workin the flaps like a madman to create the evasives and finally produce a snapshot that got him smokin. In the end, someone in a LaLa decided that he and I were having too much fun and wacked me while climbing in the vert to get another shot. <> Souls ... <> to the LaLa

After that sortie, I believe I then went something like 16 or 18 and 0 in the P38. It was an ephiphany to say the least. That is one killin machine but far from EasyMode !!! I am not getting a big head over my success, I realize that I have a long way to go, but it gave me the impetus to continue trying.

<> and thanks to my Nomad buddies ... Delirium and Silat for taking some time to introduce me to the world of the P38.

I will be scouring the threads looking for links to films from some of the P38 aces we have here in AH. You could save me some time and put some in this thread ...

~~Mission accomplished boys we've snagged another one. Goooo fishin. hehe. Slap I come knight alot when squaddies are gone, I'll look ya up and we can wing. We'll grab some others if they are on.~~

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #78 on:** January 09, 2004, 03:32:50 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hazard69
Originally posted by Ack-Ack
The P-38 is one of the best BnZ fighters in the game because of it's fantastic vertical performance.

I'm not the only one as most of the veteran P-38 pilots can tell you, the P-38 is controllable at 500mph TAS. Heck, I routinely get my P-38 up to about 475-490mph IAS in high speed dives and can easily pull out of my dive (without having to use manual trim). The key is don't enter into a high speed dive above 20,000ft. Below that altitude, you can dive safely and with the proper throttle managment and a little secret know-how, dives above 475mph IAS where you can still retain control of the Lightning is quite possible.

ack-ack

How about sharing that "little secret know how" amongst fellow P38 drivers......c'mon spit it out.....cought it up......
Seriously could you please tell me how to dive my P38 that fast and not loose control....u can drop me a mail if u like at

mailrush2003@yahoo.com

First, don't use combat trim. Next, manually trim the elevator so the trim indicator is on the __ of the L where it says ELV.

E
L _
V

That's the approximate neutral position. You'll notice that your dive flaps will work far better when your plane is trimmed to approximate neutral.

ack-ack

SlapShot · « **Reply #79 on:** January 09, 2004, 04:25:50 PM »

ack-ack ...

Do you use the dive flaps when/while dogfighting or only when dropping from alt for the bounce or JABO ?

Thinking again about last night ... (chuckling to myself)

The first 2 sorties I flew, I am in immediate dogfights at A44. I am trying to turn this badboy and it ain't turning for sqaut. I get killed rather quickly. Up again, same thing ... won't turn ... sluggish ... killed quickly again. So I am saying to myself ... this plane is a PIG !!! but I'll persevere and give it another go. While climbing out it hits me like a train ... toggle secondary weapons !!!

I tryin to dogfight this badboy on the deck with 2 x 1000 and 10 rocks. I tell Delirium my oversight and I am sure he was dying with laughter but still remaining graceous.

Amazing what that plane will do without the extras !!!

Delirium · « **Reply #80 on:** January 09, 2004, 04:57:26 PM »

First off, ignore Slack... I'm not any good, and frankly I still have alot to learn about the P38.

Imho, the P38 is an easy plane to fly and more difficult to master than most in the MA, more so when you constantly fight against a/c that have better zoom peformance. Problem is, they can't nose over as well after the climb like the P38 can.

Fighting with eggs and rockets is a good crutch, Slap, do that for a week and you'll be swinging like Babe Ruth when you take them off.

XtrmeJ · « **Reply #81 on:** January 09, 2004, 05:10:37 PM »

Slap shot flaps are key as is trimming ur elevator. Once you can get this down to a habit fighting becomes just as easy as flying your spit. As was said earlier dont fly with combat trim, and I keep my stall limiter off. You should see a big upgrade in performance. I'll look for ya tonight, maybe we'll wing.

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #82 on:** January 09, 2004, 11:18:48 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SlapShot
ack-ack ...

Do you use the dive flaps when/while dogfighting or only when dropping from alt for the bounce or JABO ?

I'll engage my dive flaps a few seconds before I start my dive, whether it's a dive on an unsuspecting prey or a dive bomb run. I'll also use the dive flaps when I'm in a turn fight above 300mph but only during the turn and will disengage them as soon as the turn is over. The reason is that the dive flaps on the P-38 pitch the nose up when they are engaged. This is what helps you in pulling out of high speed dives. The nose up pitch the dive flaps give the P-38 can also aid it in high speed turn fights but at lower speeds (below 300mph IAS) the dive flaps are relatively useless. If you don't have your plane trimmed to neutral, the dive flaps really don't work that well.

ack-ack

Sadist · « **Reply #83 on:** January 10, 2004, 06:30:47 AM »

in all actuality, everyone..including myself... whines complains etc about every other player/plane etc.

truth is we all fly those same planes doing those same things:rolleyes:

as for the p38, i am learning it and i like it, its a mix of bnz and tnb.

ackack is a good teacher:rofl

Sadist

SlapShot · « **Reply #84 on:** January 10, 2004, 12:17:00 PM »

Thanks Ack-Ack <>

Silat · « **Reply #85 on:** January 11, 2004, 06:14:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Booky
I remember Silat saying (does he still fly btw?) something to the effect of, I ain't never seen a f4 do that on the deck before!

~~Booky~~

Booky I wasnt talking about your flying skills. What I said was something about you flying that f4 upside down with your dress over you head and not augering.

Hiya BOOKY

Wolfala · « **Reply #86 on:** January 11, 2004, 10:43:11 PM »

Guys! Yr killing the best kept secret by talking about it! Sssshhh!!!!!! Already!

T1loady · « **Reply #87 on:** January 12, 2004, 08:54:20 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Murdr
I amost stayed out of the HO to, which is very hard to do with both hugging the deck. But I lost a wingtip, so I just rode it out awhile to give silat some time. Then when it was clear I was going to get poped within 3 seconds, I jumped in the silk and watched silat scream in and clip both of them

The HO was the only ping I took the entire flight across 6 sectors, and several high nme, I feel no shame:aok

I wouldn't call it a HO shot but more of a snap shot.9 I dont want to be called the HO dweeb) You know I could not out turn you in a D9, I was trying to get behind you and bam, your right in front of me.. Didnt have a lot of choice. BTW, you were shooting to if i remember corectly.. It was a great fight....

SkipNutz

DipStick · « **Reply #88 on:** January 12, 2004, 10:57:54 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hornet
unless your handle is beet1e your whole game is easy mode.

you should probably just log off and kill yourself.

Gee thanks, coffee on the monitor!

Murdr · « **Reply #89 on:** January 12, 2004, 02:22:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by T1loady

I wouldn't call it a HO shot but more of a snap shot.9 I dont want to be called the HO dweeb) You know I could not out turn you in a D9, I was trying to get behind you and bam, your right in front of me.. Didnt have a lot of choice. BTW, you were shooting to if i remember corectly.. It was a great fight....

SkipNutz

You do not remember correctly. I managed to ping the la7 and break with you both facing away. You were both chasing dead 6 on deck d1.2 and 1.9. After a sucessful 180 evasive of the la7 I attempted to hop over and roll right of a HO, which was unlikely to succeed anyways due to the loss of speed evading the la7, and both being within 50ft off the deck. You may characterize the shot however you feel comfortable with, but that does not change the situation that I had done a full reversal with less than 2 seconds to react to you, and your own vector had been constant for 10 + seconds. And I certianly was not firing while I was doing what little I could to avoid a HO.