P38 Question

[phobia]

According to Soda:
"the P-38 can slam the throttles closed, drop flaps, dive-flaps, and maybe even the landing gear. "

Dropping gear and regular flaps are a no brainer but,,how exactly do you drop dive flaps? What's the key command and can you do it with combat trim on "auto"?

Thanks for any info.

[fuzeman]

Shift c is a 'dive brake' which was actually a Fowler flap on the P38, if the synapses are firing correctly.

[Shane]

i forget what the keymapping is (check keymap in setup) you can map it to a joystick button if you want as well. the dive flap can be used when you're in combat trim, altho' some may feel that using CT defeats the purpose in a 38 YMMV.

[phobia]

Thanks Fuze and Shane!

"altho' some may feel that using CT defeats the purpose in a 38"

Shane,
I have no doubts you're right about this but you have to learn to crawl before you can run.
 And I don't mean run as in run away,,,or hmmmm,,maybe I do,,,the P38 is reasonably fast and I'm not very good.

I'll work on it!!

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by fuze
Shift c is a 'dive brake' which was actually a Fowler flap on the P38, if the synapses are firing correctly.

The Fowler Flaps is actually the first notch of the P-38's flaps.  The dive flaps are just dive flaps that are designed to change the air flow over the wings to help prevent compressability in dives by giving the nose positive lift.


ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by phobia
What's the key command and can you do it with combat trim on "auto"?

Thanks for any info.

Shift+C to deply dive flaps.  I don't recommend using Combat Trim in the P-38 and it will negate the effects of the dive flaps.  Combat trim will try to compensate for the lift generated by the dive flaps and keep them from doing what they're supposed to do.


ack-ack

[fuzeman]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
The Fowler Flaps is actually the first notch of the P-38's flaps.  The dive flaps are just dive flaps that are designed to change the air flow over the wings to help prevent compressability in dives by giving the nose positive lift.


ack-ack

As usual my synapses didn't fire correctly. Off with my head!!!
I hope the next one grows back better than this one did.

[phobia]

Thanks Ack,

I'll give it a whirl without combat trim. No pun intended.

[Soda]

Generally, the "throw out the airbrakes" approach to defense is a bit last ditch, but in the P38 you can sometimes catch guys dropping below stall and as soon as they put power back on they snap out of control.

The dive-flaps offered marginal drag when I tested them, it was measurable but barely.  Using 1-2 notches of flaps at key points in a fight is critical though, that can make all the difference.

Ack-Ack is dead on about combat trim in the P38.  In general it doesn't seem combat trim is a good thing when you get into high, or even low, speed handling problems.  It can actually make the situation worse, not better.

I actually have a few AH2 updated pages for my site... I really should get them cleaned up and posted.

[bozon]

Originally posted by phobia
"altho' some may feel that using CT defeats the purpose in a 38"

Shane,
I have no doubts you're right about this but you have to learn to crawl before you can run.
 

phobia,
The CT is very dangerous in the P38. In dives CT will keep trimming you forward and make it harder for you to pull out of the dive. This is one of the reasons so many new player lawndart the 38 in jabo runs.

It's a good plane to start using the manual trims. only elevator trim is needed, and what you can do is use "half CT" - if you are way out of trim, turn it on for a sec, then turn off, this will bring you fast to a near trim, fine trim from there.

Bozon

[phobia]

Thanks to everyone for their pointers. I actually flew the 38 last nite ( no CT ) and have moderate success. Had a few kills and the deaths I suffered were not due to the plane but the "monkey behind the wheel".
Gonna keep flying it for a while and I'm going to attempt to map my Nostromo speedpad to control trim.

Thanks again!:aok

[Ack-Ack]

Here's some P-38 films to help you out in the Lightning.


479th Film Library


ack-ack

[OLtos]

Take the option for 200 rnds/gun.  The 500 round /gun option turns the P-38 into a nasty non-turning MONSTER

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by OLtos
Take the option for 200 rnds/gun.  The 500 round /gun option turns the P-38 into a nasty non-turning MONSTER

No it doesn't.  There is no appreciable difference in manueverability by taking the lower ammo load in the P-38L.  You are hindering yourself by taking the lower ammo load, not gaining an advantage.



ack-ack

[StarOfAfrica2]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
No it doesn't.  There is no appreciable difference in manueverability by taking the lower ammo load in the P-38L.  You are hindering yourself by taking the lower ammo load, not gaining an advantage.



ack-ack

But it makes things SOOOOO much better for the rest of us who want to SURVIVE the encounter.