Hehe, sorry if I offended you. I'm not suggesting that a P-38 was a
UBER plane in AW or something, nor am I suggesting that you sound as if you expect it to be
I just mentioned that bit because...
Many people new to AH seem to complain about the P-38 in general in reference to their knowledge about the plane(especially people who have played this for like 1 week) in only one aspect.
I'm no expert either, but what I do understand is the difference between the types of planes the P-38L meets in the MA and the types of planes the P-38L met in Pacific theater of the war.
AH takes pride in its amount of research and correct historical representation(except, some things - like the dive flaps Tac complains about - yet remain to be corrected.. it's not a PERFECT game either). Sure, some stuff are still fishy, and being figured out, but I think in general, AH community truly believes AH has modelled and recreated the planes
as they should be.
Often I hear people complaining:
"Hey! the P-38s turned well.. it should out turn a Spit easily.." (I actually heard this one!)
"Hey! I heard the P-38 climbed well.. it can't outclimb anything here.."
"Hey! P-38 was supposed to be a fast plane.. it sure don't seem that fast to me.. it's porked"
.. etc etc
The P-38L WAS FAST - compared to most JP planes.
The P-38L CIMBED WELL - compared to JP planes.
The P-38L TURNED WELL - compared to other USN planes(esp. the Corsair).
..
But under competition with contendors from the European theater, like 109s, 190s, Spitfires and etc.. It does not have a specific advantage over most of the planes that specialized in very different type of air combat from that of the Pacific.
It probably turned better than F4Us, out climbed Zero-sens, and it probably out ran a Ki-61... but P-38's not gonna out turn a Spit, nor is it gonna out climb a 109G10, nor is it gonna out run a 190D9..
...
Yeah, this is really probably material for a seperate thread.. but I sort of had that on my mind when I wrote my reply above. I ask for your gracious forgiveness Ack-Ack