Originally posted by JB73
what i dont get is some (and just some not all) of the much better vet sticks make the p38 out to sound like a "God mode" plane.
i know there are those out there that do not think is is the best, and it is odd trying to figure these p38 lovers out.
with no offense intended, i hate the p38. it is smurfy, bad views, and just generally distasteful. i am not a super smart man, but i did do well in school, and learned alot. until i came to AH, i had never studied WWII, only what i had ran across in every day life.
i had never heard of the p38 in my life at 29 years old.
i have yet to find in any of the 20 books i have bought a mention of the p38 being so superior to many planes. in fact i have read about it's major inferiorities in some cases.
what is the facination of the p38? (rehtorical question please don't answer i have heard it here on the BBS for 3 years, and i still dont believe 1 stich of it)
I saw my first P-38 in 1959. I was 6 years old and recognized it instantly.
One aspect of the P-38 was that it was the first high-performance Army fighter that could exceed 400 mph. It was extremely advanced when the prototype flew. It was also the first American fighter than could meet the Luftwaffe on equal terms, and utterly overwhelmed Japanese opposition. It was the aircraft flown by America's two top aces. The first American ace (flying an American aircraft) against Germany flew the P-38F (Jack Ilfrey). Before the P-51 arrived in big numbers, the P-38 was the only escort fighter able to take bombers all the way into eastern Germany. It was the first escort fighter to reach Berlin.
Performance was very good (see below). It was ruggedly built, packed a heavy punch and offered twin-engine safety. It filled more roles than any other American fighter during the war.
It had its faults. But its strengths exceeded its weaknesses. According to most pilots who flew both the P-38 and P-51 in combat, virtually all would tell you that below 10,000 feet, the P-38 was the ride of choice. Down in the weeds, flying on the edge of a stall, no other American fighter is better.
I like how it looks. The new AH2 P-38 has better outside vision than the AH1 model. It is easily the best of the USAAF fighters at pure dogfighting.
It's purely a matter of personal taste. I fly everything to some extent. I have no true favorite, but if I had to select only one aircraft for everything, it would be the P-38. It's a well balanced aircraft, capable of defeating anything that comes its way. It's not the best fighter in the game. I think the F4U-4 holds that honor. But, P-38 is still very capable.
75% fuel at takeoff, fuel burn set at 2.0 per the MA.
Acceleration: Altitude, 25 feet. Adjust power to steady at 200 mph. Go to max power (with WEP where available). Time needed to attain 300 mph.
Results in seconds, no rounding.
Tempest: 26.16
F4U-4: 28.57
SpitXIV: 28.72
La-7: 28.78
109G-10: 28.97
190D-9: 30.83
Ki-84: 35.96
P-38J\L: 36.57 Yak-9U: 37.40
109G-2: 37.62
109G-2: 43.94 w/gondolos
Climb from sea level. Start altitude, 25 feet. Adjust power to steady 300 mph. Go to max power, engage auto-climb. Time needed to reach 10,000 feet.
Results in minutes and seconds, no rounding.
109G-10: 1:46.18
SpitXIV: 1:47.13
109G-2: 1:54.06
F4U-4: 1:55.67
P-38J/L: 2:03.55 109G-2: 2:04.00 w/gondolas
Ki-84: 2:04.09
190D-9: 2:04.35
Tempest: 2:05.38
La-7: 2:06.91
Yak-9U: 2:13.94
My regards,
Widewing
