Engaged a Dora near an enemy base a couple of days ago. Was in my favorite ride the P-38L. After the initial pass we began a series of vertical turns. He had some e on me, but I felt I could turn the table. After about 2 full loops the vertical turns started to tilt into more of a wing over with each straining to get on the others six. I started dropping flaps with WEP on and was gaining the edge. Not far away Plank was dancing with a 109 in a P-47 and I was hoping to finish off the 190 quickly to go give him a hand. When things began to look dicey for the 190 he extended and pulled away. I tried to catch him but he went from 400 to 800+ rather quickly. Then like a fool I remembered to raise my flaps. I fired a couple carefully placed bursts and saw some hits about 600 out. I do love that convergence of the P-38.
Anyway all it caused was for him to wiggle a big and nose down a bit more toward his base. At 1000 yards I broke high to go help plank. The dots were a ways out but I was heading that way to give him a hand. All of a sudden tracers were around me and I felt some hits. Nose forward rolling I see the 190 behind me about 400 back. He must have broke toward me the moment I turned to help Plank. Rolling and making myself as hard a target as possible I began some horizontal turns again. After a couple revolutions he broke off again toward his base. I headed out away and noted I was leaking fuel from his hits moments ago. Tapping the gages I figured less than 5 minutes.
Making a wide sweeping turn toward our base I noted the Dora break high over the base and head in my direction. I also noted that the 109 had shot down plank and was also heading this way. At that point I figured luck was my only hope. I turned to head on the 190. At about 400 I fired and saw a lot of telling strikes on the nose and cockpit. I don't think he even fired. I broke hard right to avoid the ack from the enemy base and headed for home looking for the 109. The Dora went down.
As it turned out the 109 let me go, but I was chased down by a couple Me-262’s very near our base. I avoided them a couple of times but one of them finally took off my wing. I flipped once dropping flaps and then managed to hit the ground belly up. I broke apart some, but survived to ditch.
Was great fight with the Dora. Thanks Tbarone.
