A curious anomaly????

[humble]

One of the planes that I've always hovered around is the P-38...I've made a dozen or more attempts at "proficiency" {and I'm using a loose definition here:( } with no real success.

I happened to run into to Thrilla in his mossie late last week and was impressed with just how tough he was to get a handle in...so I've playing with it since. I've lost a handful to shed controls...3 or 4 to flat spins and a half dozen or so to jabo runs.

I've been hosed a few times (Rauml in Ki-84, Sir Nuke is spitIX) and lost some simply due to not knowing the envelope (maybe 4 or 5).

But all in all, I've done much much better with the mossie then I ever did with the 38....and I'm totally clueless as to why. It would appear to be a significantly inferior ride....

Simply the other guy giving it no respect?

[Karnak]

Hmmm.  I find the P-38L to be pretty easy to use.  It gives you a lot of options.

Perhaps the Mossie's firepower is allowing you to get away with things that you wouldn't if the enemy had survived your snapshot.  Firepower is really the only thing the Mossie has that stands out above the P-38.  Visibility is slightly better to the sides in the Mossie as well.

[humble]

I agree, thats why I'm confused. I'm guessing the "other guy" is a bit more aggresive vs the mossie. I'm discounting the "reach out and touch someone" kills. I'm having no problem with lala's Nikki's and such in actual 1 on 1 fights [as a general rule]. Now the better pilots are a different story. I ran into sirnuke and almost got him on the initial pass (was slow in getting a good sight picture) and he nailed me (carefully)...much like I did thrilla. But the guys that get sucked in...dont get out.

[Nomak]

How are you loading out your 38?

Many, many people load far to much fuel which does have an impact on handling.

[humble]

usually 50% + 2 DT's

[Delirium]

Originally posted by humble
the "other guy" is a bit more aggresive vs the mossie.

When you run into P38s in the MA, if they aren't carrying ord it generally means the guy behind the stick knows what he is doing with the aircraft and people respect it.

No one takes the Mossie seriously and perhaps they are setting themselves up for you.

[TexMurphy]

Originally posted by humble
But all in all, I've done much much better with the mossie then I ever did with the 38....and I'm totally clueless as to why. It would appear to be a significantly inferior ride....

Simply the other guy giving it no respect?

Ive got a similar experience. I do much better in the D25 jug then in the D40 or N. Same thing here performing better in the lesser plane.

Compared to planes like Spits, Nikkies and others people do underestimate the jug overall. Propably the D25 more then anyone. But I doubt that avg dweeb knows the difference between the jugs enough for that to make a difference.

I think feel is a huge part of the equation, some planes just fit you better then others. For example if you have a really good snap shot with certain guns then a bigger gunpackage is gonna help you. When it comes to ACMs some preform your favo manouvers better then others.

Another part is that one tends to be a little bit more conservative in a lesser plane then in a better plane. At least I do far less dumb poop in lesser planes then in better planes.

Tex

[thrila]

That's probably true delerium about the "easy target" tag.  It is handy for drawing people away for a nice 1v1 from a furball.  It does have it's disadvantages too- i can have 4v4 which seems to like a fair fight, but 3 of them will immediatly target me which can be quite a handful.

I've had some fun fights with p38's in the past, it's normally a fun fight.  Though once it gets slow it's about as one sided as it gets.  I've no quibbles about taking any shot i get against p38's.

[humble]

I think the "easy" target mentality is at least part of it. No question that the mossie is not percieved as a major threat (as a dog fighter). On the otherhand I've been pretty impressed by how it performs at lower alt's. I got stomped on by Rauml in a Ki-84 and Morph in a 109(G10 I think)...but those are guys who are going to beat me most of the time anyway. However, once again nikki's, lalas and 38's were no problem.

If it werent for the jekyl and hide nature of the damage it would be a great ride. Seems like about 1/2 the hops the thing will take a beating and the other half the 1st tickle turns it into a roman candle...

[Atlatl]

I've jumped into the Mossie a few times this month, and I see the firepower as the probable key to my surprising success with it (2.4 k/d with it...allowing for a grand total of 12 kills).
 
Although it has a wicked flat spin...I dropped into one the other night when I went tried a hard chandelle at 300+ mph. Musta done something wrong  

[Iceman24]

I luv the P38J, almost fly it exlusively, You have to fly it for a few months to really appreciate the way it handles... I can turn and roll will n1ks and spit 5's on the deck

mossie only has slighty more nose gun power, the PJ (P38J) has better ballistics and even when you run out of cannons you have 5000 rounds of 50 cals, that act like a mini gun in nose of that plane, I make deflections at D800 and dead 6's at 1K... I'll challenge anyone in my PJ vs. anyones Mossie ... Mossie is fun tho, I prefer the 110G2, it turns better, more wep, faster etc...

And on the loadout note... I carry 100 fuel, 1 drop tank and full ammo... I'll keep the DT as long as I can until I have allot of bogeys then get rid of it, the P38 has so much torque fuel doesn't effect it AS MUCH AS OTHER PLANES... With all that ammo in that 38 I don't know why anyone would take off with less than 100%, guess diff ppl have diff flying styles

[humble]

Actually there is a huge difference in firepower between the mossie and 38. No question that the 38 is a dominant plane in the right hands however....not in mine:)

[Karnak]

Iceman24,

The Mossie has approximately twice the raw firepower in the nose that the P-38 does, and that discounts the increased concentration of damage that cannons bring to the table over machine guns.  The Ballistics of the Hispano, as the great many whines from German aircraft fans atest to, are quite good and are a good match for the .50 cal.  They aren't quite as good, but they are pretty close.  The Mossie also has a much better view over the nose than the P-38 does and that can be used to make deflection shots no other aircraft can make.

The Mossie and Bf110G-2 trade off which is faster depending on the altitude.  Below about 5000ft the Mossie is faster and climbs better.  The Bf110G-2 climbs better above that, but the Mossie regains the speed advantage for a bit, centered on 13,000ft.  If the Mossie wasn't crippled by the flame dampers it would be faster than the P-38J down low.

[Booz]

I agree Tex, the D25 v D40 difference is all care, you fly it safer. I have the same habit. Better K/D in a 25, but D40 is the main meal, can't have fear . But, back on topic. I give 38's NO respect whatsoever, they are jug meat to my flying style, nothing but a fat target that can't or won't get out of the way. I go into Pavlovian salivation when I see a 38. I have a pretty decent record vs. 38's (83-17 in 4 months) flying a P-47 mostly, they are just another target.

 25k AKAK types don't count of course, it's not worth the time to climb.

  Mossies, on the other hand, I respect quite a bit, they can retain the speed and worry me in combat. Even though I'm 8-1 against them in the same period, I watch closer when one's around and they keep my attention. go figure.

*hic*

[Iceman24]

When you run into P38s in the MA, if they aren't carrying ord it generally means the guy behind the stick knows what he is doing with the aircraft and people respect it.

I tottally agree with that. I was talking to a guy the other night in the MA and we were talking about the differances in the 110 and the 38 and he said that he started out flying the 38 and switched to the 110 and has had way more success, I asked him how many HO shots does he go for when he fights and he says every 1, so I said thats probably why your having better success...

As far as ballistics go I wasn't thinking of Mossie in my last post but the 110 sorry please disregard anything I said. Was thinking about the 110's  ballistics and forgot we were talking about a mossie, it does have allot more ammo and cannons but the ballistics are not nearly as good in the 110... The mossie in contradiction to my previous post does have very good ballistics with the hizookas.

A hint to killing them, aim for an engine. It will catch on fire most of the time