P-38 toughness?

[Wes14]

can a P38 really fly in real life with bother ailerons shot off,one engine dead,and missing one rudder?

[Blooz]

This isn't real life.

[LancerVT]

Originally posted by Wes14
can a P38 really fly in real life with bother ailerons shot off,one engine dead,and missing one rudder?

Sure

[Wes14]

no i mean in AH ive had it happen,but in real life can a P-38 Really fly missing those parts?

[LancerVT]

I would think so. The pilot would still have the elevator and 2nd Rudder to control the plane. Would it be difficult and possible to maneuver a 1 engine p38 with only a rudder and the elevator? I think so.
I think is was Corky in the SAPP forum who mentioned that a p38 was able to have one of its booms shot off and still fly safely. So IMHO I would say yes, it would still be able to fly.

[CAP1]

Originally posted by Wes14
can a P38 really fly in real life with bother ailerons shot off,one engine dead,and missing one rudder?

ailerons simply control the roll. although it wouold be VERY sluggish with 1 rudder missing, it is possible.
if the aircraft starts to roll right, then u apply left rudder. this will pull the nose left, and thus will cause the aircraft to also roll that direction. i think.

[Guppy35]

Well lets look at some examples of P38 toughness from Warren Bodie's must have book on the P38.

Lt. Benton Miller in this P38F hit a telephone pole while strafing in North Africa.  Prop broke off and smashed into the left gun bay door creating a forward speed brake.    The pole tore into the left wing and glanced off the spar before breaking  The entire wing was bent backwards and the dehidral was transformed to anhedral.  Still lugging his DTs he flew all the way back to base and landed this wreck


A recce F5 Lightning after a mid-air with an RAF Halifax.  Thats the Halifax rudder imbedded in the left wing of the 38.  The right wing was swept back 30 degrees by the collision and the number 2 engine froze in the position you see it.  Somehow the 38 driver got it down and walked away


And this classic photo of a seriously flak damaged P38L.  Flak tore off the left spinner and damaged the engine so that it had to be shut down.  Another shell ripped the big hole in the right wing and severed the aileron controls so he had no ailerons.

He flew the 38 this way for almost five hours to get it home, controlling it with rudder alone and having to sit on the right rudder due to the loss of power to the left engine.  So yeah I think the 38 could do what it does in AH  I've brought a few wrecked 38s all the way back single engine and no ailerons like this guy.  Thankfully there was no risk to me.  I'm amazed at what he did for real.

[Fianna]

In the game, the 38 is one of the toughest fighters... It's that relatively fragile pilot that has a hard time surviving.

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by LancerVT
I think is was Corky in the SAPP forum who mentioned that a p38 was able to have one of its booms shot off and still fly safely.

The real P-38 could, yes, but not in Aces High.

[MstWntd]

People say it is an easy target. But with the laser nose guns it is a helluva bird. Keep it fast and you'll be alright

[Bodhi]

Originally posted by Benny Moore
The real P-38 could, yes, but not in Aces High.

I would like to see the proof on that.  The real 38 would rip it's horizontal off without both booms holding it on.

[Benny Moore]

So you say.  I've seen a picture of one missing a boom with the horizontal stabilizer still attached to the other.  Granted, it was on the ground, but the text in the book stated that it happened in flight and that the airplane landed that way.  After seeing other pictures of what kind of damage the P-38 could take, I believe it.  American airplanes were strong, very strong.  Surely you don't believe that all that weight is ballast?

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by LancerVT

I think is was Corky in the SAPP forum who mentioned that a p38 was able to have one of its booms shot off and still fly safely. So IMHO I would say yes, it would still be able to fly.

It wasn't GuppyJr/Corky that posted that and I seriously doubt a P-38 could fly with one of the booms shot off.  Again, since no one is able to supply a video or a photo showing a P-38 missing one of its booms in flight, you can put this myth in the "Busted" category.

And "I saw a photo" does not count as proof.


ack-ack

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
It wasn't GuppyJr/Corky that posted that and I seriously doubt a P-38 could fly with one of the booms shot off.  Again, since no one is able to supply a video or a photo showing a P-38 missing one of its booms in flight, you can put this myth in the "Busted" category.

And "I saw a photo" does not count as proof.


ack-ack

Agreed. Wasn't me to suggest it. I don't recall ever hearing of it, or seeing a photo of one in flight with a missing boom.  I don't believe that a 38 could fly like that.  I've never seen that one in AH either and I've wrecked 38s in every possible way.

[evenhaim]

ive landed a 38 with only 2 wing stubs no left rudder no left elevator and a radiotor that gave out 5 feet above the ground