What I've learned about the P38 so far

[gpwurzel]

Bearing in mind I'm working nights - so very limited flight time.

It takes me less than 6 seconds to auger unless I'm real careful on the throttle

It can outturn a lot of LW fighters

Guns on it are awesome

You get a lot of PW's

It doesnt like flak

I cant remember (in the heat of battle) where I put the buttons for flaps up/down

I can remember where the button is for gear - but that doesnt help when they then get ripped off

It will hang forever vertically

It will turn very very well, but dont use flat turns

It compresses - very quickly

So far, I have to say I'm enjoying flying it - its just a shame I have no skillz to employ  .

*Murdr, thank you for putting those films up - very very helpful*

<S>

Wurzel

[Guppy35]

Lack of skill has never kept me from my 38G.  I just keep upping and dying

The more you fly it the more used to it you get.  That can include the dying part too

[Rich46yo]

Im kinda new with it, even tho I love it. I find the 38 very difficult to hit targets with bombwise. Hangars I have no problem dropping in a Jug or a Hellcat I always seem to miss in a 38. No doubt its me and I'll figure out what Im doing wrong eventually.

The P-38 climbs to 10k with a full load of bombs and rockets like no other airplane in the game. Starting at 0 Alt I am usually between 9,000' & 10,000' by the time I leave the dar ring. Now that is spectacular.

I thinks its guns are the best snap shooters in the game. Killing at 600 yrds is easy in a 38.

Ive been doing two things with some success in it. #1 is keeping things vertical and #2 is turning a lot in it. Its actually a real good BnZ'er but the compression thing is always a worry. If Im diving and going to fast in it I do the same thing I do in 110s. I slip slide with my rudder pedals to burn off some E. If i start shuddering then the dive is over no matter what. I like to convert my E quickly into Alt cause the 38 seems to shed E fairly quick.

I wont go into heavy auto-ack in the 38 while anywheres near horizontal where'as I might do it in a jug. In the end if I "really" need a hangar to go down, or ords, Im going to take them down no matter what. Probably why my 38 runs suffer but so be it. I'd rather lose a P-38 then see us lose a CV. One other thing. The P-38 always seems to attract a crowd. I dont know why that is but it is. And you right. Even in the grass the 38 is often fast enough with WEP to outrun most enemy fighters. It can at least outrun the TnB ones.

Its a great airplane.

[Castedo]

P 38 uber, perk it.
even better ban it

[Guppy35]

Im kinda new with it, even tho I love it. I find the 38 very difficult to hit targets with bombwise. Hangars I have no problem dropping in a Jug or a Hellcat I always seem to miss in a 38. No doubt its me and I'll figure out what Im doing wrong eventually.

The P-38 climbs to 10k with a full load of bombs and rockets like no other airplane in the game. Starting at 0 Alt I am usually between 9,000' & 10,000' by the time I leave the dar ring. Now that is spectacular.

I thinks its guns are the best snap shooters in the game. Killing at 600 yrds is easy in a 38.

Ive been doing two things with some success in it. #1 is keeping things vertical and #2 is turning a lot in it. Its actually a real good BnZ'er but the compression thing is always a worry. If Im diving and going to fast in it I do the same thing I do in 110s. I slip slide with my rudder pedals to burn off some E. If i start shuddering then the dive is over no matter what. I like to convert my E quickly into Alt cause the 38 seems to shed E fairly quick.

I wont go into heavy auto-ack in the 38 while anywheres near horizontal where'as I might do it in a jug. In the end if I "really" need a hangar to go down, or ords, Im going to take them down no matter what. Probably why my 38 runs suffer but so be it. I'd rather lose a P-38 then see us lose a CV. One other thing. The P-38 always seems to attract a crowd. I dont know why that is but it is. And you right. Even in the grass the 38 is often fast enough with WEP to outrun most enemy fighters. It can at least outrun the TnB ones.

Its a great airplane.

What are these bombs and rockets of which you speak?  And what is this WEP stuff?

Inquiring P38G driver wants to know

[BaldEagl]

I occasionally dabble with the P-38's.  The first one that I was actually able to go out and get kills in and land with them was the G.  I came to like the G a lot.

Then one night, on a rare occasion, I joined a mission flying a J.  Turned out the J was a pretty sweet machine and a couple of camps ago I flew it a bit more.  I had a pretty good time in it.  It seemed to be able to handle itself against anything I ran into.  Funny little side story... in that mission, there were two of us left trying to RTB both low on fuel.  Two 109's attacked just as my wingman ran out of gas and ditched.  I killed one of the 109's then ran out of fuel.  I killed the second as a glider, then ditched myself... that was my aha moment in the 38J.

I still haven't had any luck in the L, but havent tried it recently.  Hopefully, what I learned in the G and the J will rub off when I do.

Another funny thing; any time I see a P-38 I go for it thinking easy kill.  Other than against a very few pilots it almost always is.  On the other hand, when flying the 38, I have no fear of any other plane as I know that it will stack up well and, if flown properly will prevail.

[gpwurzel]

So far, when I've come up against a 38, its always been a good stick (Ack-Ack etc) and I get my backside tanned........lol.......its interesting in watching how they can throw this bird around.........and maintain their advantage......


Got in a 5 v 3.......was quite happy out turning yak's, 51's etc......until I got dumb enough to follow into the ack.......*makes mental note, might wanna stop doing that*.

A good, fun plane to "fly" - if you can call it flying when I'm in it...lol...

 

Wurzel

[Gixer]

Then one night, on a rare occasion, I joined a mission flying a J.  Turned out the J was a pretty sweet machine and a couple of camps ago I flew it a bit more.  I had a pretty good time in it.  It seemed to be able to handle itself against anything I ran into.  Funny little side story... in that mission, there were two of us left trying to RTB both low on fuel.  Two 109's attacked just as my wingman ran out of gas and ditched.  I killed one of the 109's then ran out of fuel.  I killed the second as a glider, then ditched myself... that was my aha moment in the 38J.

Another funny thing; any time I see a P-38 I go for it thinking easy kill.  Other than against a very few pilots it almost always is.  On the other hand, when flying the 38, I have no fear of any other plane as I know that it will stack up well and, if flown properly will prevail.

Ok, I've always just ignored your posts, but you've become the dripping tap of this BBS...  Is anyone else getting sick of Eagl's constant little stories of self greatness against all odds at any and every thread opportunity?


<S>...-Gixer

[mensa180]

Ok, I've always just ignored your posts, but you've become the dripping tap of this BBS...  Is anyone else getting sick of Eagl's constant little stories of self greatness against all odds at any and every thread opportunity?


<S>...-Gixer

Nope

[mensa180]

Im kinda new with it, even tho I love it. I find the 38 very difficult to hit targets with bombwise. Hangars I have no problem dropping in a Jug or a Hellcat I always seem to miss in a 38. No doubt its me and I'll figure out what Im doing wrong eventually.

The P-38 climbs to 10k with a full load of bombs and rockets like no other airplane in the game. Starting at 0 Alt I am usually between 9,000' & 10,000' by the time I leave the dar ring. Now that is spectacular.

I thinks its guns are the best snap shooters in the game. Killing at 600 yrds is easy in a 38.

Ive been doing two things with some success in it. #1 is keeping things vertical and #2 is turning a lot in it. Its actually a real good BnZ'er but the compression thing is always a worry. If Im diving and going to fast in it I do the same thing I do in 110s. I slip slide with my rudder pedals to burn off some E. If i start shuddering then the dive is over no matter what. I like to convert my E quickly into Alt cause the 38 seems to shed E fairly quick.

I wont go into heavy auto-ack in the 38 while anywheres near horizontal where'as I might do it in a jug. In the end if I "really" need a hangar to go down, or ords, Im going to take them down no matter what. Probably why my 38 runs suffer but so be it. I'd rather lose a P-38 then see us lose a CV. One other thing. The P-38 always seems to attract a crowd. I dont know why that is but it is. And you right. Even in the grass the 38 is often fast enough with WEP to outrun most enemy fighters. It can at least outrun the TnB ones.

Its a great airplane.

I'm with Guppy on this on, what are bombs and rockets doing on a 38?

Also don't use that WEP to run from a fight, use it to get the advantage during one.

If you start shuddering the dive is not over no matter what.  Chop throttle, full elev trim, and rudder.  Heck, even just full trim will get it out sometimes.  If you want to see how some 38 guys fly (and go for the fight), we tune to channel 138.

[Squire]

Guppy, we are going to sneak out there one night and install a proper 37mm cannon in that thing, like it should have. 

[Spikes]

People use the 38 as a bomb platform because it carries a nice load. I, personally, like the G the best, but since they added that extra 600lbs to it, personally it feels like a rock.

[BaldEagl]

Ok, I've always just ignored your posts, but you've become the dripping tap of this BBS...  Is anyone else getting sick of Eagl's constant little stories of self greatness against all odds at any and every thread opportunity?


<S>...-Gixer

Hmm... I had 14 posts today (now 15).  This was the only one in which I related a short story about winning a fight in extrenuating circumstances because I thought it was relevent to the topic.  Look it up.  Click my profile and click posts.

If I were you I'd just continue to ignore my posts.

[BnZ]

Ok, I've always just ignored your posts, but you've become the dripping tap of this BBS...  Is anyone else getting sick of Eagl's constant little stories of self greatness against all odds at any and every thread opportunity?


<S>...-Gixer

No, not at all.

I'm actually more tired of his fluff'ng humility, I get so damned tired of the good sticks coating their accomplishments with the butter of "I'm just an average pilot who gets lucky now and again, you understand".

Nothing at all wrong with a man speaking of things he has actually done in a "just the facts" manner.

[Yenny]

They're pretty big and easy to hit