Help with the proper times to use rudder in a turnfight. (P-38)

[Raptor]

I don't fly the 38 much, but from what I remember it doesn't have enough rudder authority to spoil someones shot. Not as well as you could with say, a 109 or an F4U.

P38 has two big engines and the rudders being directly behind those engines does add control. I use mouse and keyboard and use rudder quite frequently, I use rudder in the situations Murdr pointed out. Not to mention when aiming. I've found I can hardly hit anything unless it is flying straight when I don't have rudders.

[mtnman]

Not to mention when aiming. I've found I can hardly hit anything unless it is flying straight when I don't have rudders.

No kidding.  Losing my rudder is all it takes to get me to RTB. 

[Delirium]

Any of of you twin engine guys throttle the engines separately?

I've been doing it for about a week, it will help only minimally in a horizontal turn. It is best used over the top or to increase roll rate as a last resort (ie last ditch defense), it increases the risk of a snaproll causing departure issues. It is also good if you depart carrying a unusually large fuel/ord load, as it will allow nearly instant recovery.

Why am I doing it? Mostly because I want as real a P38 experience as AH can give me, but it has cost me a few fights in the past week as I am not at all used to either the controls or the new hat (view) positioning.

[Ack-Ack]

Any of of you twin engine guys throttle the engines separately?I've messed around with it a bit and it works well, especially with rudders.

Using a dual throttle isn't going to give you an advantage over someone that isn't using them, all it will do is allow you to make some really sharp looking hammerheads and wingovers.  I tried using a dual throttle some years back and after a couple of months went back to my Pro Throttle and as Delirium pointed out, it's a great immersion tool but nothing more than that.  YMMV.


ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

Why am I doing it? Mostly because I want as real a P38 experience as AH can give me, but it has cost me a few fights in the past week as I am not at all used to either the controls or the new hat (view) positioning.

When you have one throttle cut back, make sure that you bring the other throttle down and then advance both throttles together to avoid any possible spins unless you're trying to recreate McGuire's crash.


ack-ack

[Lazerr]

I flew p38 quite a bit,with keyboard and mouse.  I just do really sudden moves with the rudder to roll inverted, and hit s right away to center it and get ready for my next rolling move.

[Murdr]

I caught a rope on film in the MA a few months ago during a 10 kill run where I reversed out of the vertical with one engine throttled back...I'll post a link when I can figure out where the heck I posted it at.

[Geophro]

When using a twisty stick for rudders, I found that it helped me a lot to set up a large deadband for the rudder so that I stopped inadvertently getting rudder inputs.  It helped my gunnery significantly.

Once I got my pedals I also had to put in a small deadband for the same reason.

It's a good idea (especially in practice) to periodically release the stick completely.  You will be surprised how much body english you can be imparting to the plane without knowing it until you get the hang of it.

[BoilerDown]

While all you P-38 sticks have your attention here, I have a question but not about rudders... I'm planning on switching planes every tour, last month it was P-47, this its the F4U, and next month I'm planning on trying the P-38... my question is... how do you set your controls differently for two engine throttles instead of just one in the P-38?  A special setup or do you just have both engines set to the same throttle control and use the keyboard if you want to use them differentially?

Thanks!

[Ack-Ack]

Don't use a dual throttle myself, I've got both throttles mapped to my Pro Throttle.


ack-ack

[Bosco123]

Davey, we are in the same squad, you can ask me, Tilla Sirloin anything and we can help you out as much as we can.
Anyways, when I'm in a turnfight, I use the rudder on a few occasions: when I need to do a quick turn left, then back right, that always helps. When I'm at the verge of falling off, 38s tend to dip their wing, like every other airplane in the game, I always use the rudder there to fight back the stall. When the 38 does stall in a vertical, it begins to spin; you can slow down the spin by using the rudder and aielorons.
Thats only the few occasions that I use the rudder.
<S>

[Murdr]

I have select engine functions mapped to HOTAS buttons.

[Delirium]

A special setup or do you just have both engines set to the same throttle control and use the keyboard if you want to use them differentially?

I have a dual throttle, but it is by no means a big advantage. In fact, for some one just starting out in a P38 it would probably be more of a detriment than anything else.

Don't worry about controlling both engines until you start really riding the edge in the thing.

[Ack-Ack]

When the 38 does stall in a vertical, it begins to spin
<S>

If you're getting into a spin at in the vertical as you stall, you're doing something wrong.

ack-ack

[Damionte]

Yeah I'm not sure what exactly he means by spinning in a vert stall either. It's actually kinda hard to make a 38 spin the way other planes do.

About the only times I get into an uncontrolled spin is when not having enough energy to barrel roll or do a loop. Even then it usually only spins once then rights itself. Once it starts spinning I can hold it, and make it keep spinning for 2 or 3 more rotations before it rights itself. Even then it doesn't spin that fast.

The spin I do occasionally find myself in though is a flat spin. Even then Ii can't remember the last time I ended up in one in combat. Just while goofing around trying to do something I shouldn't be trying in the training room. And usually it's induced by me shutting throttling back one engine and over compensating for something else.