Its not just the Tail boom its the engines too they take 1 ping and they stop working.
Here is a list of damage I have taken in the past 12 sorties in the P38.
1- both engines killed- ditch ( a total of 2 shots hit me 1 in each engine)
2- Tail boom shot off (1 ping)
3- Tail boom shot off (1 ping)
4- Tail boom shot off (1 ping)
5- Tail boom shot off (1 ping)
6- 1 stabalizer shot off and 1 engine and a gear hit- Landed (18 shots from ground fire)
7- Tail boom shot off (1ping)
8- Tail boom shot off (1 ping)
9- Tail Boom shot off (1 ping)
10- Radiator hit- RTB (1 ping)
11- both engine killed and TAIL BOOM SHOT OFF (5 pings)

12- augered fighting a Spit 9 ( I was afraid my tail boomb would get shot off)

Hodo