Author Topic: P-38 damage  (Read 1494 times)

Offline Cajunn

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P-38 damage
« on: August 13, 2008, 07:02:05 PM »
I fly the 38 in the attack role quite a bit, and I have noticed that any time I get anywhere near auto ack the first hit you take is a Pilot Wound, I have talked to a few others that fly it and the report the same problem. And everything I have read or seen on this plane suggest that it was a sturdy plane and could take a pretty good beating. Is there some reason why its so wimpy in AH?

Cajunn   :salute
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Offline Captain Virgil Hilts

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2008, 08:24:43 PM »
The pilot wound issue with the P-38 is an old one. No real reason has been found. As such, no solution has been found.

I think IF someone flew often enough (I don't anymore, wish I did) and filmed it, MAYBE something could be figured out. I don't have any reason to believe that HTC has not made an honest effort to find the problem.

I have gotten a pilot wound when I could find absolutely no damage to the plane itself any where. And of course, to hit the pilot, what ever caused the wound would have to penetrate the plane, and there SHOULD be a hole or other visible damage. THAT disturbs me, as it makes me thing there's a flaw in the damage model or some other issue with the code.
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Offline Serenity

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2008, 08:49:32 PM »
The pilot wound issue with the P-38 is an old one. No real reason has been found. As such, no solution has been found.

I think IF someone flew often enough (I don't anymore, wish I did) and filmed it, MAYBE something could be figured out. I don't have any reason to believe that HTC has not made an honest effort to find the problem.

I have gotten a pilot wound when I could find absolutely no damage to the plane itself any where. And of course, to hit the pilot, what ever caused the wound would have to penetrate the plane, and there SHOULD be a hole or other visible damage. THAT disturbs me, as it makes me thing there's a flaw in the damage model or some other issue with the code.

I RARELY ever get one. I think ive gotten 3-4 in the last 3 months in P-38s.

In fact, I was discussing this with another pilot in the middle of a duel, he was saying how P-38s ALWAYS get pilot wounds... and then he shot me down. Destroyed EVERYTHING, but didn't give me a PW.

Offline Jester

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2008, 08:51:33 PM »
Simple Actually:  The "Pointie End" (Technical Term) of the aircraft is closest to the end of the barrell on the Flak Gun so it is the first thing that gets hit.
That and unlike the other big single engined fighters there is no engine out in front to stop any incoming rounds. Therefore the pilot stops the incoming round.

Seriously, you will notice that ANY incoming round also heads STRAIGHT for the radiator on the P-51.

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Offline DoNKeY

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2008, 11:01:56 PM »
When I flew I rarely ever got pw'ed.  Just sayin'.
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Offline Cajunn

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2008, 11:47:48 PM »
I recieved a pilot wound a couple of nights ago in a 38 and i was going away from the ack.....explain that one!
Oh and i was flying level or actually i was a little nose down trying to get out of it.
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Offline angelsandair

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2008, 12:59:13 AM »
Idk, I never get pilot wounded. Last night, I was in a 'gangbang' in my 38 getting ganged by about 10, and that thing took a beat down. I ended up surviving it only to get vulched on the runway. :(  :lol
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Offline Ack-Ack

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2008, 01:20:25 AM »
I fly the 38 in the attack role quite a bit, and I have noticed that any time I get anywhere near auto ack the first hit you take is a Pilot Wound, I have talked to a few others that fly it and the report the same problem. And everything I have read or seen on this plane suggest that it was a sturdy plane and could take a pretty good beating. Is there some reason why its so wimpy in AH?

Cajunn   :salute

I get pilot wounds very easily as well from auto acks and bombers.  I attribute it to my ego swollen head, which makes a rather large target.


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Offline Karnak

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2008, 02:18:46 AM »
I think all twin engined fighters have this issue in AH.  No engine block to stop incoming rounds.  It sometimes seems that I have no cockpit armor in the front of my Mosquito as almost anything will wound the pilot.  Last time it was the 7.92mm machine gun on a Panzer IV H that I made a bass at.
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Offline DustyR

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2008, 07:16:32 AM »
I noticed the same with the P-38, but lesser AC IE Zero will suffer pilot wounds in heavy flak.  Last PM in the blue arena I heard the AC take a hit & I experienced a pilot wound along with a major engine hit.  With that being said passing out & engine failure I was on the ground very shortly after that - passed out.  :cry  :noid
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Offline Kev367th

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2008, 07:38:08 AM »
Think all planes seem to suffer from this type of thing -

Mossie / 38s - Pilot wound
Tiffy - Oil
Pony - Rad

Try this -
Grab an F6F and try to de-ack a field with it. Almost always the first ack hit takes out the same gun on the same wing!!!!!
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Offline Rich46yo

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2008, 04:27:43 PM »
Ive gotten tons of Pilot wounds in 38 ever since I made it my main attack airplane.

Why would I make it my main attack airplane then?

Because its so cool, climbs with ords so effeciently, and then after, along with the Yak, makes for probably the best 20 eny or higher fighter in a dogfight. There are some lower eny airplanes it stacks up nicely with.

The big secret to limiting pilot wounds is to keep dive bombing attacks as verticle as you can. Even with rockets. When I attack the ords on a medium base I come in upside down at about 10 to 12k and drop the two south end ords with 1,000 lb bombs. I then Immelman back up and over to about 5 to 6k and position myself right over the two N/W ords by the VH. I have my speed slow with dive flaps engaged so's I can pull out after releasing rockets. It takes a lot of practice but remember you have 10 rockets to use for 2 ords bunkers, so thats 5 volleys of 2. And try to attack so's your angled away from the target after the drop.

Dive bombing in the 38 takes a bit more finesse cause if you come in to fast you cant pull out. Coming into heavy ack when flat is suicide too. I believe the 38 is actually the 2nd best Jabo to attack GVs with cause its manuverable and you can climb out quickly again to attack with your second bomb. The absolute best, at least for me, is the Hellcat. But its slower, you only have one engine, and can only carry 6 rockets. But the Hellcat is a fine climber with ords too which puts it a little notch above the Corsair. But all the Yank Jabos are great dive bombers.

Try it tho, try keeping your attacks verticle and I'll bet your 38 success goes up. :salute
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Offline Ack-Ack

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2008, 04:53:12 PM »
I have my speed slow with dive flaps engaged so's I can pull out after releasing rockets.

Dive flaps are pretty much useless below 300mph IAS and won't help pull you out of a dive since you can do it easily pulling back on the stick.  Even at 350mph IAS, you don't need dive flaps to recover from a dive unless you waited to long to pull out, then it might save you from pancaking on the deck.


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Offline CAP1

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2008, 08:09:52 PM »


I have gotten a pilot wound when I could find absolutely no damage to the plane itself any where. And of course, to hit the pilot, what ever caused the wound would have to penetrate the plane, and there SHOULD be a hole or other visible damage. THAT disturbs me, as it makes me thing there's a flaw in the damage model or some other issue with the code.

stop running the side window down :D
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Offline Captain Virgil Hilts

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Re: P-38 damage
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2008, 09:23:10 PM »
stop running the side window down :D

They don't fly well that way. Wrecks the aerodynamics. Besides, the wind blows my booze around, and knocks the fire off my cigar. :D
« Last Edit: August 14, 2008, 09:43:57 PM by Captain Virgil Hilts »
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