yes i have read a lot, it is a very interesting aircraft. i wont debate it's quality with you as it was clearly effective.
i will state that my comments are more on the lines of ...
in these video games the p38 will surprise you more often than most other planes will and that is what i was speaking about, not so much the actual performance of the plane historically.
i have the answer to that too.
i've said it before.
there's 2 kinds of pile-its in the 38.
1)those that excel in her.
2)those that suck in her.
those that ecel in her are lower numbers. most attack a 38, assuming it's a type 2 pile-it, so they relax their stance a little, thinking "easy kill". they're surprised when they find it's a type 1 pile-it behind the cartoon controls.