P38L taxi with one engine out

[Chilli]

In P38L today, landed w/ one engine out.   Tried to steer while taxi-ing on the runway.  Full opposite rudder and was still going in circles if I didn't have throttle at almost zero.

[The Fugitive]

Thats the way it's always been. Best thing is to make a BIGGGGG circle and get it to the runway.

[Chilli]

So, has it always been wrong?  Or something that we could just live with?  Either way, thought it should get a mention.

[Ack-Ack]

In P38L today, landed w/ one engine out.   Tried to steer while taxi-ing on the runway.  Full opposite rudder and was still going in circles if I didn't have throttle at almost zero.

That problem as been around since the P-38 was added to the game.  Basically, if you don't have enough forward momentum when landing with one engine, you'll go around in circles in the direction of the working engine.  

If you move the throttle so that you're barely moving forward, use full rudder in the direction of the dead engine (also, if you have them mapped to pedals, toe brake on the side of the dead engine, i.e. dead right engine - right toe brake) and once you start to turn in the circle, cut throttle and stomp on both toe brakes to stop.  start over from the beginning and repeat until you've got the nose of teh plane on concrete and exit out.  

It's a major pain in the bellybutton to do and I would just recommend exiting out of the plane if you do not have sufficient forward momentum to stay on the runway when landing with a single engine.

ack-ack

[Dawger]

So, has it always been wrong?  Or something that we could just live with?  Either way, thought it should get a mention.

It is not necessarily wrong. I don't think the P38 had a nose wheel steering system. I've never bothered to research it. I have tried to taxi a multi-engine airplane on one engine without nose wheel steering and it is exceedingly difficult (Tri-Gear Beech 18 with castoring nosewheel).

If the P38 did not have nose wheel steering then the modeling is probably reasonably accurate. If it did have steering for the nose wheel then the modeling is wrong.

[Plazus]

Ive always wondered if the 38 had a nose wheel steering system. If anyone knows about this, can you please shed some light on this?

[Soulyss]

Ive always wondered if the 38 had a nose wheel steering system. If anyone knows about this, can you please shed some light on this?

According to Dean (America's Hundred Thousand -  Pg.174):

The nose gear assembly included a torque scissors and a shimmy damper, but had no brakes or steering system.

[Pyro]

I tried it and didn't see anything weird.  Are you sure that the rudder behind your good engine wasn't shot off?

[fuzeman]

Pyro needs to get the SAPP upgrade on his computer.   

[Chilli]

According to Dean (America's Hundred Thousand -  Pg.174):
The nose gear assembly included a torque scissors and a shimmy damper, but had no brakes or steering system.

Pyro,

That is possible but, it's more likely that it is correctly modeled after seeing the above, thanks Soulyss.  I will try using the toe brake, must have been late and didn't figure that out for myself.

[Guppy35]

On the rare occasions that I land, it's usually single engine.  Just gotta work it right to keep it going straight

[Dawger]

I dug out my Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for the Army Models P-38H Series, P38J Series, P-38L-1, L-5 and F-5B Airplanes

Page 25 section 9. Taxiing Instructions
The airplane taxis easily and forward visibility is good. Use differential throttle control to save the brakes. There is no danger of ground loop should it become necessary to turn sharply or to apply full brakes.

From that one may infer that there is no nose wheel steering system. Differential throttle isn't really possible in AH but differential braking is. Normally, it is the C and V keys for left and right brake. I tried taxi with single engine off field using full throttle and the brake on the good engine side and was able to taxi in a straight line slowly. On field is a bit easier.

Page 26 Section 10(a)(15) states
Taxi a few feet straight down the runway so that the nose wheel will be in line when takeoff power is applied.

This indicates a free castoring nose wheel, more proof there is no nose wheel steering system.

I'd say the P38 in AH is modeled reasonably accurately when it comes to single engine ground handling.

[FLS]

Differential throttle is easy. Just select which engine you want to control with shift 1 or shift 2 and when you're done reselect both engines with shift E.

[Dawger]

Differential throttle is easy. Just select which engine you want to control with shift 1 or shift 2 and when you're done reselect both engines with shift E.

That isn't easy. That is just available.

Easy is the way it is in a real airplane. You have both throttles in one hand and can vary power by twisting your hand. The full range of the throttle for both engines is available with both throttles still in contact with one hand.

[Ack-Ack]

I tried it and didn't see anything weird.  Are you sure that the rudder behind your good engine wasn't shot off?

Spawn on runway, turn off one engine and then full power on working engine.  Go round and round and round.


ack-ack