P-38 turnfight

[Scotty55OEFVet]

The aircraft doesn't have as much to do with the equation as the pilot does. Fear the pilot not the plane.

I have seen a few P-38 drivers that will convice you that this plane is dangerous enough as it is.

  +10
 Ask Silat, Twinboom, Plazus, or any member of the "Headhunter's" how dangerous that aircraft is. Agree wholeheartedly with this post.

[StokesAk]

P38s are for suckers. 

[Guppy35]

+10
 Ask Silat, Twinboom, Plazus, or any member of the "Headhunter's" how dangerous that aircraft is. Agree wholeheartedly with this post.

Darn right that 38 is dangerous.  I get killed in mine all the time!

[mbailey]

Darn right that 38 is dangerous.  I get killed in mine all the time!

................me too 

[B3YT]

there are only two planes i fear when i fly my hurricane MkIa . that's a niki and P38 (especially when pawz is flying it)  . P38 can turn very well , go vert and dump E fast to force the over shoot.   It's what P38 pilots in ETO found and in the PTO they were a menace to  Zero's . P38's had a great kill ratio  against the zero compared to USN fighters .  I try to hit P38's before anything else  in a furball . 

If i see a spit XVI (IX) and a P38 heading for me i'll hit the 38 first.

[Scotty55OEFVet]

there are only two planes i fear when i fly my hurricane MkIa . that's a niki and P38 (especially when pawz is flying it)  . P38 can turn very well , go vert and dump E fast to force the over shoot.   It's what P38 pilots in ETO found and in the PTO they were a menace to  Zero's . P38's had a great kill ratio  against the zero compared to USN fighters .  I try to hit P38's before anything else  in a furball . 

If i see a spit XVI (IX) and a P38 heading for me i'll hit the 38 first.

The Spit Usually hits me first, then I get the Collision Message as I break to avoid it and down goes Red!

[TequilaChaser]

P38's had a great kill ratio  against the zero compared to USN fighters .

where are you getting your facts regarding the P-38's besting the F4U series or the F6f series against a6m series?

I thought the F6f held the best kill ratio

some facts stating otherwise would be nice to read


TC

[Widewing]

where are you getting your facts regarding the P-38's besting the F4U series or the F6f series against a6m series?

I thought the F6f held the best kill ratio

some facts stating otherwise would be nice to read


TC

Indeed TC, the F6F shot down more Japanese aircraft than the P-38, P-47 and P-51 COMBINED! During the war, the F6F kill to loss ratio was 19/1.

McCampbell, the Navy's highest scoring ace, ran up his 34 kills in just one carrier deployment (about 6 months), whereas Bong needed four times that duration (a month shy of two years) to reach 34. Also, on October 24, 1944, during a single sortie, McCampbell shot down 9 fighters, with two probables (seen on fire, but not seen to crash). His wingman splashed 6, with another 3 damaged. McCampbell's 9 kills was the single sortie record for the Allies. He briefly led Bong, but he was unable to go for the record when his air group (which he commanded), rotated off of Essex and returned to the States. McCampbell was also the only American pilot to shoot down 5 or more on two occasions.

[Guppy35]

The 38 guys ran out of targets too.  The carrier guys were still finding them.  The last kills for the 80th Headhunters was December 30, 1944.  In fact the entire 8th Fighter Group didn't claim another kill until August 14, 1945 and it was 4 kills which was that Fighter Groups total for 1945.  They ended up doing lots of ground pounding in support of the ground guys as the Japanese Army birds just quit showing up.  The 475th Fighter Group with all 38s only claimed 19 in all of 1945.

If you were an air to air guy, the place to be was in a Navy bird in particular after 1944.

[Widewing]

If you were an air to air guy, the place to be was in a Navy bird in particular after 1944.

The lack of Japanese opposition was a problem for the P-39, P-40 and P-47 guys as well. These fighters lacked the range to take to the fight to the Japanese. Eventually, the Japanese Army and Navy fighters were pulled back to defend the PI and the home islands. On the other hand, the Navy pilots had the distinct advantage of having their mobile airfields take them to the enemy. McCampbell's Air Group destroyed about 365 Japanese aircraft on the ground (over 100 at Rabaul alone), and almost as many in the air. 

Like the 475th, the 49th FG found targets few and far between after the PI was recaptured. Meanwhile, the Navy was beginning raids on Japan and opposition was plentiful. McCampbell's Group didn't get in on this bounty, they were already out of the combat area by then.

[Ack-Ack]

    I know many of my posts have been about the 51, however I have some interesting info about the P-38. First off, late model 38s had something called hydraulically boosted controls, which gave them the edge in high and medium speeds against just about everything, even the spitfire.

The L and the late model Js with the boosted ailerons only improved roll performance at high speeds and it didn't give it the edge against a Spitfire at any speeds, especially medium speeds.

So it really frustrates me to see 38 pilots having to complain about spixteens all the time. I flew with the 86th Adromini a while back so I know what their talking about. The 38 should, at least in my opinion, be a much more dangerous warbird.

I don't hear any of the dedicated veteran P-38 drivers complain about the Spitfire XVI or any other Spitfire for that matter, those that do complain are usually your less experienced P-38 drivers.

The P-38, in the hands of an experienced pilot, is a very dangerous plane and this game reflects that.  The only time the P-38 isn't a threat is at the hands of an inexperienced pilot.

ack-ack

 

[ink]

The L and the late model Js with the boosted ailerons only improved roll performance at high speeds and it didn't give it the edge against a Spitfire at any speeds, especially medium speeds.

I don't hear any of the dedicated veteran P-38 drivers complain about the Spitfire XVI or any other Spitfire for that matter, those that do complain are usually your less experienced P-38 drivers.

The P-38, in the hands of an experienced pilot, is a very dangerous plane and this game reflects that.  The only time the P-38 isn't a threat is at the hands of an inexperienced pilot.

ack-ack

 

absolutely I high lighted the most important part

[Grape]

I think the 38 is easy mode cause I can't fly anything esle anymore...Stupid torque!   

[Guppy35]

The lack of Japanese opposition was a problem for the P-39, P-40 and P-47 guys as well. These fighters lacked the range to take to the fight to the Japanese. Eventually, the Japanese Army and Navy fighters were pulled back to defend the PI and the home islands. On the other hand, the Navy pilots had the distinct advantage of having their mobile airfields take them to the enemy. McCampbell's Air Group destroyed about 365 Japanese aircraft on the ground (over 100 at Rabaul alone), and almost as many in the air. 

Like the 475th, the 49th FG found targets few and far between after the PI was recaptured. Meanwhile, the Navy was beginning raids on Japan and opposition was plentiful. McCampbell's Group didn't get in on this bounty, they were already out of the combat area by then.

I wonder how many birds the Navy guys chopped down over Okinawa with the Kamakazi attacks?   I suppose the other inevitable problem for the Japanese, on top of the superiority of the Hellcat was the caliber of pilots they were able to put up in 44-45.  'Turkey Shoot' was no doubt the right name

[hgtonyvi]

About everyone saying the P38 isnt such a great plane in Aces high, well you are wrong. Only reason why pilots on aces high are having probs with the plane is because its so big and its a very complicated aircraft to control. I personally love the p38 and knows how to make it operate well. But again its a very pretty plane so i dont think much experience pilots will tell u the tricks. BTW its Rud3boi.