It cost twice that of a P-51 and at least four times that of a 109G and whenever it met single engined German fighters in anything like a fair fight it got slaughtered. It was overly complicated and could easily kill inexperienced pilots if an engine lost power on take off, and it was difficult to bail out of. It did very well in the PTO against an inferior enemy, but not in Europe or North Africa. In Africa on 25 August 1943, JG 53 shot down 13 P-38 without losing a single 109. On 2 September they shot down 10 P-38 for the loss of one 109. 109 driver Kurt Buhligen who fought in North Africa says: “The P-38 fighter (and the B-24) were easy to burn. Once in Africa we were six and met eight P-38s and shot down seven." Adolf Galland: "It had similar shortcomings in combat to our Bf 110, our fighters were clearly superior to it."