Never thought I'd ask...

[Blinky]

Any P-38 / Dual engine pilots here?

Ive started messing around with engine selection and RPMs. Can you theoretically use alternate engine throttles to perfect hammerheads and rolling scissors? i.e going up a rope, chopping left throttle, rudder hard left on hammerhead / slightly dethrottling the left enging for rolling?

Any thoughts of flying dual engines like this?

<S> Gents

[Shuffler]

Duel throttles are ok for when your ride is damaged and heading home. In a fight, they will mostly pull your head inside the cockpit where it should not be. The 38s props counter rotate and allow you to climb with ease, hang a bit, and then rudder over. I suggest you just practice down low and slow with the handling. Then practice with dives from alt with different fuel and ord loadouts. Learn to read when you are close to locking up in a dive and how to control it. Hint.... rudder one way aileron the opposite to create drag.  The higher you are, the thinner the air and quicker and easier you can lockup. You can recover many times by riding the bird down into heavier air while making as much drag as possible........ practice, practice more, and then PRACTICE.

[Lazerr]

Meh.. I used to be able to hang with the best of them and use a mouse and keyboard.  I'd say not relevant.  Probably more likely to put you into shifty flat spins more than anything.

If it adds some immersion for you, go for it.

It has great rudder authority at low speeds, and quick slaps of the rudder will likely get you the same results.

Just my 2 cents.

[oboe]

The thing I noticed when flying the '38 with dual throttles - chopping power to one engine and giving the other full power resulted in the wing with the power generating more lift than the other wing, so I was inducing a rolling moment rather than a yaw.  You can counter this with full aileron against the roll, but I don't think I really got it perfected to do perfect hammerheads, like you might imagine being able to do.  Not saying its impossble, just that I wasn't able to perfect it.

Another thing about the '38 is that it pretty easy to get into an accelerated stall by pulling too hard.  But the dual throttles can help regain control from the spin.

[Blinky]

practice, practice more, and then PRACTICE.

Key to success! Thank you sir <S>

If it adds some immersion for you, go for it.

I think thats what it is. Even if it doesn't help, it feels like it does and feels cool to do, so ill probably keep messing with it. Much like killing the enging (i still will on a right roll in the 109)
regardless, thanks for weighin' in my friend. Hope to see you around the DA! <S>

The thing I noticed when flying the '38 with dual throttles - chopping power to one engine and giving the other full power resulted in the wing with the power generating more lift than the other wing, so I was inducing a rolling moment rather than a yaw.  You can counter this with full aileron against the roll, but I don't think I really got it perfected to do perfect hammerheads, like you might imagine being able to do.  Not saying its impossble, just that I wasn't able to perfect it.

Thank you for the input sir, Ive messed around with the 38 a bit over the years, and fly it pretty similar to a K4. Im a mortal knife fighter so any little edge I can get over a stall, I will try. I didnt try counter rolling like you said though, only lightly chopping the throttle because youre right, chopping it hard will start a spin. (you make awesome skins btw man, thanks for all you do) <S>

[The Fugitive]

Delirium use to mess with the dual throttles. He said that you could pull a decent hammerhead, but why bother going through the trouble. The 38 in AH will come over the top nice and gentle with out all that messing around with the two throttles. He was a pretty good stick in the 38, right up there with the best.

[Blinky]

Delirium use to mess with the dual throttles. He said that you could pull a decent hammerhead, but why bother going through the trouble. The 38 in AH will come over the top nice and gentle with out all that messing around with the two throttles. He was a pretty good stick in the 38, right up there with the best.

I messed around a little more today but from what I can tell its more useful in the J model. When roll fighting its nice to be able to counter the torque without losing the thrust completely. Much like killing eng. in 109. (or just decelerating.) If chopped lightly in the roll, it does roll a tad easier and you are still able to keep up to speed. I'm not competent enough of a dogfighter to utilize it greatly, but still messing around with it.

And personally, a little extra immersion is always fun. 

[Lazerr]

J  has a lower roll rate iirc due to not having boosted ailerons?

So I can see cutting lift on one side could help.

[nrshida]

Merry Christmas, Mr. Blinky. 

[Eagler]

Always thought engine killing was gaming at it's best

I still do

Eagler

[Blinky]

Merry Christmas, Mr. Blinky. 

Duuuude thanks! <S>

[Blinky]

Always thought engine killing was gaming at it's best

I still do

Eagler

Same here <S> Very situational though for sure.