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Author Topic: The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations  (Read 912 times)

Offline Rude

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« on: January 21, 2002, 09:14:36 AM »
Well, the 13th TAS's P-38 experiment went well.

IMHO, this is a great ride. To my suprise, it requires more patience to fly than does the Mustang, that is if you want to live.:)

I enjoyed great success in it until the Mindanao Terrain...then I died repeatedly. With the elevated fields and constant stream of higher enemy, I found that I made better food than foe. I just did not have the patience to bug when enemy were inbound and climb back up above those elevated fields...thus I got ganged alot.

As far as it's flight characteristics, I found them excellent...it turns well and holds it E nicely. It climbs much harder than the Mustang and dives out as well. Visibility was an adjustment from driving the Pony full time, but it did not take long to get used to it. The guns were the best suprise, as we were not used to such potent firepower...cannons make me smile:)

All in all, I would recommend this plane highly to anyone who wants a challenge...with some practice, it is highly lethal if flown correctly and handles both the fighter and fighter bomber roles exceptionally well.

All I have to say other than the above is....I'm so glad to be back in the Mustang:D

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Offline Swager

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2002, 09:33:55 AM »
Rude,

Ya mean I went around killing Mustangs hoping 1 would be you, and you were flying Lightings??????  WTF Man??  :)

Swag

PS.  I for one am not glad to see you back in a Mustang!!
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Offline LePaul

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2002, 09:36:43 AM »

It pains me to do so, but I agree with you  :D

Lately my rides have all been JABO, I've been rotating between the P-38 (2 1ks and rockets), the Mossie (2x 500 + rockets) and the P47D-30 (2x 1k 1x 500 8 rocket).

The P38 has much better visibility than the Mossie, but up high, once you've shed the ordinance, the P38 can really kick some bellybutton *IF* you have the alt advantage.  Its similar to the P-51 in that it can generally keep its speed up.  

However, down low, the Mossie is simply incredible.  It eats fellow Spitfires up nicely.

As for the P47.  Well, she likes gas A LOT and once at alt, all that ordinance is awesome for softening a city.  The 8 50 cals are sweet.  The armor is quite something too.  I've found this P47 to be a lot of fun clearing out GVs.  Without ordinance and up to alt, its a fun dogfighter too.  You just have to get beyond its barely-faster-than-a-Lancaster climb rate  :)

But I kept finding myself back in either the P38 or P51 in JABO roles last night.  The P51 can really handle a nice dive bomb mission (I think I sunk that fleet off P7 6 times with it!  Survived almost every attack!)  P-38 is a it trickier with its compression and such, even with dive flaps out.
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Offline lazs2

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2002, 10:02:21 AM »
did you guys fly the 38 more than one day?   If you did I missed it.  I would understand tho if you were "avoiding" my low, uber -1a.
lazs
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Offline Midnight

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2002, 11:05:35 AM »
A P-51 pilot's observations of a P-38 (from the P-51)

Lower = choice 2 in easy kill targets

Higher = make them commit to a dive, get them to compress, pull up and leave them low. (See Lower)

Co-E = go nose-to-nose, roll around the axis near the merge to avoid face full of .50s and 20mm. High banking turn, roll into them, dive under them, high banking turn. Repeat as necessary until they are lower. (See Lower)

---------

I ran into the 13th during their P-38 test. The P-38 is not able to contend with a P-51.

Fatz and I were flying around 17K or so when 4x P-38s engaged us from our high 6. Fatz was AFK, so he was lost.

I started fighting in long high speed passes, but was unable to saddle up for a kill shot due to the 13th wingman skills. On several occasions, I was put into a disadvantaged position, but the P-51s superior speed and manuverability got me clear.

The P-38, like the P-51 needs a good wingman to score kills in a high threat environment. If it uses its E to turn with a target, it becomes an easy target. Without speed, it's dead meat.
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Offline batdog

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2002, 11:26:19 AM »
The 38 is a 51 killer... if the 51 playes the 38's game. I'd say its more of a pilot thingy though over all. I'm sure quite a few 51 jockies love see a 38 as much as I do a 51. :)


xBAT
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Of course, I only see what he posts here and what he does in the MA.  I know virtually nothing about the man.  I think its important for people to realize that we don't really know squat about each other.... definately not enough to use words like "hate".

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Offline Rude

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2002, 12:39:07 PM »
Quote
I ran into the 13th during their P-38 test. The P-38 is not able to contend with a P-51.


Midnight....

You should by no means judge the 38 based on an encounter with a group of guys flying a plane which we had never flown before. Half of this tour we used to try things in that plane which we had no idea whether or not they would work. Within our squad, we deemed this tour as a goof off tour for a different kind of fun:)

Trust me, there are guys who can kill a Mustang easily in the 38. Now if the Mustang does not commit to the fight, well that's another story.

Btw, I checked the stats after posting this and found that we had no real problem dealing with the 412th in our 38's....perhaps the training arena might be a good place for you guys to sharpen your skills against the 38?:p

Lazs....

We flew it until the 16th I believe...I just couldn't stand it any longer and ran back to the Mustang. as far as your 1a is concerned, you will have to fight in a sector which is reachable by Bishops in order for you and me to dance...frankly, me thinks your sceeerd:D

« Last Edit: January 21, 2002, 12:54:43 PM by Rude »
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Offline Toad

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2002, 12:57:19 PM »
Midnight...

I was in that one with you and Fatz. One of us is having selective recall if you think we started out above you.

I'll just say I bet it's pretty rare ANYONE in AH starts out above you. :)
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Offline lazs2

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2002, 01:32:21 PM »
rude.... I admit it... i'm skeerd but if anyone else asks it is because I get nosebleeds easily.    

I also think that flying any plane other than a ee 51 and running into midnight above you more often will help you with that "perspective" thing.
lazs
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Offline Dingy

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2002, 01:40:17 PM »
Ya know, this thread started out well but took a turn for the worse somewhere down the line....now all I want to know is:

Who's dick is bigger?  Lasz's, Midnight's or Rude's? :)
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Offline lazs2

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2002, 01:43:19 PM »
dingy... cant speak for the other two but... I believe this would be a good time to tell you that I am straight.

oh.... can i still keep the flowers and candy?
lazs
« Last Edit: January 21, 2002, 01:45:23 PM by lazs2 »
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Offline Rude

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2002, 01:49:29 PM »
Heyas Lazs!

Truthfully, the 13th is under 8k 99% of the time....tried to find ya a couple of times and I couldn't. Don't even see f4u's in the arena hardly.

Tell ya what, the next time you're up, let me know where you're dancin at and we'll join ya for some of this fun your always talkin about:)

I got a feelin that when we do hook up, you will be lookin for every advantage you can find...we may be more alike than you're aware of.

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Offline lazs2

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2002, 02:06:03 PM »
rude... maybe but.... you are skirting the real issue here stubby...  I bet you didn't get any candy or flowers did ya?
lazs
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Offline Yeager

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P38 is a great combatant
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2002, 02:06:17 PM »
I found the 38 to be an exceptionally fun ride.  I hated the 38 when it first arrived in AH but I suspect it has been "matured" in the FM department since Beta.  It drives very nicely throughout the envelope.  Compression still seems overbaked but it makes the ride a real challenge until one gets used to maintaining good speed top to bottom.


I love the 51 for its speed but the 38 packs a hell of a punch and works better in tight spots down low where the 51 strains to remain stable.  Still, if all the cards are on the table and the stakes are high, its the P51 that will get me through a sortie with a high degree of probability.

For the last tour I had 87 kills in the P38L with 5 of those kills being P51Ds and was killed 1 time by P51Ds.

Y
« Last Edit: January 21, 2002, 02:18:12 PM by Yeager »
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Offline Midnight

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The P-38...a Mustang Pilot's Observations
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2002, 02:13:59 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Toad
Midnight...

I was in that one with you and Fatz. One of us is having selective recall if you think we started out above you.

I'll just say I bet it's pretty rare ANYONE in AH starts out above you. :)


Are you ok, Toad?

Fatz was AFK the entire time. If we were above you when the fight started, please tell me how ygsMilo was able to zoom in from behind us, over shoot Fatz and have enough energy to go around again and kill him, all while I was still 3k below and 2.5k or so behind?

So the answer is, that I am NOT the one with selective recall.


Rude...
I was complimenting the 13th's teamwork skills to highlight why none of your 38s got shot down by me in that fight. However, film would show that I was able to get bullets into at least 2 of your 38s.

The stats show 5 - 2 in 13th favor for TOD 24, and 0 - 1 for the 412th in TOD 23. Subtract the Fatz AFK kill and that's only 4 - 3.

Anyhow, if you would like to dance, how about a 412th vs. 13th mosh pit event :D  Dueling arena, 8 - vs- 8.
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