At this rate, just adding the P-38J should qualify as AH2

[F4UDOA]

CVH,

First you need to cut down on the coffee. You sound like your fingers are reaching terminal volocity;)

One thing at a time.

CHART

Second I am not comparing the P-38J to anything. This document is almost 50pages long. It is called F4U comparative analysis. It was a Vought internal document that I retrieved from the archives. This is Vought test data with what they had available in 1944. Remember these were classified documents at the time. They were working with what they had.

F4U-4

There is no question above 20K the P-38 held it's power and it's climb very well.

That chart only shows climb to 20K. At that alt the F4U-4 shown in that chart is still superior in climb. If it continued up higher the P-38 would be superior.

Also note that the F4U-4 numbers are not production numbers at 70" MAP. I have those charts for production at 60" MAP where the rate of climb is actually higher at 20K because the engine is rated for equal distribution of power throughout all altitudes.

Look here.



Performance actually increased with the F4U-4C but my chart is for 1946 so it really doesn't apply to AH.

RANGE

As far as range goes there are two things you are missing.

1. The P-38J in the test listed weights 16415LBS. A. At that weight it does not have max fuel or range. Also range is determined with the Navy formula for combat. That is not the standard range number you are used to seeing and using that formula it might not be as long legged as you think.

You could figure it out for yourself using fuel consumption from the manual. I will do this in my next post.

DIVE

The P-38 had a hard restriction even with dive flaps deployed. Remember it is not just compression but structural limits as well.

Here is a quote from Warren Bodie on the subject.

"Compressability Chart relating specifically to the P-38 was taken from the AAF Pilot training manual. It is based on actual test data compiled by Milo Burcham and his team. To ignore this chart was pure lunacy: It did not lie and the airplane was quick to prove it to it's pilot."  

The P-38 restrictions were 290IAS at 30,000FT, 360IAS at 20,000FT and 420IAS at 10,000FT.

The manual says do not exceed by 20MPH with dive flaps extended.

WEP

I did not mistake METO and WEP.

I am taking three different and independent source documents from WW2.

1. 1944 Joint Fighter Conferance- Flight Card listing power ratings.

2. Vought Archives document.

3. Pilots Handbook

All of which list the WEP power for the P-38L as being 1600HP per engine.


If Warren Bodie or anyone else has anything that shows 1725HP per engine on a P-38 please post it or let me know where I can find it.

BTW the engines listed for the 1600HP are V1710-111/113

A quick note on climb and speed.

The climb chart I have for the P-38J shows it to be about 1,000LBS light of max fuel.

So when you show P-38J or L charts please make sure that weight and drag condition are listed.

The combat condition on those F4U's I am showing includes, rocket launchers, bomb racks and sway bars. Without those it is about 10MPH faster than listed.