P38 Drivers Notice

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Hazard69
Who ever flys a P38 as just a BnZ is wasting the P38. There are many many planes that can do a better BnZ job than a P38, I mean seriously a plane in which u cant do squat if ur TAS appoaches 500mph (whilst ur IAS is still at 350mph), all u can do is chop throttle and deploy dive flaps, and then once u break out of compression climb to salvage some of that E.

I have a real problem in my P38 diving down on low cons thats why I almost never go beyond 15k and NEVER over 20k.....

If u wanna fly a P38..theres only 1 way to fight....STALLFIGHT:aok

The P-38 is one of the best BnZ fighters in the game because of it's fantastic vertical performance.  

I'm not the only one as most of the veteran P-38 pilots can tell you, the P-38 is controllable at 500mph TAS.  Heck, I routinely get my P-38 up to about 475-490mph IAS in high speed dives and can easily pull out of my dive (without having to use manual trim).  The key is don't enter into a high speed dive above 20,000ft.  Below that altitude, you can dive safely and with the proper throttle managment and a little secret know-how, dives above 475mph IAS where you can still retain control of the Lightning is quite possible.


ack-ack

[XtrmeJ]

Alright children settle down, ur pudding is ready.

[Sway]

Not even worked up yet, just asking questions.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by T1loady
I was at 23k the other night flying with 1 1lefty and another 2 ship. I had a d-9 and he was in a LaLa.   There we 2 x 38 's winging slightly below us. Lefty and I got the 2 guys separated and went to town pouncing the one guy we had by our self.  Hey did a great job in that “POS” P-38.  He managed to drag us both down to the deck and blow all of my much needed E in my Dora. I was so close to him most of the time I could see him working his flaps and rudder, but I couldn’t get my nose on to fire a shot. I finally got a good H/O on him while he had the La-7 on his 6 but dang, it was a good fight. There was no crying on channel 1 about the stupid dweeb H/O dork that just shot me down..  By the way, his wingman,  the one we thought was killed by the other 2 ship in our flight swooped down at about 600KIAS and nailed me as I was making my victory roll over his chute..  Lesson here,  in the right hands the P-38 is a great aircraft that should be respected when above you or has an E state better than yours. The aircraft you dont see is the one that is going to kill you every time reguardless of what type it is.  I hate to say it, but its not the plane that kills you it’s the pilot.  By the way Ak-Ak, I am looking for you. I will be at 30k all for the next week in my Dora.  I have to land an Ak-Ak kill.  

Long story short,  dosent everyone have to much time on their hands if the only grip to yell about on the bbs is which planes suck the most.


Sorry about that, it was just a thought from a guy who is bored at work..  (S)  

SkipNutz

I think that was my squadmate you ran into.  You guys did a good job of seperating us because I was busy with these two planes while my squad mate dove for the deck to drag you guys down and burn your E.  Lucky for me the guys I was dancing with made the mistake of dumping their E to get a quick snap shot that allowed me to down both of them.  By the time I was clear of my fight and dove down to assist my squadmate, he had just been killed.  


ack-ack

[XtrmeJ]

Alotta people have made fine points here. It is true tho, alotta pilots will fly the P38 very high and BnZ and call it easy. Then there is the other group that fights with it and still calls it easy. EZ is just a term It's to make the other guys feel bad. After flying something for a while anything becomes EZ. Just a gesture P38 pilots use with each other

[moot]

well if any plane is ez mode, it's not the N1K!

[XtrmeJ]

Deffenetly Not!

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by T1loady
AkAk- I am showing how stupid I am here, but I keep hear (well seeing) the term "easy mode"   What the heck does that mean...  Comabt Trim,  point and shoot,  or is it mean the plane is easy to fly?.. Sorry for asking what you guys will think is a stupid question, but I want to get all my facts straight...

SkipNutz....

Most of my comments about the P-38 being an EZ mode plane is made in jest but it does have some very good qualities that makes it easy to fly in certain situations.  As someone pointed out, flying it as an E fighter is rather easy since all you really have to worry about is keeping your speed up and you don't really have to bother with flaps, unless it's to get you over the top of a stall loop at the end of a vertical zoom climb.  That is why I usually tell those that ask me about the P-38 to fly it like you would a P-51B/D until you get used to the handling of the Lightning.  

But for other stuff like turn fighting with planes like the C.202/205 or Spitfire, a little bit more knowledge is needed.  In these cases you do have to have a firm grasp of using your flaps and throttle control.  It does help though in these situations that the P-38 also has one of best low/stall speed handling characteristics in the game.  This makes it possible for the P-38 to be able to hold its own against planes like the Spitfire in a turn fight but it does take some experience.  One note though, at medium speeds the Spitfire will chew up the P-38.  At speeds above 300mph and below 150mph (IAS), the P-38 has the edge.  

ack-ack

[XtrmeJ]

I am starting to think not everyone beleives what is being told. Anyone have films? My puter has just been clasified insane and I must abandoned it soon loosing all my films, which im not to happy about:mad:. Im sure i can get some of my squaddies to post some, I'm sure AKAK has a few.

[Ack-Ack]

Just do a search of the forums for P-38 films and you'll see the films I've posted.  I haven't posted any in a few months but when I go through my film library I'll post some more.



ack-ack

[slimm50]

Originally posted by Karnak
The P-38L is an easy mode aircraft.  Its not the easiest, but it is easy.

Fly the A6M2, P-40B, Hurricane Mk I, Spitfire Mk I, Bf109E-4 or Bf110C-4b if you want a challenge.  Anything less and you're just a poser.

Me! That's me (waves arms frantically to draw attention). I'm a poser!:rolleyes:

[daddog]

Ackack.

Shoot me an e-mail if you dont' mind. Have a couple questions for ya.

Thank you sir.

jwg11@mlode.com

[Killjoy2]

AkAk- I am showing how stupid I am here, but I keep hear (well seeing) the term "easy mode" What the heck does that mean... Comabt Trim, point and shoot, or is it mean the plane is easy to fly?.. Sorry for asking what you guys will think is a stupid question, but I want to get all my facts straight...


Actually Easymode comes from WB's when they introduced a setting to make take-offs, stalls and landing easier.  They used it in the main for a while then moved it to the cheap combat theater.  

It's main drawback was that you couldn't stall fight because it would back you off when you stalled and just plain felt like much.  It's sort of like the AH auto-takeoff feature.  

The P-38 has counter rotating props so theres not torque on takoff and generally is very well behaved in stalls.  thus... easymode.

[MotorOil]

Tried out the P38 last night.  Not a bad plane but you really have to know what you're doing with it.  Managed to fly a P51 into the ground with it but that's about it.  I had target written all over me.  Three friendlies in the area and who do the bad guys go for, that's right the P38.  Unfortunatley the only target I gave them was my front end and I lost both times, hits to the canopy.  Like to think I did some damage as I saw some return hits.

Was mostly on the defensive last night...  Did have it up to 500mph and found it was controlable with a little luvin care.  Deceptively fast.

[killnu]

I tried a 38 last night too, kinda liked it.  i may have to stick with it for a bit and try to learn it, any good tips?  im always willing to learn a thing or two.
~S~