A confused P-38 fanboy...

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I must say those Italian markings look neat on that P-38.
By the way, is that the captured P-38 that allegedly used to infiltrate on USAAF bomber formations and decimated a couple of bombers in the MTO?
 
TheMustangRider said:
I must say those Italian markings look neat on that P-38.
By the way, is that the captured P-38 that allegedly used to infiltrate on USAAF bomber formations and decimated a couple of bombers in the MTO?
Click to expand...
If you're referring to the story in the book "Forked Tailed Devil" by Martin Cadin, it's total BS.
 
Another Italian P38, but "legal" this time....



The Aeronautica Militare used the P38's until 1955. In the early '50 some "covered' missions were made, to photograph Yugoslavia and Albania.
However this plane was never very popular among the Italian pilots, probably because both airframes and engines (especially) were worn out, and many accidents occurred.
 
The P38 was an easy airplane to identify because it was unusual and big. It was also a big target with lots of places where hits could cause problems. It's problems with compressibility were exacerbated in Europe because the air above Europe is much colder than over most of the Pacific. The speed of sound varies only with air temperature. The are a lot more general aviation pilots qualified to fly single engined AC than twin engined AC.

It also used a lot of fuel which was an issue where fuel was scarce and more maintenance was neccesary because of the extra engine.
 
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The identification work both ways, both for friends and foes. P-47s were mistaken with Fw-190s so much that Thuds have had their cowlings and tails painted white or yellow to avoid friendly fire, and P-51 was mistaken for Bf-109.
The difference in size vs. R-2800 fighters was much smaller than it was the case when we compare those fighters with P-39, P-40, F4F, Spit etc; wing area was almost identical with R-2800 fighters. Since it was about the only US fighter that could make compressibility to happen at 1st place (= the plane flies fast enough, high enough), no wonder that compressibility would bite back; for P-40s 39s compressibility was never an issue, since they could not be flown at 25000 - 30000 ft at 350-400 mph.
The training issue was not fault of the design, while P-38s were as much as good in mileage as R-2800 fighters. It took P-51B to combine great performance, range mileage, while being sufficiently armed protected.

I'd say that if one is US fighter pilot in 1942 and most of 1943, there is no better plane he could've sit in and bring war to enemy. Or to really defend from high flying Bettys at al. As confirmed by people that ranked from pilots to generals.
 
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I wonder if it was SOP for a would be P38 pilot to transition directly from an AT6 into a P38 after some ground instruction or did that pilot get some time in a twin engined trainer before the P38? I have seen German combat film taken during a rear quarter high guns run on a P38 and there is a lot of airplane to shoot at, a lot more than any single engined fighter.
 
I'm not certain that there was much, if any at all, training at the twin engined planes. One of semi-official procedures was for a novice pilot to seat, or rather kneel, just behind the pilot, so he would get as much as feel about the plane . Plenty of the plane it was, so were previously mentioned fighters with R-2800. What's the saying, there is no such thing as a free lunch - it took size to accommodate what was necessary to do get the job done.

Now that we speak about German footage, there is a nice part where P-38, while flying tree top, simply out-turns the pursuer. P-38's pilot started a roll, turns in and starts climb, all in few seconds, so German losses him.
 
Well, I'm a bit embarrassed because I can not remember if I have read all of these articles listed below. I know I have read some of them. Anyway, from what I can recall (which is obviously suspect) I thought they were pretty good. I'm not a P-38 expert but these articles should provide you will a lot of information and hopefully it is mostly accurate.

P-38: Der Gabelschwanz Teufel Part 1
P-38: Der Gabelschwanz Teufel Part 2
P-38: Der Gabelschwanz Teufel Part 3
P-38 Size and Shape
The P-38 Lightning In North Africa And The MTO
The P-38K

WJP
 
Great articles! Thanks!
 
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