Twin Engine Day Fighters Europe/Africa Theaters (the bests).

The comparison between tropicalised Spit V and Zero, or between Bf-109/Fw-190 and P-38 is like the comparison with glasses that have 50% of volume containing the wine - some people would call it half full, others would day it's half empty. All depends on who is talking. The side with altitude/speed advantage is likely to come out as a winner.

As for when to attack what island: if the Rhodes represents a threat (basing the LW units there), then it need to be neutralized 1st. Leaving the LW to operate from there is inviting a disaster.

i'm sorry i could not finish my previous topic. so first i continue my old reply
I don't think the G-6 go with gondolas the bomber are twin engined medium&light, there is nothing so value to use a strategic force on this islands. for the drop tank w/o the Gustaw has around 1 hour at max continuous so i think as not trouble go also 100 miles from airfields.

For the consideration on Rodi full agree, the allied wrong all the campaign. The italian force there (aegean islands) (army (2 infantry division, stationary units), navy (coastal defence mainly a few torpedocraft and aswcraft and a old destroyer), air (1 floatplane recce squadriglia, 1 fighter squadriglia and 1 night fighter section (just old day fighter), airfields defence) at the start were much larger of Germans forces (justa a Brigade in Rodi and little garisson in a small island) true with bad equipment bad tactical deployment (acting ad coastal defence), probably bad morale and with a few of traitors, with just support from british force coult resist and take out from eagean islands the german forces

The 3 cannons almost guarantee a kill if the pilot is a decent shooter, and would be sufficient for taking out a B-24 or two. But I can agree with a scenario with part of the 109s flying 'clean', while others have gondolas, too.
Since the allies should go for Rhodes 1st, the P-38s can afford fast cruise, too. Once the defenders have clashed with invaders, they still need to return on the airports. To be followed by invading bombers.

For what it is worth, Chuck Yeager stated that, flown by a competent pilot, the P-38 could handle any aircraft, presumably Bf-109/Fw-190s, at low altitudes.

Vincenzo said:

there is a map that show escort radius of P-38 (H there were not G in England) as 520 miles with 2 drop tanks from november '43 (there were not P-38 in england before) enough for Berlin. i'm sure that G can did same this are a slow speed mission with low fuel flown. there is not doubt that P-38 can go to leros at slow speed fight and back to slow speed, and after some calculation, did in the previous post, can go fast in the 100 miles neares to Leros bu if they encounter enemy fighters over Rodi also in easy combat they can go to Leros and back? the trip per se is not so long but they need to fight on Leros and fly again on enemy islands in the back trip.
Zero is not bad on paper v/s Spit V, Spit has horizontal speed advantage not so high as it is commonly believed, a dive advantage and armour near all others is in favour of Zero.

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Actually Vincenzo the P-38s scored in ETO in September 1942 before Torch sucked all the P-38s from the 78th FG and also sent the 1st (equipped with P-38 )and 31st FGs (equipped with Spits) to Africa in November 1942 through march 1943.

Afaik the P-38 in England before of Torch don't saw combat but flew around 350 mission. (A P-38 in august from Iceland get a shared victory)

my "before" on parenthesis from november '43 was for point up that was not a upgrade of P-38 available from november, like a new variant or a larger drop tanks