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Flying and Fighting in the P-38?

D

dasuto247

Members +
Years ago when I first played CFS II, I always flew only the Naval types, mainly F4U and F4F and still do to a large degree, but with all the add ons such as extra planes, scenery(Port Moresby properly represented finally) I often fly UAAF fighter and bomber missions over New Guinea. Recently I began flying the P-38 and enjoying it but having some difficulties.Obviously must fly and fight differently in the 38 than others but has proven a bit more of a challenge. I use the boom and zoom tactics suggested in the manual and as have read they used in real life, as well as the head on tactic of Richard Bong(when actually able to turn into a Zero or Oscar) and they work usually.However, a big problem I find is on occasion I get one or two on my tail and find myself on the deck after diving away, the plane always seems to just not have the juice it should. I use checklist and have tested various power settings etc. Also, the F model has no WEP? is that accurate?


I just finished a bomber escort to Cape Gloucester in Feb 1943.About half way to target over bismark sea, 30 Oscars and Zekes jumped us(24 B-24's, 50 P-38's). I stuck with the bombers since the AI planes never do but when found two oscars sneaking up, I climbed high, came around and lined up, ordering my flight to attack as well.The Zero I closed in on and was about to fire upon suddenly yanked up into a vertical climb away.I kept closing on other but he was shot down by one of the bombers.Soon though I noticed the zero closing on my tail fast, I slammed on the power but he closed in his bullets hit me, damaging my plane, forcing me to dive to 14,000 feet to get away.We stayed with the bombers and realized while heading back home fuel would not get me to port moresby since had to drop my tanks so early, so diverted to Buna and landed with 60% in reserve tank on one engine, one failed while over bismark sea.Forward landing gear also collapsed due to hard touchdown when plane became difficult to handle.This could happen any time in any plane but just seems it happens easier and more often when I fly the 38. No doubt can be a great plane to fly.Any advice?

Flying the P-38F Overhauled.
 
The P-38F had no WEP. The P-38 shines in the later J and L models with the 1,475 HP+ engines. The hydraulically boosted ailerons helped more that were added in the J-25 and onwards. Even the G model with it's 75HP more per engine is a help.

In the field the F models where pushed beyond limits recommended by Allison. The Allisons Engines could put out more HP but the intercooler system couldn't take the heat if operated at high power for extended times. This wouldn't be fix tell the J model in Aug 1943.
 
Reply...

Dasuto247,

Personally, I like the David Copley version so much, I use her as a replacement for the stock model. Here she is in a "Sad Sack" rendition.
 
I use the stock model in my campaigns as I hate the pilot figure in the Copley model (just personal preference) and it is easier to paint. But I replace all of the flight models with my own built with AirWrench which match the real aircraft specifications and performance. The shortcomings of the 38 you describe are accurate. Never get low and slow or try to turn with an enemy fighter, you'll lose. Stay high and fast, boom and zoom. Never cruise below 250 mph unless you are out of the combat area. If jumped you can dive away if you have altitude as you will pick up speed quickly but don't enter compressibility speed as you may not be able to pull out.

Flown right, the P-38 was a Japanese beater and you've already experienced it's ability to get home after losing an engine. If you had been flying a P-40 or P-47 you'd have been swimming.

It didn't do as well against the Germans as it was too cold at European altitudes for the engine systems to work reliably and when fought at medium to low altitudes in the Med it only fared a bit better than a 1:1 kill ratio.
 
Captain Kurt said:
I use the stock model in my campaigns as I hate the pilot figure in the Copley model (just personal preference) and it is easier to paint. But I replace all of the flight models with my own built with AirWrench which match the real aircraft specifications and performance. The shortcomings of the 38 you describe are accurate. Never get low and slow or try to turn with an enemy fighter, you'll lose. Stay high and fast, boom and zoom. Never cruise below 250 mph unless you are out of the combat area. If jumped you can dive away if you have altitude as you will pick up speed quickly but don't enter compressibility speed as you may not be able to pull out.

Flown right, the P-38 was a Japanese beater and you've already experienced it's ability to get home after losing an engine. If you had been flying a P-40 or P-47 you'd have been swimming.

It didn't do as well against the Germans as it was too cold at European altitudes for the engine systems to work reliably and when fought at medium to low altitudes in the Med it only fared a bit better than a 1:1 kill ratio.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I tried the copley F, G, H P-38's I found in the downloads, love how they fly, fit how I thought the 38 would be from what have read.Problem is the paint jobs are not quite what I want and the pilot as you mentioned, not my thing.Willing to share your models or have you? lol if not Are there better skins for his 38 and pilots? 38 I have been flying is the F overhauled with what is basically the stock brown scarred scheme but has the mid late 42 "blue on white" roundel star insignia with the sharks mouth on each nacelle and 33 patined in various places. Also, does not look like the copley paint shows battle damage, any that do?
 
Download The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group in WWII campaign located in the Warbirds Library. It's an auto load over the stock CFS2 install. In it you will find a P-38F, a P-38H, a P-38J and a P-38L with new air files and historical 9th FS paint jobs. You will also get a historically accurate 106 mission campaign to fly, new UIRES, new airbases and historical paint on enemy Japanese aircraft.

If you like to fly in North Africa and Italy, download The 82nd Fighter Group in the MTO campaign. In it you will find 2 P-38Fs and 6 P-38Gs with historical 82nd FG paint schemes, 2 B-26A Marauders, a Team Daedalus FW190A-5 Jabo and FW190F-8, 3 Bf109G-2 trops, 2 Bf109G-4 trops, a Bf109G-6 in historical paint for the units involved. There are also new historic paint skins for Bf-110D, 3 B-25Cs, Ar-196 etc. New airfields and UIRES and a historical 51 mission campaign. You first have to set up an MTO theater using RAMI's guide and download a few airplanes and scenery sets in addition to the autoload on this one.
:semi-twins:

BTW the P-38 pilot diary on the Bushwings site above is about the 82nd FG he flew with and describes some of the missions first hand.
 
My experience with the -38 in CFS2 (prior to the J and L versions) somewhat reflect the real techniques used. Always have enough altitude below you to dive and gain speed quickly if you got a bandit on your tail. Keep the airspeed up, McGuire was supposedly qouted as saying "never drop below 350 mph in combat and never attempt engaging combat with drop tanks attached." Bong preferred the head-on pass due to the concentrated fire power in the nose of the -38, the convergence of wing mounted guns was thus not a big range factor when closing in head-on.


I found that I could usually (with stock CFS2 P-38F air configuration) use full power in a shallow dive to pull away from a bandit on the six position. Once seperation was adequate I could start a climb back to a suitable altitude and turn back to re-engage. The dive away should not be too steep because of too much speed build up, unless reducing throttle to split-S and then follow with a shallow dive at power, perhaps at around or slightly above 400 mph (elevator becomes much less effective at higher speed).


The P-38J-25 and all following versions had a dive recovery system installed at the production line. This was to resolve the dive recovery problems of the P-38 due to compressibilty of the airflow at high speed that built up in steep dives.
 
dasuto247,

This may be a stupid question since you're remarks about the P-38 seem to take the utmost realism into account. But since you make no mention of it in your first question, here goes. Do you use the auto mixture or do you mix the fuel manually? Mixing manually, I find, is the single best way to improve performance in any plane you fly in CFS1 or 2. Again, taking into account the amount of realism you and others here have reffered to it may be a stupid question but just thought I'd ask.
 
Would like to report an error message...

Captain Kurt said:
Download The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group in WWII campaign located in the Warbirds Library. It's an auto load over the stock CFS2 install. In it you will find a P-38F, a P-38H, a P-38J and a P-38L with new air files and historical 9th FS paint jobs. You will also get a historically accurate 106 mission campaign to fly, new UIRES, new airbases and historical paint on enemy Japanese aircraft.
Click to expand...

I am getting an error message and cannot download above campaign. All other downloads are working fine. Anyone else having this error when downloading:

Error -349 when loading url http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=44&id=2561

_____________________________________________________________________

From:

The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group in WWII - REVISED/FIXED Download

Submitted by Captain Kurt
September 7th, 2010
91.23 Mbytes Hits 729


http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=44&sort=d&page=5&pp=20
 
_486_Col_Wolf said:
dasuto247,

This may be a stupid question since you're remarks about the P-38 seem to take the utmost realism into account. But since you make no mention of it in your first question, here goes. Do you use the auto mixture or do you mix the fuel manually? Mixing manually, I find, is the single best way to improve performance in any plane you fly in CFS1 or 2. Again, taking into account the amount of realism you and others here have reffered to it may be a stupid question but just thought I'd ask.
Click to expand...

I use manual mixture setting, fly 100 realism.Good question though, once upon a time I flew with auto but agree, get much better performance out of all the planes doing so manually.
 
Oglivie said:
I am getting an error message and cannot download above campaign. All other downloads are working fine. Anyone else having this error when downloading:

Error -349 when loading url http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=44&id=2561

_____________________________________________________________________

From:

The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group in WWII - REVISED/FIXED Download

Submitted by Captain Kurt
September 7th, 2010
91.23 Mbytes Hits 729


http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=44&sort=d&page=5&pp=20
Click to expand...


Thanks.How would I pull the individual planes out of the install to use? Looks like Ill need a fresh CFS 2 install to run the campaign.Ill give it a try though.
 
Oglivie said:
I am getting an error message and cannot download above campaign. All other downloads are working fine. Anyone else having this error when downloading:

Error -349 when loading url http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=44&id=2561

_____________________________________________________________________

From:

The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group in WWII - REVISED/FIXED Download

Submitted by Captain Kurt
September 7th, 2010
91.23 Mbytes Hits 729


http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=44&sort=d&page=5&pp=20
Click to expand...


An apparent glitch in my web browser caused the error with this particular dowload link. I downloaded it without problems with a different browser.
 
Reply...

dasuto247 said:
Thanks.How would I pull the individual planes out of the install to use? Looks like Ill need a fresh CFS 2 install to run the campaign.Ill give it a try though.
Click to expand...

Or just install it into an empty folder. :mixed-smiley-010:
 
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