P-38 complexity of flying

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P-38 complexity of flying - 5/15/2018 11:07:51 PM

jamesjohns

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Saw the following article about the complexity of flying the P-38, was written by a pilot and Group commander of P-38 during the war describing to higher-ups the problems with the P-38. He stated "After flying the P-38 for a little over one hundred hours on combat missions it is my belief that the airplane, as it stands now, is too complicated for the �average� pilot"

P-38 Flunked in Europe

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 12:41:18 AM

crsutton

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Nice article. Thanks.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 1:05:06 AM

geofflambert

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Charles Lindbergh supposedly spent some time in the Pacific teaching P-38 pilots how to nurse the fuel and other issues. One thing I recall is that he taught them how to get a whole lot more range out of them.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 10:57:13 AM

LeeChard

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Good article, thanks.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 1:54:16 PM

Lecivius

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quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Charles Lindbergh supposedly spent some time in the Pacific teaching P-38 pilots how to nurse the fuel and other issues. One thing I recall is that he taught them how to get a whole lot more range out of them.

Really? I thought he railed against the war, even after it started. I'm not doubting you, mind. I'm just showing my ignerance

I'll have to go look this up.

<edit>

And so I was wrong. He flew in the pacific as a civilian consultant, because they would not commission him again after all his anti-war efforts prior to Pearl Harbor.

< Message edited by Lecivius -- 5/16/2018 1:59:15 PM >

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 3:00:11 PM

spence

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I remember reading about Lindbergh's record in the Pacific. Aside from teaching the USAAF about getting a lot more range out of the P-38 the same article had him showing the USMC about getting an F4U (don't remember model) off the ground with 4000 lbs of bombs aboard. It was a short range mission I guess but he also "delivered" the payload to the Emperor's employees.

(It was in a book whose title escapes me but the same book also had an article about Ted William's adventures in the Korean War flying a Panther Jet (plane got shot up by the NKPA).

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 5:47:18 PM

crsutton

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Charles Lindbergh supposedly spent some time in the Pacific teaching P-38 pilots how to nurse the fuel and other issues. One thing I recall is that he taught them how to get a whole lot more range out of them.

Really? I thought he railed against the war, even after it started. I'm not doubting you, mind. I'm just showing my ignerance I'll have to go look this up.

<edit>

And so I was wrong. He flew in the pacific as a civilian consultant, because they would not commission him again after all his anti-war efforts prior to Pearl Harbor.

Lindbergh was a controversial American Hero. Elevated to rock star status after his flying feats between the wars, he was an anti-Semite, a racist a Nazi admirer and strict isolationists until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was also a serial adulterer, fathering at least 8 bastard children in Europe while married to Anne Morrow. Once the war started he threw his lot in with the Allies and worked very hard as a civilian pilot and adviser in support of the war effort.

If it were my call, I would term him a great pilot who made serious contributions to aviation , but a total "dick" otherwise.

< Message edited by crsutton -- 5/16/2018 5:52:12 PM >

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 6:31:24 PM

Buckrock

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quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton
If it were my call, I would term him a great pilot who made serious contributions to aviation , but a total "dick" otherwise.

I think Team America said it best about the need for people like that.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 7:05:09 PM

Dili

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The most important thing is the near the end when a pilot says Allison engine should have been changed for Merlin.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/16/2018 11:25:12 PM

jamesjohns

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I found it interesting the number of steps, equipment that had to be turned on, engine settings changed, so forth, needed to go from flying at cruise to combat flying.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/17/2018 2:20:38 PM

Macclan5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Lindbergh was a controversial American Hero. Elevated to rock star status after his flying feats between the wars, he was an anti-Semite, a racist a Nazi admirer and strict isolationists until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was also a serial adulterer, fathering at least 8 bastard children in Europe while married to Anne Morrow. Once the war started he threw his lot in with the Allies and worked very hard as a civilian pilot and adviser in support of the war effort.

If it were my call, I would term him a great pilot who made serious contributions to aviation , but a total "dick" otherwise.

Agreed .

There are a number of video's on 'the interweb u tube thingy' that spell out his contributions specifically in the Solomon Islands with P38s and general combat flying techniques following Guadalcanal. I think he even participated in a combat mission against orders if I recall correctly.

Lindy's personal short comings are well known and you are correct CR.

He was a 'eugenics man' as well (I believe) believing in propagation of the strongest and best (of which he personally believed - he was of course) and therefore fathered children in this ongoing belief.

His 1930's admiration of National Socialism (Nazi) and isolationism was not limited to Lindy; further it correctly held him back from Command positions within the US Armed services. This is why he was a civilian contractor and not a squad leader for example. Similar statements (admiration of fascism - isolationism) could be successfully argued of Joe Kennedy (father of JFK) for example. There were a number of significant 'social, political, economic leaders' that made many of the same sorts of judgments at the time.

We have the benefit of hindsight to refute eugenics, racial politics, fascism, communism, etc. He may have been a dick but I would only note he was not the only high profile dick in his generation. I think of him as a complicated man with many shortcomings somewhat offset by his contributions to the war effort.

Its not a simple label; whereas in today's society we tend to/seem to gravitate to simple labels.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/17/2018 2:37:39 PM

tarkalak

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It has always been like that.

Simple things are easy to understand, while complex things are complex to understand. Not everyone will have the interest and patience to understand them.

Hitler was mad evil, but also banned smoking in public transport and put animal protection laws, which are bot considered a good thing.

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RE: P-38 complexity of flying - 5/17/2018 3:09:38 PM

BBfanboy