P-38 Pilot Manual

[Rjel]

Here's one for the late model P-38s. I'm eager to fly this puppy in BoX.

 

https://ia801308.us.archive.org/1/items/PilotTrainingManualP38-nsia/PilotTrainingManualP38.pdf

[Kalthios]

Omg, thanks Rjel, can't wait for the P-38!

[unreasonable]

Thank you! Not really a puppy, though: more like a giant bat.

[Rjel]

Thank you! Not really a puppy, though: more like a giant bat.

Puppy is just a term of endearment. It was an amazing design, one of many from Kelly Johnson and his team. While the earlier models may not have performed as well as could have been, by thetime the Js and Ls came along, it was a matured aircraft. Maybe the biggest mistake (and there weren't many ) made in production contracts for the USAAF, was the lack of multiple factories being set up to manufacture it. In hindsight, it would've made more sense to end production of the P-39s and P-40s in 1943 and use that factory space and manpower to turn out more P-38s given the need for longer ranging escorts in Europe. It wasn't until late in the war that a second factory was set up by Consolidated - Vultee. I don't think any of those planes were ever issued to the USAAF. 

[unreasonable]

On "puppy" yes I know - missed out the .  

 

I think one of the reasons for not investing more in P-38s was that they cost about twice as much per unit as the P-51, of which Merlin a version was already in the pipeline by the 1943, and P-38s certainly not twice as effective as P-51s which filled the long range escort role admirably.  Given that experience with the P-38 had already been somewhat mixed, the decision to give production low priority seems exactly right to me.

[LukeFF]

The USAAF compiled a set of these particular sort of manuals in 1945 (and an earlier one for the P-40), and they are all packed with detail. There are similar ones for the P-51, P-47, and the B-25 (and I'm guessing ones for the heavy bombers).

[[N.O.G.F]_Cathal_Brugha]

The USAAF compiled a set of these particular sort of manuals in 1945 (and an earlier one for the P-40), and they are all packed with detail. There are similar ones for the P-51, P-47, and the B-25 (and I'm guessing ones for the heavy bombers).

I have the one for the p-51 but can,t remember where it came from. Do you or anyone else have links for the others?

[LukeFF]

I have the one for the p-51 but can,t remember where it came from. Do you or anyone else have links for the others?

 

They can be found on ww2aircraft.net.

[Archie]

Here's an interesting perspective on the P-38...apologies if it has already been posted:

 

 

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Snip

Great read, thank you! Really looking forward to the P-38.

[Yankee_One]

Thanks for this manual.

 

Love that bird, one of my favorite.

 

Cant wait to hold her in my hands

[=362nd_FS=RoflSeal]

 

When that was written, P-38L was just getting off the production line, and thus he is probably referring to earlier variants. P-38L had far more automation in it, and so you wouldn't have things like overboosting the engine at low RPMs