I'd not put to much credence on TV documentaries about dogfighting. The reality was that the safest way to shoot someone down was to come in fast, and fill him with holes before he knew you were around. Evenly-matched 'jousts' were rare, and not something any rational pilot would want to get engaged in. Neither the P-38 nor the P-47 are sensible planes for circling fights, unless you are at high altitude. In any case, it's no good looking for a 'killer plane' - it is only as good as the pilot flying it. If you really want to learn how to dogfight, you are better off learning in an inferior aircraft - unlike for real pilots, a smoking crater is a learning experience in a sim.
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