[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by Aviar

The P-38 overheats very quickly, especially on a Pacific map. Don't even think about using 100% throttle...even 90% will get you in trouble. Forget about anything higher. Also, other US planes such as the F6F and F4U run much cooler than the P-38. The P-38 in particular just does not seem right....at least when compared to it's contemporaries.


Aviar

According to pilot reports the p38 overheated if the leading edge of the wing was damaged or the turbo was out but otherwise did not really overheat even at excessive boosts. Apparently the turbo blew first.

Note however the anecdotes below are about using high boost for sustained high speed flight. They are NOT talking low speed turn fights, Vx climbs or stall climbs.

MAJOR JOHN W. MITCHELL, USAAF and CAPTAIN THOMAS G. LANPHIER, USAAF, P-38 Pilots - Guadalcanal, interviewed Bureau of Aeronautics 18 June 1943 http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Air...dalcanalP-38s/

Page 6 -
... the whole leading edge of the wings is inner-cooled, and a lot of our planes were damaged in the leading edge of the wing, and eventually the motor acted up. In most of our engine failures they've had some warning and feathered the propeller.

Q. Could you use the engine with the turbo cut out?

A. It heats up.


Page 10 -
... we abused the supercharger somewhat. On the mission just mentioned, chasing a Jap full throttle, I was getting about 45 inches and indicating 265-270. Another time I was right down on the tree tops, indicating 310 miles an hour with almost a full ammunition load, full throttle. The needle went clear around past the two so-called stops, to about 10. I guess I was getting about 65 Inches out of each engine, and I held that for about eight or nine minutes, two or three minutes on the ground until the Japs got down to my level. Then, with all that speed, I started to climb, and immediately left them behind. For about eight or nine minutes I gave those two Allisons full power, and the supercharger had turned in long since. Neither engine heated up ...