Learn to fly the P-38J Lightning

If you enjoy this content and would like to show your support you can join my Patreon here: / requiemsactl
You can find me easily and connect with new pilots on my Discord here: / discord
Learn to fly the P-38J Lightning in IL2: Battle of Bodenplatte and be familiar with its cockpit, engine start, takeoff, and landing procedures. Various engine limitations, combat use, important airspeeds, and notes on flying the P-38J Lightning are also included.
Comments and feedback are always welcome, so if this video helped you out hit the like button and let me know in the comments below. Cheers!

[@tyates4398]

dude, i didnt even know this was out until i saw this, i have the day off, kids at school, no projects. It's on

[@69vrana]

lol, when that cat is out, it's mice party all night long

[@ChaosSquad]

Honestly more excited for the 38 than the 262 a few months ago! This shift cant end soon enough!

[@RequiemsACTL]

It's a great plane for sure, you'll love it :-)

[@philswift791]

She is my all time favorite pane.

[@Diarmuhnd]

Whoa, these flights sims sure have come a long way over 30 years

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah it's crazy to think of it...I started off with Microprose Strike Eagle II as a kid!

[@_Meriwether]

Absolutely majestic machine, my favourite US aircraft of all time, can’t wait!

[@TheRaptorXX]

Brilliant, as ever!! Req, same as last update, I didn't even realise it had come in until I saw one of your 'how to' vids!! Cheers mate, off to fly them now then!!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Enjoy! They're a blast

[@thomasche]

I love this chanel! Things are always well explained and the videos are well crafted.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Thomas, I'm working on some new ones :-)

[@robcooper8891]

another excellent video, Requiem. very helpful. beautiful aircraft.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Rob, really been enjoying flying this in MP!

[@robcooper8891]

@@RequiemsACTL me too. It's awesome

[@davidclothier8446]

Excellent video, I don't play this game, but you've provided a very informative cockpit run through; I love WW2 aircraft. I may have build myself a new PC! Thanks, keep up the good work.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Hopefully we'll see you in the virtual skies soon then David!

[@matydrum]

That's amazing!!!!! Thank you, can't wait!

[@TCK71]

Excellent as usual, thanks!

[@JustPlaneStupid69]

i didn't realize you too were part of the beta! delightful to have this so early after the latest update's release.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah I try to have them ready. I didn't quite have the P-51 done (it was a few hours after the other 2) but 3 videos is a lot at once lol

[@JustPlaneStupid69]

The Air Combat Tutorial Library I’m glad to have anything at all from you as it comes!

[@RigstersJourney]

ty for this video i was recommended for this by combat box group. also i would advise as i found down the comment chain. if your using a default map set up with a non hotas joytstick im using an saitek av8r-03 map a binding for the engine rpm under engine control. the default binding only does it for throttle once you get engine rpm bined then you can move like this video :D. gl hf

[@notarokescientist3003]

I have learned so much from your work. Hope you get back to this platform and instructional videos on the warbirds. I am still trying to master the rudder.

[@RequiemsACTL]

I will be, just need time 🙂

[@backswing7221]

Fantastic video!!! I'll bet you, or maybe a relative, went to Canada (Saskatchewan in particular) under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as these fields look so familiar to an old prairie dog

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Backswing, lots of ice and snow for sure up there! haha

[@thewilliam8342]

A sweet ride !

[@Spectre407]

Awesome! Please make another vid showing the various ordnance load outs and show them in action. Also, please show the guns in action.

[@RequiemsACTL]

I'll see what info I can find

[@tyrssen1]

I know zip about flying, so this looks pretty complicated -- but fascinating!

[@cherrimusic7128]

Fantastic tutorial

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Cherri!

[@andystech5223]

Well found yet another flying game I need to get

[@RequiemsACTL]

It's fun :-)

[@soapy83]

DCS and this is all ya need

[@andystech5223]

Will def look into it atm playing ace combat but all I got atm is an old sidewinder joy stick, PS4 controller, and a g29 wheel so def looking for better flight controls

[@luckyhendrix]

Hey man ! thanks so much for your tutorials ! However, I would love to have acces to all the "Pilot's notes" Pages as .jpeg or .pdf files to integrate into a kneeboard, there are other around the internet, but yours are the most straight forward and up to date for all aircrafts. Do you have those files ? if yes, could you make them available? Otherwise I'll take screen grab of your videos, but that's going to be pretty time consuming xD

[@dougauzene8389]

My Great-Uncle, Jerry Finn, Built These at Lockheed ln Burbank...

[@RequiemsACTL]

Awesome..bet you heard some good stories :-)

[@barno01]

Excellent, thank you.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Barney :)

[@barno01]

@@RequiemsACTL I've been pounding away with it, it's relatively slow but with good sa and and a wingman one can really fight in this gem. P-51 next, I've been murdered by plenty of them.

[@ErossMcCloud]

it's here!!!!!

[@krasp28]

Hey requiem love your videos! I hope you'll do a dogfight debrief in the P38 some day

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Krasp, yeah I want to do one for the P-51 or P-38. I just need to be able to fly often enough to get the footage to do one!

[@krasp28]

@@RequiemsACTL Awesome! I'm biased just because the P38 is my favorite warbird... but I think it would be interesting to get your insight into combat with a twin engine aircraft like the P38 / Bf110 etc to see if there's any big differences between them and the single engine fighters you're usually flying! Cheers.

[@tomservo5347]

Your videos are mandatory for any plane I haven't flown yet. What recommendations would you give for dives and combat? I'm wondering about 'Fixed' pitch and the RPM limiter-are RPM's controlled by propeller pitch or are they two different controls? Is it best to just keep it in 'Fixed' pitch? I've found the P-38 cruises quite easily even at 50% throttle and 60% RPM. Just curious how the propeller pitch factors into this. Seems that when I switch to 'manual' control on propeller pitch they always seem to be at 35%. I've also noticed on 'Auto' the radiators seem to keep the temps right at the edge of the green, borderline running hot. Is this normal for the P-38 at lower altitudes? When switching to 'manual' control I found out they're either open or closed, no adjustment. One last question-is the P-38 like the P-47 with three sets of radiator controls?

[@Joshtow167]

I remember playing star wars x wing game on a hand held game. Black and white screen. If you would ve told me then sims would look this good I'd of said yea right. I played Microsoft flight sim in 2000 and yea took me half a semester to figure out how to turn on a 747 🤣.nice video

[@papabear6382]

Very great video well done. it seams not only mine directional gyro doesn't work in P-38

[@ronaldwatson1951]

Great video and excellent instructions; I'm definitely will be getting into the IL2 community. Just a few questions: 1 can the P38J be utilized in other WW2 theatres? 2 will I be able to with my thrustmaster, incorporated different functions? Lastly, what type of computer are you using? Thanks

[@RequiemsACTL]

Hi Ron, you can use the P-38 on any map in a quick mission battle. For a career there isn't one yet but the Pat Wilson Campaign Generator will add it with the Rheinland map to use it on in a career. For multiplayer it's up to the mission creator, they can put any airplane in any scenario/map they desire. I don't know what kind of Thrustmaster you have but you shouldn't have problems assigning functions. My computer is an i7 7700K CPU, MSI Z270 Motherboard, Corsair 16gb RAM, MSI RTX 2070

[@ronaldwatson1951]

@@RequiemsACTL Thanks for the response and information, my thrustmaster is a T- 16000, Again, Thanks*****

[@Jbroker404]

How do you know what the turbocharger speed is? I didn't see a gauge for it. Also, I saw fuel gauges for the 93 gallon main rear tanks, and the 60 gallon front reserve tanks, but not the 55 gallon outer wing tanks. How do you measure fuel for those?

[@thelespauldude3283]

The P38 is my absolute favorite plane ever. Its perfect for bombing with the 2x 2000Kg bombs

[@PizzicatoUK]

The colours in your video are really rich, with really nice contrast. Are you using any shader/lighting mods, or is that just the base game?

[@RequiemsACTL]

No 3rd party mods, that's just the base game.

[@PizzicatoUK]

@@RequiemsACTL Nice.

[@matydrum]

How do you feather a prop in game? My check list note book as increased thanks to you once again! My girl friend and housemates make fun of me saying I look like I'm doing my homework when I'm writing done in front of your videos with 4 colours pen etc! To wich I respond: "but I am..."! XD

[@RequiemsACTL]

Select the engine, Left CTRL+F. A couple of my videos covers multi engine stuff here 1. Basics: kzbin.info/www/bejne/in-ri42GbbOInbM 2. Engine Failures: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2rVoHyNZrSojq8

[@techspot871]

Scenic

[@mvdm7097]

Great video! Very helpfull. I still have one question though. How does one read the fuel gauges? In total it should have 416 gallon's, but the two gauges combined never add up to that. Does it only show remaining fuel?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Those two fuel tanks tell you what's in the main and reserve tanks. If you have fuel in the outer wing tanks or in drop tanks (if those are added) you estimate that level based on hourly fuel consumption.

[@mvdm7097]

@@RequiemsACTL Ah that clears it up. Thnx

[@richardyoung377]

Best fighter of the war! Richard Ira Bong must have been the master of all masters, top ace.

[@dntlss]

Its a great plane,easy to fly,gobs of power,gets you up to height in a hurry,can take good punishment,dives down on targets like a hawk and has always gotten me home even on one engine and has firepower like a brigade of MG42's, one of my favorite planes.

[@dntlss]

Req, i had a question,on the compass on the P38,wasn't there some keys awhile back to set the course setter and they did away with them or am i imagining that? i could swear i had keys mapped awhile back and i would hit them and that setter would move on the magnetic compass but i looked today and i didn't see any,thank you for your time man, great videos as always.

[@RequiemsACTL]

You might be thinking of cliffs of dover...

[@dntlss]

@@RequiemsACTL That's what i was thinking, wonder why they haven't implemented that, a key that would move a rectangular piece around a gauge wouldn't be hard to do but thats just me talking out of ignorance, I'm no programmer, anyhow thanks again,always appreciate and love your videos.

[@Finney198]

Great vid to bad a bit dark,.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Finney, I try and keep the videos looking the same in general. Maybe a patch reset my gamma settings or something on this one...so it's probably 0.1 to 0.2 darker than usual for me

[@maddabbo]

Great videos; a few quick questions: WEP 5 Min, Compat 15 min, what about combination? How long till that resets or how can you combine? Is there a decent rule if I go 15 min in combat before I can use again? What do you use to record these videos? I use OBS but in VR it's capturing the left eye instead of the right eye and so the gun sight is off. THANKS!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Honestly, I don't even bother to think about the timers much unless they're only 1 minute long. My rule is whenever I'm out of a fight I always switch back to a max continuous setting to help optimise the "combat" and "WEP" power for when I need it and I've very very rarely blown an engine as a result. 5 minutes is a very long time to be using maximum power in a fight as most fights are already resolved before that. As long as you remember to go back to continuous you shouldn't have any problems. I use the nvidia experience for recording these videos, but for streaming I use OBS. I don't have VR so I can't help there, sorry.

[@maddabbo]

Thanks!

[@maddabbo]

Wish i knew how the game modelled it for those 1 min engines.

[@dimon5891]

Thanks for the video! Am I correct that Propellers RPM are controlled manually? Should the pilot manually adjust proper position of RPM levers in certain ratio to Throttle levers?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yes, generally speaking you will set the RPM and it will stay there. There's no real ratio to think about, but as a basic rule you can keep the RPM in front of the throttle.

[@dimon5891]

@@RequiemsACTL Thank you. As far as I've tested, P-38 engines don't allow to operate propellers RPM always set to 100% (due to risk of overheat), and you cannot simply decrease Throttle to stay in cruising mode... maybe I missed something...

[@odonovan]

0:08 - P-58 Lightning? Looking forward to the P-51 much? :D :D :D :D :D

[@RequiemsACTL]

Ah well...I usually make some silly typo at least once ;)

[@skylerrobbins3910]

Woah I'm not the only person yay I'm not insane....or am I?

[@Ghost08151]

Is it possible to get the notes with parameter/help for each part of the fly?

[@RequiemsACTL]

You'll find most of what you see in these notes in the Technical Specifications page in the hangar. I make the notes just to look more presentable for the videos.

[@roderickval]

Hello sir, I Don’t understand the intercooler operation. You open it for Engine Start and takeoff? Then in flight what do you do? And during landing? It is a separate thing to the Oil Flaps and Radiator flaps, those you can set to Auto like in the P-51

[@RequiemsACTL]

Unlike the P47D, the intercooler is automatic in the P38

[@roderickval]

@@RequiemsACTL thank you sir

[@philswift791]

Not wanting to be that guy, but a heads up the pilots notes have a possible typo. Maximum Carb Temp is 25 Degrees Celsius and Optimal is 45 Degrees Celsius. I would not have noticed except that I have learned to fly these planes from your videos. I have a note book where I transcribe your information. Thank you.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Hey it's all good. I'm fine with people pointing out errors to avoid any confusion!

[@4strokenicolaus]

Currently my favorite allied airplane, but does anybody noticed there are two things not simulated correctly! At first the position of the intercooler shutters has absolutely no influence on the carb. temperature. And you can still run combat power manifold pressure far above full throttle height. In reality this would lead to a turbocharger overspeed condition. So the P38 is currently “cheated“ in terms of no turbocharger speed limitation simulated. Do you agree?

[@RequiemsACTL]

You're correct. Right now it's not possible to control the intercoolers manually but the devs have said it will come later. The engine management is a bit too forgiving as well I agree. You shouldn't be able to overboost an engine with no real consequence

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

The P-38 did not suffer turbocharger over speed until over 30,000 feet of altitude. The J and L could run 80" of manifold pressure at 3,000 RPM up to around 30,000 feet. Now, if you were to run the engines at the Allison rated speed of 3,200 to 3,400 RPM, then you would see turbocharger over speed below 30,000 feet.

[@4strokenicolaus]

@@AlanRoehrich9651 Level flight critical altitude for 70" map was 19800 ft. Reaching 30000ft with 80" is far away from any possibility. Additionally flight manual calls for map reduction starting at 25000 ft for the 60" rating, maximum for 30000ft was 50" anyway. Where do you got your information from about the 80" ratings?

[@567davefair]

does the P-38 have nose wheel steering or do we need to use left/right brakes when taxiing?

[@RequiemsACTL]

No nosewheel control as it moves freely. Just use the brakes or differential power if needed.

[@Jbroker404]

Under startup procedure, you mention leaving the mixture at "cutoff" and then move it to 70% once the engine starts. I tried it both ways in IL-2, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Is this something that is necessary in real life but not modeled in the sim?

[@RequiemsACTL]

That is the RL procedure and it should work. Maybe add a little bit of throttle or try mixture to full (100%). It could be a bug introduced if the auto position isn't working.

[@Jbroker404]

@@RequiemsACTL what I meant to say was, that it works regardless and there didn't seem to be a reason to leave mixture at cutoff until the engine turns over.

[@RequiemsACTL]

@@Jbroker404 Ahh yeah I see what you mean now. I noticed that as well when making this but I kept things to the RL procedures because if things changed then I know what I create will still be right :-)

[@Despiser25]

Anyone know of a way to tone down the movement of the yoke? It seems disconnected from the plane. Like a really bad fly by wire system, lol.

[@Spectre407]

Is that a mirror up at 1130 on the canopy?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah it has a mirror on the top of the canopy

[@rastislavsulik9093]

Hello from where do you have these tables? like for example at 4:35? Thanks

[@RequiemsACTL]

I make them myself for the videos as I read the real manuals for these airplanes and break it down to just what you need to know.

[@rastislavsulik9093]

@@RequiemsACTL aah ok then , thanks :)

[@Redadeg72]

Do you have any advices for the recticle use for the rockets?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Not yet unfortunately, I don't have the special skin I need to demonstrate it completed

[@Redadeg72]

@@RequiemsACTL Sadface :-(

[@Anubis7169]

I have my RPM/PropPitch and Throttle set to my single "joystick throttle axis". Is this normal? I may be wrong but when I fly it, it seems very under powered and slow. Maybe placebo. Always get caught by single-engine planes in climbs somehow. Straight line, Max throttle+PropPitch, and still get caught by 109s climbing underneath me.

[@RequiemsACTL]

No it's not normal, your RPM should be set separately from the throttle to let you get more performance in cruise flight. There is a bit of lag in the turbo so you won't get full power immediately.

[@Anubis7169]

@@RequiemsACTL Thanks for the reply. Clearly more testing is in order! But now im even more confused as to how to run it xD Is it a "variable pitch prop" or a "constant speed prop"? Those two terms don't seem mutually exclusive to me. (for context, i usually fly 109)

[@SteelWalrus]

I. Need. This. Plane.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Battle of Bodenplatte, Premium Edition. Enjoy! :-)

[@DuVey64]

Is there a place to print off this info for the new planes ?

[@RequiemsACTL]

You can find this info in the technical specifications page as I custom make what you see in the videos. I don't think they exist in a printable form.

[@merlin8166]

Would the 4 people that watched this and 'accidently' down voted the video please come back and correct your mistake.

[@RequiemsACTL]

It's all good, they exist everywhere on all my videos LOL

[@flutter8712]

how do you control coolant flap please?

[@RequiemsACTL]

It's automatically controlled in this model

[@cbz3237]

No turbo rpm indicator?

[@RequiemsACTL]

No need as it's all handled automatically.

[@CalamarTv]

@@RequiemsACTL it's the third time i break my engine, do you know why?

[@RequiemsACTL]

@@CalamarTv You exceeded some engine limitation. Look at the technical specifications page to see where your RPM and manifold pressure should be for cruise (continuous) flight

[@MedusaSquadron]

What's the key for the Dive Flpas?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Right ALT+B

[@gort8203]

Typo? How can the optimum carb air temp be 45 degrees of the max temp is only 25 degrees?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah typo. Flip max and optimal around.

[@BigRed999]

How hard can you run these engines - I've had failure during takeoff - exciting!

[@RequiemsACTL]

I've never had that... you should be able to use max power no problem. Maybe you were too aggressive with the throttle increase

[@AlanRoehrich9651]

The correct takeoff procedure for the P-38 is to square the aircraft at the runway threshold, hold the toe brakes on the rudders, set the props to fine, the mixture to auto rich, and advance both throttles equally to reach 3,000 RPM and 54" of manifold pressure, and then release the brakes. You should never touch the throttles during the take off roll, or in the air until you have raised the gear and the flaps. Of course, that assumes you have done your magneto and prop tests, which probably are not modelled anyway. But the P-38 is a zero net torque aircraft, so you DO NOT advance or retard the throttles, or make other adjustments, once you begin your takeoff roll. Unlike single engine high performance aircraft, you never touch the throttle after releasing the brakes. It should be at 100% power and both engines running normally before the plane even moves.

[@antagonist99]

They literally dropped the patch not 30 minutes ago. This must've been made on the test server.

[@cosmicxsolitude6947]

It was.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yep. I'm on the testing team so I can make these videos earlier for you guys.

[@hatman4818]

@@RequiemsACTL That's awesome man. Do you know of any way to have these sorts of checklists and limits readily available in VR? Having to re-memorize each aircraft's flight characteristics every time I change aircraft gets a little annoying. And I've come to the realization over the last couple years that thanks to years and years of f#$%ing around in flight sims, not taking them seriously, has made me way better at crash landings than proper ones, so I really should sit down and learn these things.

[@maxsuarezmuller7186]

@@RequiemsACTL thanks dude, nice video!

[@nun6996]

@@hatman4818 Just write them down on a notepad to have sitting next to you on your table...

[@AlexCusden]

Can I just say that the flap movement noise sounds exactly like a Dalek moving

[@OrangeApocalypse]

And with the new Trucks air brake sound, that i think is 'supposed' to be a pilot breathing in high G lol...maybe they are using sounds they found on the internet 😜

[@lightunicorn1371]

i love this plane but its cockpit is hell to fly in

[@dntlss]

Its a busy one for sure.

[@MrLittlepe]

Watched many of your vids - you never show preference - so i will ask - favourite axis single engine? - favourite allies single engine? - favourite twin engine? (possibly a sale coming up ;-) )

[@RequiemsACTL]

I end up flying allied more often than Axis in general... for my favourites: Axis single engine - Probably Fw 190 D-9, Allies Single Engine - Spitfire Mk.IX, Twin Engine - A-20,

[@MrLittlepe]

I think that you should consider doing a review of the aircraft highlighting their good and bad points - I am sure that many of us would value your opinion.

[@RequiemsACTL]

@@MrLittlepe I could but I'm actually working on more objective reviews of different airplanes at a time backed up by data and not my feelings as such. That takes time but I think people will like it when it's done and it should give people the ability to make their own evaluations with more data. We'll see what comes of it.

[@MrLittlepe]

look forward to it.

[@leoleoleoliao4413]

i think it shoulb be a L-model instead of a J-model，because the landinglight on the left wing

[@fnshouse632]

Did the J have the Dive brake? OOPS yes ok

[@bibabutzemann5661]

gg

[@matydrum]

P-51 tomorrow? XD

[@RequiemsACTL]

Maybe today...

[@MadMaxter01]

IL2 needs clickable cockpits. Then it will be near perfect

[@comradeboris2335]

how the hell do you use iff in a ww2 plane?

[@RequiemsACTL]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IFF_Mark_III

[@comradeboris2335]

@@RequiemsACTL so it's basically used to find airfields? Not identify aircraft?

[@iankeel7914]

I have IL-2 Great Battles and other versions and can honestly say that the "American planes are terrible to fly (even the Mustang) they seem to be baddly moddeled as I would assume that the real things handeld and performed much better in real life, but in IL-2 they are very slow and not very manoeuvrable.

[@johnnicatra570]

Nice.?no mags.

[@RequiemsACTL]

P-38 has equivalent ignition switches IIRC

[@benquinney2]

Not good enough for the brits