How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

Is there a total as to who many were shot down?

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

And how many sandcorn are there in Sarah in the middle of the day ?

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

Sorry, but these kind of questions -for obvious reasons- can never be taken seriously.

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

why not? P38s not used during the period of confusion when records might be sloppy. Afterwards there would be AAR reports. Someone compiled the data because we have seen all sorts of tabular records for sorties, bombs dropped, a/c encountered, a/c missing,etc.etc.

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

Seriously? Do you know how much research and data entry (time and cost) required to answer such a special and quick question?

Do you believe that all cases are recorded with the necessary details? (How to calculate the "missing" planes? where there were no wittnesses?) How can you verify that the recorded details are true? (eg. dogfight and not flak?) What if the opponent AC had not one, but two engines? etc...etc.

Compare all of this to your 4 second question and you'll see that it doesn't deserve a serious answer. BTW, I think these kind of questions, requesting massive research should have at least some kind of explanation regarding their purpose.

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

Well I typed a long answer and it got lost when I had to change screens. Too bad for both of us.

In short, one can only review the latest published volumes on the Shores,etal A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945 to note the data I am requested is feasible. I research WW1 naval (which means I also research WW1 naval air on occasion and note the data has already been sorted and analyzed in secondary reference works)

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

I hold my opinion. (I wrote a book too, that took about ten years of massive research with still tons of unanswered and open questions. So I know exactly why I am saying this.)

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

You know, I thought the P38 posted a sufficient low loss rate in the PTO that combat losses were known. Would understand for the years of confusion 1941-1942 there were no records. P38s not in use until very, very late December 1942 when things had stabilized.

With the weight and striking distance of the forward firing guns vs. japanese mulit-engine defensive gunfire capabilities it seemed unlikely any would be shot down while attack.

Leaves on single engine a/c as the likely cause of air-air combat situation.

Something the AAF would be interested in knowing in terms of assembling data to improve a/c or training. Seeing the detailed post-action categories where data was compiled for these sorties then it seems reasonable they would have been done then condensed as they move up the chain of command away from active theatres into general statistics.

Then there are those early 1950,1960s authors of the USA WW2 experience who would claim this or that for different aircraft. As in the low loss rate of the P38 vs. other aircraft. etc. You know who mean.

So I thought the data was out there. Especially with all of the heavy reference books on WW1 or WW2 English language combatants published over the decades.

Well there it is.

Thanks for slapping me down. If you were to ask a similar question on a naval forum I am on I would have answered differently.

Re: How many P38s were downed by Japanese single engine a/c?
 

Hello Felix,

Perhaps you should place your question on the armyairforces.com forum ?

Alex