Finally, at least one expert remarked that to transition from cruise
power settings to combat power required so many control manipulations,
coolant flap settings, and myriad other adjustments that pilots had
their heads down in the cockpit making them all while being bounced,
all the while flying in a straight line.

That last may be a slight exaggeration.

Considering that our leading ace of the war, Richard I. Bong, flew only the
P-38 in the Pacific Theater, as did Tommy McGuire -- our Number 2 Ace in the
war -- this last is, indeed, an exaggeration. As with all things, with
practice all movements were done without thought, nearly instantly.

So the P-38 was sent to the Pacific where it excelled.

Indeed.

The P-38 failed in Europe because the climate was too damned cold, and
because the airplane had a few design flaws that were heightened by the
cold. As you state, by the time the J and L models came along -- which
fixed all of the early shortcomings -- the orders had already been cut to
transition to the Mustang and Thunderbolt.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"