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3 June 1944
To: Commanding General, VIII Fighter Command, APO 637, U.S. Army.
2. After flying the P-38 for a little over one hundred hours on
combat missions it is my belief that the airplane, as it stands now, is too
complicated for the 'average' pilot. I want to put strong emphasis on the
word 'average’, taking full consideration just how little combat training our
pilots have before going on as operational status.
5. The question that arises is, what are you going to do about it?
It is standard procedure for the group leader to call, five minutes before R/V
and tell all the pilots to "prepare for trouble". This is the signal for
everyone to get into auto rich, turn drop tank switches on, gun heaters on,
combat and sight switches on and to increase RPM and manifold pressure
to maximum cruise. This procedure, however, does not help the pilot who is
bounced on the way in and who is trying to conserve his gasoline and equipment
for the escort job ahead.
8. It is also felt that that much could done to simplify the gas switching
system in this airplane. The switches {valve selector handles} are
all in awkward positions and extremely hard to turn. The toggle switches for
outboard tanks are almost impossible to operate with gloves on.
HAROLD J. RAU
Colonel, Air Corps,
Commanding.