Because we still look at it differently. You seem to look at what it was.
I look at it as what it could have been.
Things like in 1940, had the British not ordered it with non counterrotating engines and had Washington not siezed the contract so quickly, the Brits could have encountered the P-38's cold air and British aviation fuel issues circa 1941.
British mechanics would have been just as quick to swap the Allisons for Merlins as they did with the Original P-51 which had the same Allison as the P-38 except the supercharger on the P-51's Allison was single stage while the P-38's was dual stage.
The original P-51 was a dog that couldn't get above 20,000 feet.
No I get it, you love the P-38 and that’s OK. I pretty much hate liquid cooled engines and the love the P&W radials, as well as the Grumman Engineers.
My favorite plane was the F8F that never saw combat. That plane absolutely smokes the P-51 until they get to 20,000”. It was a pure Interceptor and for that it excelled. I also find it absolutely beautiful and am glad we can still see them in Reno.
People that still care about this stuff have strong preferences and I enjoy discussing it.