A PA28 PLT HAS AN NMAC WITH A MURDY CAP-10 (A FRENCH IMPORT) 3 MI W OF NASHUA ARPT. IN HIS EVASIVE DIVE; HE MAY HAVE ENTERED THE CLASS D AIRSPACE OF ASH; NH.

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DEPARTED VFR FROM MHT ENRTE TO BED. WAS CLRED AT OR BELOW 2500 FT AND VECTORED 320 DEGS UPON DEPARTING RWY 35. I WAS HANDED TO MHT APCH. THE CTLR WAS SOUNDING FLUSTERED AND OVERWHELMED. I BELIEVE HE CONFUSED ME WITH ANOTHER ACFT THAT HAD DEPARTED. HE ISSUED THEM A HDG OF 240 DEGS AND ME 270 DEGS. I ACKNOWLEDGED 270 DEGS AND TURNED TO THAT HDG. MY DEST WAS ON A 175 DEG HDG; SO AFTER 5+ MI ON 270 DEGS; I XMITTED 'ACFT X STILL ON 270 DEGS.' CTLR SAID 'I HAD GIVEN YOU 240 DEGS.' (I BELIEVE IN CONFUSION WITH THE OTHER ACFT). I TURNED TO 240 DEGS. IN 2-3 MINS; I WAS ISSUED 'ON COURSE TO DEST.' THIS WAS APPROX 165 DEGS. THIS COURSE TAKES ME PRACTICALLY OVER ASH; WITH A CLASS D AIRSPACE UP TO 2700 FT. I REQUESTED OF MHT APCH; 'REQUEST CLB TO 2800 FT TO REMAIN WITH YOUR CTL OVER ASH AIRSPACE.' MHT RESPONDED; 'ALT AT YOUR DISCRETION.' I CONTINUED AT 2800 FT; PASSING ASH ABOUT 2-3 MI TO THE W AND AT THAT POINT JUST OUTSIDE MHT CLASS C AIRSPACE. AT THAT POINT; I OBSERVED A CAP-10 CONVERGING FROM 10 O'CLOCK POS. I IMMEDIATELY PITCHED DOWN AND BANKED L TO AVOID; POSSIBLY ENTERING 100 FT INTO ASH CLASS D AIRSPACE. AFTER THE CONFLICT PASSED; I RETURNED TO 2800 FT. I AM SURPRISED MHT APCH NEVER CALLED THE TFC. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A CASE OF A SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMED CTLR TRYING TO CTL B737 THROUGH C172 TFC.