Having problems trimming planes (mainly nose trim)

[Raven Morpheus]

Hello

Been playing IL2 1946 on and off for a few years now, I'm not particularly good though, but one thing that really bothers me is the way planes climb all the time, especially the F4 Corsair and also the Hurricane, and thus require trimming on the nose to achieve a level flight. I spend the majority of my time trying to trim the nose up or down or just not bothering and trying to maintain a level flight with my joystick.

For my main flight controls I use a Thrustmaster T Flight Hotas X joystick.


Most of the problem is that I cannot find a device to trim the nose with properly.

I have tried using my mouse wheel but that never gives me a neutral trim (i.e. the plane flies dead level) it's always either slightly up or slightly down.

I've also tried connecting a PS3 pad via the MotionInJoy drivers and setting one of the analog sticks (as an axis towards the bottom of the list of controls in-game) to set the nose trim but upon trying it I found that the trim would work but as soon as I let go of the analog stick the trim always reset itself, so essentially I had to keep the analog stick held in the same way as I would the joystick I fly with.


Is there any way with either the mouse wheel or a PS3 pad analog stick that I can get the nose trim control to work properly?

Any tips or help on this would be greatly appreciated, I'd rather not have to spend money on buying a separate trim control panel (I'm thinking of the GoFlight panel) or building one myself.

Many thanks.

[Woke Up Dead]

I don't think there is a way to trim a plane in such a way that you don't need input from the joystick, not even a trim panel would help you. I believe that even if you did manage to trim a stable plane perfectly, after a few minutes it would be lighter due to burned up fuel, causing it to fly faster, necessitating a downward trim adjustment.

[JtD]

I agree, perfect trim is practically impossible. I'm using the keyboard, which work OK for me.

[Woke Up Dead]

You probably know this already, but most bombers have a key for perfectly level flight for high altitude bombing.

[MaxGunz]

Trim the stab as much as you can just on the high side then nudge the power a bit down.

Are you keeping an eye on slip?

[Raven Morpheus]

Trim the stab as much as you can just on the high side then nudge the power a bit down.

Are you keeping an eye on slip?


Stupid question but what's slip?

Also, as I'm not up to speed on the terminology used in this sim (or real world flying) can I take it you mean trim the nose so it's slightly climbing and then back off the power?


I tried the keyboard the other day, I admit I forgot I could use the keyboard, and it did provide slightly better adjustment.

It would be nice to get the plane so I don't keep porpoising because I'm constantly trimming it up or down, especially seeing as the AI always seem to be able to fly straight and level, so I'd like to know if there is anyway to get accurate trim on a fighter without having to buy a bespoke trim control or DIY it.


@Woke up dead - do you mean the Level Autopilot function? I rarely use bombers anyway so that's not much use to me, unless it works in fighters, but I don't want autopilot having control of a plane that wouldn't have had autopilot in the first place.

I guess I'm just stuck porpoising all over the place.

[fruitbat]

I have always found that trimming planes at high power settings is much harder than at cruise settings. in my experience, most planes will trim out pretty nice at lower power settings (pitch and power)....

[MaxGunz]

Slip is when your plane is not pointing where it's going side-to-side. It's what the smiley curve with the ball in it tells you you have, though in a Spit it's a needle down on the lower right of the instrument panel.

Slip makes drag, it slows you down. If you're in slip when you stall, you spin. Slip will throw your shots off to one side.

You fix slip with rudder, hence the term "step on the ball".

[fruitbat]

You fix slip with rudder, hence the term "step on the ball".

and rudder trim on planes that have it

[Raven Morpheus]

I have always found that trimming planes at high power settings is much harder than at cruise settings. in my experience, most planes will trim out pretty nice at lower power settings (pitch and power)....

This is obviously something else I need to learn. Did I say I'm not particularly good at the game. :grin:

Whatever plane I fly (currently I'm in careers with the Hurricane in Singapore/Battle of Britain mod and the F4 Corsair in the Pacific) I stick the pitch at 100% and power at 100%, and I can only just about keep up with my AI flight team.

Oddly I've done OK up until now, I wasn't too bothered about trim, but it's becoming a pain in the proverbial (arm and wrist mostly) to keep the plane on a sort of level flight and keep on correcting it with the joystick, I'm just looking for an easier time of it when not in combat.

Are there any recommended pitch/power settings for each plane?

Slip is when your plane is not pointing where it's going side-to-side. It's what the smiley curve with the ball in it tells you you have, though in a Spit it's a needle down on the lower right of the instrument panel.

Slip makes drag, it slows you down. If you're in slip when you stall, you spin. Slip will throw your shots off to one side.

You fix slip with rudder, hence the term "step on the ball".

Hmm I think I get what you mean, you're going forward but also sideways. But once I'm off the ground and en-route to target I don't generally use a lot of rudder, if any. Any idea where that particular dial is on the Corsair/Hurricane?

[fruitbat]

Hurricane, its the bottom right dial on the main panel, and its the needle that points vertical. Vertical is no slip, left and right= slip.

Corsair, its in the centre bottom of the main panel, and its a ball in a tube which is curved like a smile, ball in centre = no slip.

With a well trimmed plane, you will fly a faster, and actually don't need as high power settings, as if you are not trimmed.

you can also use your climb indicators to check you are trimmed out level as well.

You can actually practise flying a plane with just trim, if you go in the qmb, with no enemy, its possible to turn and climb and descend just with elevator and rudder trim, without even having to use your stick.

[zipper]

As a minor clarification, a slip is when the nose points one way (let's say to the right) while the direction of travel is the other (this would then be to the left), simply described as too little rudder (usually while banking/turning). A skid is the opposite situation where the nose leads the direction of travel ,simply described as too much rudder.

Slips (cross-controlling ... say, left aileron and right rudder) are a good way too reduce speed or steepen descents.

And that is how the SLIP/SKID indicator was born ...

Simply a parenthetical post.

[MaxGunz]

You can be in slip when flying straight.

The wash from the prop spirals around the plane and strikes the rudder which changes with speed and power settings. Unadjusted, it will tilt your wings and put you in slip. Use rudder (foot or trim) to fix it, leave the ailerons alone unless you -have- to trim them. Rudder alone should do.

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A lot of new to not so new players have a hard time catching up to the AI on missions. Simple reason is that when they take off, flaps and gear up and get to 220-240 they put their nose up to follow the last AI who was climbing before you took off.

That puts your nose high at low speed, you will be forever getting anywhere.

Put your nose down, stay level (watch the VSI if need) and build up 320kph (200 mph) before you begin your climb. It takes no time compared to the other way. Climb shallow till you get to 360kph and then climb as you need to keep that speed. Once you are co-alt with your flight, try not to flash past them.

[MaxGunz]

And if you have a spare hat on your stick, set elevator trim keys to hat up-down and rudder trim to hat left-right. Then if you are holding forward stick, trim nose down with the hat even as you ease back on the stick while maintaining your path.