109 elevator trim

[Sven]

Originally Posted by Osprey

2. Was it possible to apply it in combat, easily or normally?

I did not find a reference in my quick search for the trim in combat but I did found this:

Me 109 E:
"Stalling speeds on the glide are 75 mph flaps up, and 61 mph flaps down. Lowering the flaps makes the ailerons feel heavier and slightly less effective, and causes a marked nose-down pitching moment, readily corrected owing to the juxtaposition of trim and flap operating wheels. If the engine is opened up to simulate a baulked landing with flaps and undercarriage down, the airplane becomes tail-heavy but can easily be held with one hand while trim is adjusted. Normal approach speed is 90 mph. At speeds above 100 mph, the pilot has the impression of diving, and below 80 mph one of sinking. At 90 mph the glide path is reasonably steep and the view fairly good. Longitudinally the airplane is markedly stable, and the elevator heavier and more responsive than is usual in single-seater fighters. These features add considerably to the ease of approach. Aileron effectiveness is adequate; the rudder is sluggish for small movements.
(Landing) This is more difficult than on the Hurricane I or Spitfire I. Owing to the high ground attitude, the airplane must be rotated through a large angle before touchdown, and this requires a fair amount of skill. If a wheel landing is done the left wing tends to drop just before touchdown, and if the ailerons are used to lift it, they snatch, causing over-correction. The brakes can be applied immediately after touchdown without fear of lifting the tail. The ground run is short, with no tendency to swing. View during hold-off and ground run is very poor, and landing at night would not be easy."
- RAF Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) Farnborough handling trials,Bf.109E Wn: 1304. M.B. Morgan and R. Smelt of the RAE, 1944.

Knowing this, it must've been possible to apply it in combat while controlling the plane with the other hand.

EDIT:

Me 109 G:
"Sarantola recalled that the MT was a very stable plane, but not the most maneuverable. The stick forces were quite large and elevator trim was used quite frequently while maneuvering.
MT was easy to fly and overall a safe plane. Flying and landing was easy."
- Olli Sarantola, Finnish fighter pilot. Source: Blitz '01 - Meeting With The Veterans by Finnish Virtual Pilots Association.

There you go, it was used frequently according to this fighter pilot!

[Varrattu]

For a DIYS-Flap-setting-indicator on Bf109 please have look:

http://forum.sturmovik.de/index.php/topic,835.0.html

Translation:

http://translate.google.de/translate...c%2C835.0.html

Happy landings

Varrattu

[Robo.]

Originally Posted by Sven

There you go, it was used frequently according to this fighter pilot!

True, as it should be to ease and neutralize forces on the stick (which we don't really have on our plastic joysticks). Reading a bit more about Finnish pilots, while you mention it, elevator trim was extremely important - remember the story of this pilot who got himself almost killed because he forgot to trim his plane correctly (G-2) before entering the dive. The response was nowhere as fast and this should be modelled in the sim. Same for Spitfires / Hurricanes, of course...