BF109 climbs without any joystick input

[Pist-N-Broke]

Originally Posted by Winger

Yes. You have to adjust the trim everytime you hop into a new plane. Who knows. Maybe tomorrows patch fixes that.

Winger

Like most aircraft, the speed you fly at determines how much lift the wings and control surfaces make. For example, you can trim an aircraft for cruise settings so that it almost flies hands off. But when you start being a throttle jockey you throw all the trim out, and aerodynamic flight loads start to build up in the controls.

Now the fun part... The bf 109's NEVER had rudder trim, except for a crude metal tab that was bendable on the ground, which was usually bent for cruise speed. 109 pilots just had to put up with always applying rudder to counteract the engine torque / speed during combat. And in combat, having a well trimmed A/C is the least of a fighter pilots problems.

However I remember reading about Pappy Boyington (Baa Baa Black Sheep VMF-214 fame) flying Corsairs in the pacific, and getting the A/C so finely trimmed and using rigged up rubber bands and string on the joystick so that it nearly flew like it was on an autopilot, so a pilot could catch a nap on long flights. And if the sleeping pilot started to drift off course his wingman would give him a wake up call over the radio.