Just curious about the P-51 FM

[horseback]

Originally Posted by Woke Up Dead

Is this what happens when YOU fly the P-51? I get a better experience, and I'm probably just an above-average pilot in that plane.

The 109 is one of the easiest to fly and most stable to shoot with planes in the game, and the P-51 isn't. Once you get good with the P-51 though, you'll be able to out-fly and eventually shoot down any 109, even the G-2 and the K-4.

And historically, the Mustang was one of the easiest to fly (and land, in direct contrast to the 109) and stable to shoot with of all WWII aircraft.

The in-game trim requirements are much too high in all late-war US fighters; in the case of the Mustang, you need to make rudder and elevation adjustments (not an adjustment) for every 10kph of speed variation, which is more than 6kph more often than the RL P-40 actually needed (and the P-40 was easily the biggest trim hog in the US inventory by every account). Obviously that is several times more often than the in-game versions of the P-40.

The only thing that is consistent about the 'ball' in the game's Mustangs is that if you are flying anything but straight and level at constant speed, it will be wrong; switching from cockpit view to Wonder Woman, the Turn & Bank indicator will usually be contradicted by the vector ball, and the error is not consistent the way most other aircraft instruments are depicted--always to one side or the other--it can go either way, and it seems more a matter of the luck of the draw than the direction you are moving or how abruptly you are changing direction.

People who have mastered the Mustang in-game have done so through long hours of practice, many, many more than most other aircraft require and inversely proportional to the learning curve of the real thing in the context of high performance single engine aircraft of that era. While I recognize that effort and skill, and absolutely agree that you should be proud of it, it should never have been necessary.

It certainly isn't realistic.

cheers

horseback

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by horseback

And historically, the Mustang was one of the easiest to fly (and land, in direct contrast to the 109) and stable to shoot with of all WWII aircraft.

The in-game trim requirements are much too high in all late-war US fighters; in the case of the Mustang, you need to make rudder and elevation adjustments (not an adjustment) for every 10kph of speed variation, which is more than 6kph more often than the RL P-40 actually needed (and the P-40 was easily the biggest trim hog in the US inventory by every account). Obviously that is several times more often than the in-game versions of the P-40.

The only thing that is consistent about the 'ball' in the game's Mustangs is that if you are flying anything but straight and level at constant speed, it will be wrong; switching from cockpit view to Wonder Woman, the Turn & Bank indicator will usually be contradicted by the vector ball, and the error is not consistent the way most other aircraft instruments are depicted--always to one side or the other--it can go either way, and it seems more a matter of the luck of the draw than the direction you are moving or how abruptly you are changing direction.

People who have mastered the Mustang in-game have done so through long hours of practice, many, many more than most other aircraft require and inversely proportional to the learning curve of the real thing in the context of high performance single engine aircraft of that era. While I recognize that effort and skill, and absolutely agree that you should be proud of it, it should never have been necessary.

It certainly isn't realistic.

cheers

horseback

The new P-40 flight model requires plenty of trim now... more like the test reports although I'm not sure if by the numbers or not. Hopefully if the Mustang FM gets a once over we'll see that need to re-trim diminish and it'll be a more pilot friendly type than it is right now.

I will say that it is very easy to land in-game. One of the easiest in its year range for sure. I still have some difficulty fighting in it which is another matter.

[horseback]

Originally Posted by IceFire

The new P-40 flight model requires plenty of trim now... more like the test reports although I'm not sure if by the numbers or not. Hopefully if the Mustang FM gets a once over we'll see that need to re-trim diminish and it'll be a more pilot friendly type than it is right now.

I will say that it is very easy to land in-game. One of the easiest in its year range for sure. I still have some difficulty fighting in it which is another matter.

I've spent a few hours in the P-40 series since 4.12 came out and have noticed that it does need more trimming to get the most out of it (as well as addressing the performance of the M version vs the E).

However, as both stand, the Tomahawk/Warhawk series still require less constant adjustment of down elevator-down elevator-down elevator-down elevator-right rudder-right rudder-right rudder then up elevator-up elevator-left rudder, ahh, that's got it--!???!--bloody hell!--down elevator-down elevator- ad infinitum of the Mustang series.

Of course, the iconic Grumman F6F is even worse; God only knows what the Northrup Black Widow would have been treated like...

cheers

horseback

[MaxGunz]

Rudder trim is because propwash torque on the tail changes with speed, engine, and prop settings. Below a certain speed you need rudder to one side and above you need rudder to the other. They joked that Hartmann walked in circles because one leg was stronger from holding rudder at high speed.
The stabilizer is offset to make 0 rudder needed at cruise speed which helps reduce heaver low speed propwash torque, if you don't have rudder trim you get to move the pedals instead. If you do have trim then complain about that. Step on the ball instead.