Elevator trim

[Test Pilot 0]

Having only been flying for a couple days, I've come to realize that elevator trim is an extremely important element in maneuvering and when coordinated properly gives a tremendous boost. Is this accurate for WWI planes? Flying these planes is a whole new experience for me as Im used to "newer" warbirds and definitely takes some getting used to in order to fully command your plane!

[+Polovski 424]

Vast majority had no in flight trim. Some could be adjusted on the ground some, or rigged differently.

[Test Pilot 0]

Vast majority had no in flight trim. Some could be adjusted on the ground some, or rigged differently.

 

Hmm, then I got something crazy going on when I map the elevator trim to an axis! Just as I was getting used to flying with three hands! Thanks for the quick reply

Edited March 28, 2009 by Test Pilot

[+Polovski 424]

Sure they actually have trim in many of the FMs as many people prefer not to cope with the bad traits, so it's there for that reason, but realistically using it in combat will give you an unfair advantage and is not realistic.

[Test Pilot 0]

Best of both worlds then!

[Olham 164]

Test Pilot - did you put "elevator trim" on an axis of a stick (I understood so)?

 

You could better put it on two knobs or keys; and to trim, you either press the key several

times, or keep it pressed, until it's right. A good help therefor is the "horizon" instrument.

(I forgot, how they get activated - see: controls menue).

Edited March 29, 2009 by Olham

[Test Pilot 0]

Well I had it mapped to the prop pitch lever on my throttle quad; you could really get the plane to dance around the sky coordinating it with rudder and stick. But given that I learned few planes had this feature at the time, I'll probably just keep it historically accurate.

[Bletchley 8]

Hello Test Pilot,

 

Several of the Sopwith and Royal Aircraft Factory machines had a horizontal stabiliser trim (not quite the same as an elevator trim, but effectively the same): Sopwith Strutter, Sopwith Triplane, BE2, RE8, SE5. There was a 'trim wheel' in the pilot's cockpit, and I believe that it is there and can be seen working in at least some of the OFF models. I don't think pilots would have used it in combat, as the effect would not be great or instantaneous, and also mapping it to a lever on the throttle quad would, I think, probably give you too great a range of control - mapping it to key tab, as Olham said, would probably give you a more accurate feel for the historical use :)

 

Bletchley

Edited March 29, 2009 by Bletchley

[Olham 164]

Test Pilot - the WW1 pilots DID trims, but couldn't do it in mid air.

It was done with the ground crew. Now, why should you fly untrimmed?

As you don't have a ground crew, you can only do it in mid air, by pressing a related button,

until your trim is right. Not perfectly historical then, but the result is more like those pilots could have it.

So don't be ashamed to use it, I'd say.

[Test Pilot 0]

Ah okay. Some are kind of like adjusting the trim tabs on the FW190 then. Thanks for all the insights guys! One of the best aspects of OFF is all the history one learns.