Manual Trim Help

[Zaphod]

Hi guys,

I've been playing now for a while and the one thing that I really can't get is the use of manual trim.  I have pretty much always used combat trim in all planes and have read that manual trim is much better in certain rides ie. the P38.  I've seen many posts on the use of it but I still don't get it exactly.  When I try to use it I normally wind up so outta trim that I have to hit combat trim to fix it lol.

My question is this, what do I trim the plane for?  Do I trim it for level flight at all times, for example when I drop flaps in a 38 do I want the plane to fly level hands off no matter what the flap settings and speed?  How do I tell if it's trimmed for level flight in the middle of a turnfight.  I mean I may enter the fight at 300 knts with no flaps and then quickly wind up at 150 with full flaps and then bam right back to say 200 with some flaps.  During this time I am almost never in level flight and it's hard for me to tell how the plane is actually trimmed out.

Any assistance, hints, tips etc would be greatly appreciated.

Zaphod

[humble]

1st off....trim is vastly over rated...

In real life trim works to minimize the pilots work load...technically the trim should not do anything accept minimize the control input needed....now in AH it does appear that the trim actually increases travel and/or allows control input when the larger control surfaces are "locked up"...so trim comes into play in primarily two ways...at high speed...where certain planes (109 & 38) come to mind...where you literally have to fly the plane using trim under extreme conditions...and at the edge of the stall envelope where your looking for any additional lift...either to get "over the top"...or pull that last degree or two of lead for a shot...

The primary trim to focus on (IMO) is the elevator trim...I'd worry less about the other two...the exception to this is flying cripples...if your missing a wing tip...trimming out the plane across all three surfaces can make a big difference.

The problem with combat trim is that it lags behind and is often fighting against you...personally I'd recommend leveling and auto trimming for 300 at some point on your "climb out" and then leaving it alone...map the elevator trim to your stick if you canor learn the keyboard commands and then play with that one setting in loops turns and high speed dives.

[Sway]

Hes right Zaphod, trimming doesn't do anything really.  I am not best in 38, but I can hold my own WITHOUT using manual trim.  The only time I really use it is when pulling out of a dive, then I slap combat trim back on.

[Horn]

Originally posted by Zaphod
When I try to use it I normally wind up so outta trim that I have to hit combat trim to fix it lol.

You can just hit the "X" (or w/cntrl, alt) to trim the plane out and go right back to manual trimming.

h

[Zaphod]

I appreciate the info everyone.  I'll keep trying....it helps everyone's score if I do lol.

Zap

[Ack-Ack]

When I fly the P-38, I only mess with the elevator trim since there's no reason to mess with the aileron or rudder trim.  And really the only time I adjust the elevator trim is to keep the trim in the appriximate neutral area.  I never use combat trim in the P-38.


ack-ack

[bozon]

there are 2 problems I notice when using the combat trim:

1. I get the elevator locked without warning.
When you dive, as the speed increases, the combat trim keeps trimming you forward. When you hit the compression you are already fully forward trimmed and need a long slow pullout trimming it back manually. If I have combat trim off, I'll be pushing the stick to keep the plane in a dive and get a quicker pullout.

2. Burning more E.
In turns, as I loose speed, the combat trim will trim me backwards and backwards. This means that I'm actually increasing the angle of attack even though I keep my stick at a constant position.
I suppose this is more of a personal feeling, but I have less controll of me E this way.

Both effects are on the player and not the flight model. you won't get any better preformance from trimming as far as I can tell.

Bozon