Author Topic: P-38 pull? (Read 437 times)

Rollins · « **on:** January 18, 2007, 11:07:46 PM »

There are plenty of 38 flyers who are on here that I'm sure will solve this for me-
I upped a 38 a little bit back and noticed right away that it pulls upand slightly left if I leave the stick alone in level flight. Stick's calibrated, dead area and all and I don't have this problem with the other planes I've flown. Usually I am up in a Hellcat, Hurri or 51 and haven't noticed this. Tried several flights and I'm always fighting the stick in level flight when I'm not on auto.

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2007, 04:56:16 AM »

make sure you're ailerons are trimmed.

ack-ack

Schatzi · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2007, 05:11:08 AM »

Aside from Trim, check flaps.

Also, if you take only one droptank in the 38, it will still have it under the wing, that means the center of gravity shifts and the plane handles "assymetrically".

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2007, 12:24:24 PM »

Flaps aren't going to make the plane pull in a direction if they are deployed with the exception missing a flap due to battle damage.

If he did have two drop tanks and pickled one of them to throw off the planes balance so to speak, all he would need to do is to trim out the ailerons to compensate.

Or if he's too lazy to use manual trim, combat trim would help him as it would keep the ailerons trimmed for his given speed.

ack-ack

Schatzi · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2007, 12:47:34 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
Flaps aren't going to make the plane pull in a direction if they are deployed with the exception missing a flap due to battle damage.

If he did have two drop tanks and pickled one of them to throw off the planes balance so to speak, all he would need to do is to trim out the ailerons to compensate.

Or if he's too lazy to use manual trim, combat trim would help him as it would keep the ailerons trimmed for his given speed.

ack-ack

Ack-Ack, he mentioned a nose high tendency, hence my suggestion of flaps.

As for Combat trim: It does NOT take into account flap settings or weight imbalances (such as an off center DT). So manually trimming the ailerons/rudder would be the only way making up for that with trim.

Ack-Ack · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2007, 03:49:57 PM »

it doesn't sound like the problem is the flaps though. It just seems that he's not trimmed properly. he described an upward pull, slightly to the left and that at least to me, sounds like he needs to trim his plane.

ack-ack

Murdr · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2007, 04:03:24 PM »

Its the combat trim doing that. It does not account for the off-center drop tank, and combat trim is biased nose high at slower speeds in the 38. A single drop tank will pull you to the left, and you'll also tend to nose up after take-off, with CT engaged.

If you turn off combat trim, and run level for a few seconds with autopilot on, your 38 would be properly trimmed.

Rollins · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2007, 08:51:46 PM »

It was the CT, thanks all.