Joystick question

[badhorse]

Is anyone using the Thrustmaster HOTAS WARTHOG joystick?  If so I am curious as to what your thoughts are.  It comes with split throttles. I would think that would come in very handy when turning a 110.  How would they work on a 4 engined plane.
Any info would be appreciated. I am considering getting one.
thanks

[Shuffler]

Split throttles are ok but not what you'd think. On the 38 they are no help except in a couple of situations.

[DMGOD]

Split throttles are ok but not what you'd think. On the 38 they are no help except in a couple of situations.

split throttles make for very pretty hammer heads and slightly tighter turns

[Noir]

split throttle is best used with RPM's IMO

[badhorse]

Split throttles are ok but not what you'd think. On the 38 they are no help except in a couple of situations.

This is a bit surprising. I would think say chopping #1 engine throttle while turning left would zip you around in a hurry.  Maybe not so much in a 38 because of the counter-rotating props.

[hitech]

This is a bit surprising. I would think say chopping #1 engine throttle while turning left would zip you around in a hurry.  Maybe not so much in a 38 because of the counter-rotating props.

Lift makes you turn. Thrust makes more lift. Engines make thrust. So cutting 1 engine makes less turn.

HiTech

[Ardy123]

Lift makes you turn. Thrust makes more lift. Engines make thrust. So cutting 1 engine makes less turn.

HiTech

Generally speaking, HiTech is correct, unless you are cutting throttle to get to a specific speed, such as corner speed or the speed at which your flaps drop. It depends on what your after, max dps or turn radius.

Cutting 1 engine might make more yaw though. Also, make sure you are coordinating your turns, look at the 'ball' in the turn & bank indicator.

[FLS]

This is a bit surprising. I would think say chopping #1 engine throttle while turning left would zip you around in a hurry.  Maybe not so much in a 38 because of the counter-rotating props.

You're probably thinking you could use one engine to pivot but they're too close to the centerline to do that at any kind of speed and if you could pivot the airplane you wouldn't pivot your momentum. When you go up and your speed drops to around 50 MPH you can pivot on one engine but you can also do it just with the rudders. That's what dmgod meant by hammerheads, I don't know why he thinks you can turn a little tighter. You can also use dual throttles to have some fun with spin control.

With 4 engines you could only control 2 at a time but you could swap which engine a throttle was controlling.

[Ack-Ack]

This is a bit surprising. I would think say chopping #1 engine throttle while turning left would zip you around in a hurry.

 
You are not going to have an advantage in using a duel throttle against someone that isn't using one, for all practical purposes it's just not going to give you the 'edge'.  It does help with making some really pretty Hammerheads and does help in recovering from certain spin situations and increases the immersion factor.

When I first startd AH, I used a Suncom duel throttle for a bit and ended up going back to my Pro Throttle because there was no real measurable benefit other than what I mentioned above.


ack-ack

[Reschke]

Is anyone using the Thrustmaster HOTAS WARTHOG joystick?  If so I am curious as to what your thoughts are.  It comes with split throttles. I would think that would come in very handy when turning a 110.  How would they work on a 4 engined plane.
Any info would be appreciated. I am considering getting one.
thanks

Yes I have one and yes its great...I don't fly many/if any twin or multi engine a/c in this game so I can't help you. HOWEVER in A-10C and Flaming Cliffs....it is really a cool option to chop one throttle all the way back and still fly on a single engine if needed.

[Delirium]

split throttles make for very pretty hammer heads and slightly tighter turns

This is a re-post of something I posted before.

Dual throttle control in the P38 is only good in certain circumstances, such as;

1. Throttling down one engine to compensate for a missing wing, you can fly straight and level with this.

2. Great hammerheads, you can really squeeze every last bit of energy out of the plane and can reverse very quickly.

3. Immersion (AKAK quote).

4. Spin recovery.

5. Making great donuts on the runway.

6. Out of plane, last ditch efforts (cut one engine and roll it hard).

[Tigger29]

This is a bit surprising. I would think say chopping #1 engine throttle while turning left would zip you around in a hurry.  Maybe not so much in a 38 because of the counter-rotating props.

Skuzzy is right.  If you're flying straight and level and simply chop #1 engine down to idle, the nose will move maybe 2 degrees to the left and then stay there.  Even though only the #2 engine is providing thrust, the plane is still going to want to go straight.  At most you might get a very little bit of a 'veering' to the left but that's all.

Think of it like a sailboat.  They can sail in other directions than just what the wind is blowing.  You can angle the sail to take advantage of the wind's direction, but the boat is still going to go in the direction you steer it (with the exception of directly into the wind).  A plane is no different except wind is the fluid instead of water.

When I got my split throttle I was excited to see what I could do with it, but to be honest it really doesn't make that much of a difference.  Yes it can help to 'push you over the edge' if you're already near stalling and trying to hammerhead around but in most cases I've found the loss of thrust to be more detrimental then anything that could be gained by using only one engine.

[Shuffler]

split throttles make for very pretty hammer heads and slightly tighter turns

Hammerhead may be slightly easier..... tighter turns... no. You may feel your turning sharper but your not.

[badhorse]

I'm wondering if the minor flight changes in chopping a throttle in the game is due more to the flight model of the rudder in AH than it is to changing the thrust vector.
From discussions in other posts, it seems that there is almost (almost mind you) an auto-rudder in the game. Most turns can be made "feet on the floor". In other words, with very little or no rudder input.
It has been years since I flew a twin engine airplane in the RW, but I can remember it took a fair amount of boot to counteract the dead engine.
In any case, thanks for the input. It has been an interesting read.

[Shuffler]

I'm wondering if the minor flight changes in chopping a throttle in the game is due more to the flight model of the rudder in AH than it is to changing the thrust vector.
From discussions in other posts, it seems that there is almost (almost mind you) an auto-rudder in the game. Most turns can be made "feet on the floor". In other words, with very little or no rudder input.
It has been years since I flew a twin engine airplane in the RW, but I can remember it took a fair amount of boot to counteract the dead engine.
In any case, thanks for the input. It has been an interesting read.

You can make a ballanced turn feet on the floor. If your too fast or too slow for the turn your making you will gain or lose alt in the game.

I can't imagine how they could make the flight characteristics any closer without selling actuators for your chair.