Combat Trim and Shooting

[BnZs]

So I'm trying to make a practice of shutting my combat trim off in dogfighting, for greater stability in shooting, an area that always needs improvement. Is this a worthwhile exercise, or am I better off with the CT?

[Mar]

I always kept CT on. I hate trimming my plane, have to spend more time messing with it than even looking where I'm going. And then if speed or throttle changes, have to trim all over again. In combat is a little different, you're supposed to be fighting and leave trim alone, just use stick and throttle, but I just don't like my neutral position constantly changing on me. Maybe if I had a force feedback stick I'd squawk something different, but I don't, and I don't want one neither.

Bottom line, both options need practice to get used to, but I prefer to use CT in combat because the needed stick deflection will be the same every time as opposed to entering a fight at whatever the trim happens to be set at.

[Scca]

On till I hit 200 in a dog fight esp. in "flaps use heavy" fighters (F4U, F6F etc).  Flaps out, nose up and slowing CT is a real pain...  It really helps nose bounce in some rides.

on edit:  More discussion here
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,363363.0.html
and here
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,361024.0.html

[FLS]

If you scale your stick you want to be at your trim speed. CT can help with that.

[Scca]

If you scale your stick you want to be at your trim speed. CT can help with that.

How does stick scale effect CT?  Apples and oranges from what I understand

[Randy1]

I go with CT off all of the time.  In terms of shooting CT on or off is not a significant impact on my shooting as compared to all other aspect of making a shoot.  However, CT off does help get a good, solid line on heavy fighter bomb runs but again it is not a deal breaker to turn CT on.

CT off is better for me but I sure have no strong argument to support that.

[FLS]

How does stick scale effect CT?  Apples and oranges from what I understand

CT keeps you trimmed to your speed. This keeps your stick centered.  Stick centered or near center, depending on scaling curve, is where you get the most benefit from scaling.

[Scca]

CT keeps you trimmed to your speed. This keeps your stick centered.  Stick centered or near center, depending on scaling curve, is where you get the most benefit from scaling.

Scaling is the ratio of stick input to control surface reaction. At stick center, scaling has zero effect, zero. CT changes control surface deflection based on speed so there is no stick input needed at that speed to keep plane level in pitch and yaw.

Apples/oranges.

[bustr]

CT is a complicated issue in this game for it's efficacy.

For the P51D, CT off, slightly nose down trim makes using the flaps and shooting possible. The spit14 at 25-30k you need CT on to manage the beast. I have to use it for the 51D and P47 at those alts. Then diving so you don't lawn dart in a number of rides if you know you will be passing above 400 you need to turn it off.

Some rides at very slow speeds you need it off to mange the ride enough to even think about shooting.

[FLS]

Scaling is the ratio of stick input to control surface reaction. At stick center, scaling has zero effect, zero. CT changes control surface deflection based on speed so there is no stick input needed at that speed to keep plane level in pitch and yaw.

Apples/oranges.

Of course it doesn't affect the stationary stick.  We're talking about moving the stick to aim for gunnery. In fact if you're shooting while turning you can benefit more from scaling by trimming nose up since the stick will be closer to center.