I don’t know if you received an answer to your question. I hope this helps. In the arenas as it now stands, AH has turned off Wind. So a cross wind blowing you towards the side of the runway is not an issue. If you are lined up for a landing and the aircraft is drifting , it may be that you are applying rudder, or dropping a wing or P Factor.
In landings, Pilots use power to control Altitude, you need to go up, add power, you need to go down, reduce power. While the stick controls airspeed. Push the stick forward the aircraft speeds up, Pull back on the stick and the airspeed slows down. The object is to land (touch down) at the end of the runway at the slowest possible airspeed and still maintain directional control of the aircraft.
With high horse power aircraft and just about all military aircraft of WWII were high horse power. P Factor may be a problem. P-Factor is an aerodynamic effect that causes propeller-driven planes to yaw when they are flown at high power and low speed (takeoff and climb out, for example, or carrying to much power when landing.)
You may be applying rudder, causing the aircraft to slip or skid . Rudder can be used effetely to slow an aircraft, also to lose altitude without gaining speed. It’s known as slipping an aircraft to a landing.
A combination of controls, flaps, rudder, power setting can be used to get the desired performance out of the aircraft.
But for landings in AH with no wind, Approach the airfield about 1500 ft AGL. Fly a Left down wind leg. Down Wind leg is always parallel to the runway on which you intend to land but 180 degrees in the opposite direction, with the runway on your left side of the aircraft. The runway would appear to intersect your left wind half to ¾ of the way out. Reduce Power so that the aircraft airspeed is slowing towards your target approach speed. In AH, a rule of thumb target approach speed is 125 MPH. While on down wind, add no more then 20 % of flaps. Stabilize your airspeed and extend gear below 150 MPH.
Turn onto your Left Base Leg. This is a 90 degree descending turn to the left. Target airspeed is between 100 & 125 MPH. another notch of flaps. Don’t rush it. Don’t chase the airspeed, hold a constant attitude and it will yield a constant airspeed.
Turn onto your final approach course, this is another 90 degree descending turn to the left. Use roll the aircraft left or right to get alignment with runway, Use rudder for small alignment corrections. Target airspeed is &100 to 110 MPH. put on the rest of the flaps.
Use power to control your gliding descent to the end of the runway. Use your stick, nose up, nose down to control airspeed. Just before touch down, wings level, power to idle, and hold the aircraft just above the runway, as it tries to settle add back pressure on the stick.
