A6M5b Elevator Trim

[AirFlyer]

I've been using manual trim recently with some mixed results, though it has saved me from a few compression. But now I'm curious if elevator trim can give any sort of turning advantage in an A6M5b. This might seem like over-kill in a Zeke but when against an other A6M I want to be able to use everything at my disposal to get more out of my plane.

So long story short is, can using elevator trim make an A6M5b turn better?

[olskool2]

You may get a slight increase in turning radius, but it probably won't be anything fight deciding at such low speeds. Besides, it's probably more likely to hurt you by making your gun platform (plane) less stable than with combat trim.

If you want to tighten your turns up, especially in slow TnBs, try beginning by using the throttle more, as holding your plane at full throttle hinders most planes more than pilots realize.

[WMLute]

As has been stated over and over.

Manually trimming your plane will not make it turn faster"

[Steve]

As has been stated over and over.

Manually trimming your plane will not make it turn faster"

Yes, Mtnman has a very comprehensive write up just recently in another thread regarding this. You are right that manual ele trin can save you from compression but it will not give you a turning advantage. However, leaving your combat trim off, WILL give you a turning advantage, especially as you get slow. 

[CAP1]

As has been stated over and over.

Manually trimming your plane will not make it turn faster"

i never leave auto trim on, i feel it fighting me when i get slow.....especially in the p38.. in the 38, i also do feel as i can get around a bit faster if i trim full up. only other ride i've tried that in was the hurri2, while i was turning with a zeke. i didn't survive long enough to feel if it helped or not

[2bighorn]

As has been stated over and over.

Manually trimming your plane will not make it turn faster"

Yes and no. In few cases it can help tighten turn radius (at certain speeds), better control response (stick push at slow speeds, torque control, etc), and in some cases make airplane do what suppose not to be possible.

In AH1 combat trim was nearly instantaneous, it made no sense, except at higher speeds for select planes, adjusting trim manually.

AH2 is different. Combat trim is slower. Furthermore, in some cases it is used to simulate control heaviness at high speeds for some rides and with manual trim you get performance which historically wasn't there.


That said, manual trim won't make you fly better until you're good enough to squeeze maximum out of your plane. Even then, you won't have time to trim plane during combat (at least in most cases). Usually you'd adjust your trim before entering fight for specific speed range. That would mean, your ride might not perform best in all regimes.

So, in short, leave the manual trim for now, unless you are looking for that extra immersion.

[2bighorn]

So long story short is, can using elevator trim make an A6M5b turn better?

Alzheimer's, forgot to answer specific A6M5b question 

Yes at higher speeds up to the pilot's G limit and structural strength (wings can rip off). Once bellow 250 or so, no it won't help you at all.

[DoNKeY]

Alzheimer's, forgot to answer specific A6M5b question 

Yes at higher speeds up to the pilot's G limit and structural strength (wings can rip off). Once bellow 250 or so, no it won't help you at all.

Boss you still flying?  Haven't seen you in ages.

[2bighorn]

Boss you still flying?  Haven't seen you in ages.

I do, just not as much as I used to.

[WMLute]

If your plane is compressed, or near compressed, yes, manual trim will help you in a turn.

In certain situations, turning Off combat trim also helps you out.

BUT to be clear what we are discussing, manually trimming the plane does not increase the planes maximum turning ability.

i.e. you won't turn tighter in a stall fight because you manually trimmed.

[2bighorn]

manually trimming the plane does not increase the planes maximum turning ability.

It does for certain planes at certain speeds. Try to merge in a Ki-84 at 300-350mph with combat trim on and then with manually trimmed elevator and you'll see the difference.
Advantage won't last long, but tighter lead turn often means enough gain in angles to win the fight.

you won't turn tighter in a stall fight because you manually trimmed.

I didn't say that.

[FireDragon]

We were discussing this in another thread...... manually trimming the plane absolutely will help u turn better with flaps....compared to someone who does not manually trim....... the reason Combat trim overrides the flaps...    So in the a6m5 if it gets to were u need the flaps u want to already have your plane trimmed out..... I have flown the a6m5 extensively there are very few pilots that are going to give you a fight were u get into a flap situation... I have only ever needed it a6m5 against a6m2....

The real trick is making sure the other pilot is in a flap situation "with" u or he is just going to nose down for a second or two then take the fight vertical. Which is were most fights are going to start and finish with a6m the good sticks will not turn with an a6m...it always ends up i the vertical..

If you want to win fights in the a6m against most other planes you have to get the over shoot. and get them on the rope.   When you start getting compliments like  " thats the fastest zeke ive ever seen" or "how fast were you going at the merge"  you know your getting there....


It doesnt have any thing to do with manually trimming the plane you guys are answering the wrong question.. it has to do with turning Combat trim off so it does not negate the flaps. number one and number two combat trim is not instant and does not work well at high speeds and low speeds read the HTC web site on combat trim.

[WMLute]

explain exactly what you mean about CT overiding flaps.

i'm lost.

[Murdr]

Ack-ack communicated poorly in that thread.  I was going to chime in, but a trainer had already posted with correct info.  Combat trim does not compensate for flaps or external loads.  It trims for X speed at a clean configuration.  If you are a X speed with flaps deployed, you will be turning when your joystick is centered rather than being relatively neutral (little or no pitch, yaw, or roll change).  This may be undesired for the pilot, but it does not negate anything as far as performance.  All CT effectively does is change the resting point of the virtual stick in the game in relation to the center point of your joystick.

There are reasons players may not want CT effectively fiddling with their control input in the background, but it is an issue ease and precision of controls to get the plane to perform exactly as desired.  It does not affect plane performance itself.  And again the only time manual trim can make a plane turn better is if you are going so fast, that the pilot cannot exert enough force on the stick to move the controls.

[2bighorn]

It does not affect plane performance itself.

Not quite true for some planes at some speeds.

For example, KI-84's CT trims the elevators down (bellow neutral) at speeds of 250mph and above, so you can't get full elevator deflection.
Above 330-340mph it doesn't matter since you'd hit the max G limits anyways, but bellow that, all the way down to about 250mph, you'd gain some. 250-300mph in particular, is very sweet spot for KI-84.

So in that speed range and for that plane it does affect turning performance.

I'm sure there are examples for other rides as well, either in terms of handling or performance itself.