AH vs R/L planes

[Debrody]

Two questions have flashed into my mind.

-How was the WW2 planes prop pitch control working? In AH, you just set an rpm and your prop pitch is changing constantly to maintain that, only limited by the engine power (at low very low speeds) and the highest angle of the prop pitch (the prop is forced to hit higher rpms at very high speeds than its wep rpm)

-The stall. Im not a R/L pilot, in fact, i have never been flying or been on an aeroplane in flight, therefore i cannot imagine the feeling when the aircraft stalls. Could a R/L pilot explain this for me?

Thanks!

[colmbo]

Prop control works as in AH. You set desired RPM and the governor will maintain that RPM within the limits of the pitch stops for the prop. You set it and then forget it.

What a stall feels like depends on the aircraft and the type of stall (slow deceleration, accelerated, power on, power off). Generally you'll get some kind of aerodynamic warning (buffet), you'll notice control sloppiness in case of slow deceleration low speed stall and might notice changes in wind/airframe noise.

Slow deceleration...

In a Cessna a gentle buffet followed by a nose drop, pretty docile.

In a Mustang definite buffet then sharp left wing drop at the break.

B-24 you get minimal buffet around 85 mph IAS.  Additional aft stick will not cause noticeable pitch increase. If you continue to slow buffeting of ailerons that can be violent enough to snatch yoke out of hands.

B-17 very noticeable buffet well above stall speed with gentle nose drop at the stall.  If not coordinated you'll get wing drop, if you try to use aileron to pick up wing airplane will roll sharply opposite aileron input, incipient spin.


Go to your local airport flight school and go for an intro flight, ask them to demonstrate a stall.

[Brooke]

One other thing, when the stall happens, it feels like when, on a rollercoaster, you drop down one of the hills (i.e., "the bottom falls out" sort of feeling).

[DurrD]

This is one of the ways in which the FW-190 was a much better fighter plane in real life than it gets credit for in AH many times.  The FW-190 had fully automated single lever control for throttle, prop, ignition timing, supercharger boost, and mixture.  This was way ahead of its time, as many modern planes still do not have this.  Needless to say, not having to worry about that in combat would have been huge.  The FW-190 had several advantages like this in real life that do not translate well to AH, since it is not a comparative advantage, as all airplanes effectively have it.

[Karnak]

This is one of the ways in which the FW-190 was a much better fighter plane in real life than it gets credit for in AH many times.  The FW-190 had fully automated single lever control for throttle, prop, ignition timing, supercharger boost, and mixture.  This was way ahead of its time, as many modern planes still do not have this.  Needless to say, not having to worry about that in combat would have been huge.  The FW-190 had several advantages like this in real life that do not translate well to AH, since it is not a comparative advantage, as all airplanes effectively have it.

Note that was the case for the BMW engined models of the Fw190 only.

[ink]

One other thing, when the stall happens, it feels like when, on a rollercoaster, you drop down one of the hills (i.e., "the bottom falls out" sort of feeling).

thats what it felt like the entire time I was in the plane I flew....

a tiny little movement on the stick and my stomach was like woaaaaa

besides the stick not self centering and rudder peddles being very stiff,and the roller coaster stomach feeling.... flying the real plane was exactly like AH...never flew a plane...let alone been in one except as an infant....it was quite easy to fly the plane.

and one of the greatest days of my life.

[DurrD]

Correct, only the BMW radials had this single lever control feature, not the Doras.

[aztec]

This is one of the ways in which the FW-190 was a much better fighter plane in real life than it gets credit for in AH many times.  The FW-190 had fully automated single lever control for throttle, prop, ignition timing, supercharger boost, and mixture.  This was way ahead of its time, as many modern planes still do not have this.  Needless to say, not having to worry about that in combat would have been huge.  The FW-190 had several advantages like this in real life that do not translate well to AH, since it is not a comparative advantage, as all airplanes effectively have it.

Interesting info DurrD, I had no Idea about this.

[Debrody]

Thanks! 

[GScholz]

Note that was the case for the BMW engined models of the Fw190 only.

All 190s and 109s (late-109Es onward) had single lever control for throttle and prop rpm, plus automatic fuel mixture. The Kommandogerät on the 190 was especially advanced though.

[GScholz]

When trimmed for combat and with everything set to automatic the 109 and 190 were completely HOTAS. With two notable exceptions: Changing trim (for example when diving fast) and engaging/disengaging MW-50 injection (a button on the dash). Both requited the use of the pilot's left hand.

[colmbo]

Here's video of a 1g stall in the Mustang.

[save]

In the highwing ultralight I've piloting most, the Eurocub, buffeting is very pronounced and stalls are  abrupt.
If you try to counter the stall with rudder, you will find yourself almost inverted immediately.

[Citabria]

I can only speak for the warbird trainer SNJ texans stall behavior as the closest thing to warbirds stall behavior I have gotten to fly...

coordinated rudder plays a huge part in the stall behavior of the texan.

straight and level coordinated power on or off the stall can be gentle and the nose simply drops forward. BUT...

if you enter a stall in an uncoordinated state or in a turn uncoordinated you will get wing drop very noticable as the plane stalls.

there is some buffet and you can feel it coming and recover easily but if you ham fist it you could end up nearly upside down at the beginning of a spin in a nose down angle.

this is how people die in t6 texans on a regular basis. if they attempt a roll at too low an airspeed and altitude or a base to final turn in a skid and exceed the critical angle of attack on one wing before the other the NTSB gets involved and there ussually are no survivors in the texan.

[pembquist]

Real planes also have a puke factor.  Pretty much I know I'm in trouble if I break a sweat.