The unique tail wheel of the MiG: A dream for taxiing, a nightmare for take off?

[Finkeren]

I love the new MiG (obviously) but the take off is giving me headache.

 

On one hand, the special spring loaded tail wheel, that automatically locks when you center the rudder, is a pilots dream when it comes to taxiing, and I find the MiG to be by far the easiest plane to taxi in the entire sim.

 

However, this simple system is also making take off extremely difficult. The heavy torque from the engine requires rudder correction almost from the get go, which releases the tail wheel and more often than not causes you to over-steer. The moment the tail wheel leaves the ground however, the effect is reversed and you're now all of a sudden under-steering. The effect is, that during take off I usually end up skidding violently to one side, and once I kinda refrain control I'm immediately flung to the other side and usually end up taking off rather unelegantly at a strange angle as if I was in strong crosswind.

 

I've found that trimming the rudder some 50% right helps somewhat, but I still can't manage a straight take off run.

 

How do you guys handle take offs in the MiG?

[7.GShAP/Silas]

Taxiing the MiG is like driving a tractor.  Very nice.  Taking off is a brush with humiliation and death every time.

[Fern]

You dont fly the 190 much do you? Same thing you describe happens with it.

Edited December 23, 2015 by Fern

[DD_Arthur]

You dont fly the 190 much do you? Same thing you describe happens with it.

 

To lock tail wheel on '190, pull stick back.   What happens to Mig is something else, lol.   Glad it's not just me

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

Same here, Taxi is no problem, take off even with 50% trim..big problem. I end up over and under steering and ground looping. I love it when it's in the air though. 

[Libel]

I don't, I simply join the Axis side and laugh as I Jabo the runway 

 

On a more serious note, and while having never flown the MiG, I'll throw my suggestions out:

Try lifting the tailwheel of the aircraft early, or alternately keeping it down longer to help counter the swing?
 

[JimTM]

I agree, very easy to taxi.

 

For take-off, I pull right back on the stick and feed in the power gradually at first just to get rolling straight, then I go smoothly to full throttle once it's stabilized. I keep the stick all the way back until I'm close to 100 kph. Then I ease the stick forward until the top of the instrument panel is on the horizon. Once it's stable in that position, I pull a little pitch, if needed, to coax the plane into the air. Be ready to counter any sudden roll to the left. Above all, be smooth with your inputs.

Edited December 24, 2015 by JimTM

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

Thanks Jim, will give it a try.

[Guest deleted@50488]

No problems here... I have several successful takeoffs in the DCS K4 with tailwheel unlocked - after that, all is piece of cake :-)

Edited December 24, 2015 by JCOMM

[TheElf]

I have only had a few issues, but for the most part it is easy to master

[Sunde]

Indeed, i'v never been so close to crash on takeoff before lol.
Its glorious!

[TP_Jacko]

Finkeren what throttle settings do you use slam in 100% or a gradual increase

[andyw248]

 

 

For take-off, I pull right back on the stick and feed in the power gradually at first just to get rolling straight, then I go smoothly to full throttle once it's stabilized. I keep the stick all the way back until I'm close to 100 kph. Then I ease the stick forward until the top of the instrument panel is on the horizon. Once it's stable in that position, I pull a little pitch, if needed, to coax the plane into the air. Be ready to counter any sudden roll to the left. Above all, be smooth with your inputs.

 

Good post - I agree that this is key to a good takeoff run. Keeping the tail down until the aircraft has reached sufficient airspeed makes large rudder corrections during the early part of the run unnecessary. During the later part of the run, when the tail lifts, there will enough airstream on the rudder to keep the nose centered with just small corrections.

[Matt]

I just keep the elevator neutral (pulling stick back doesn't improve things for me during take off), give slight left rudder input (~20%), then hold the brakes (which helps me a lot) and throttle up to full immediately and as soon as it wants to start moving, i let go of the brakes and then correct with small rudder inputs (small inputs are enough and the tail wheel will stay locked).

 

It's probably one of the harder planes to take-off with, but i still don't find it really that hard. Key things for me, are small rudder inputs (with stronger inputs, the tail wheel will turn with the rudder and then it will get hard to correct things) and holding the brakes down (to have constant torque and prop wash to work with/against from the start).

[fjacobsen]

For take off I don´t use 100% throttle before I´m allready up at speed.

Feed a decent amount of rudder and the gradually add power as You gain speed.

 

As You gain speed less rudder is required and be prepared to feed in som aileron to counter torque roll as You leave the runway.

 

I think the most common error taxiing any aircraft in IL-2 is getting too fast. Taxi speed should never be faster than max 20 rolling straight and max 10 or even 5-7 during turns.

 

The most difficult aircraft to taxi and land are the Lagg-3 and LA-5 cause they don´t have any means of tailwheel-lock.

Twin engined aircraft can be steered with differential power ( I have a CH Throttle quadrant).

 

FinnJ

Edited December 24, 2015 by fjacobsen

[Finkeren]

Finkeren what throttle settings do you use slam in 100% or a gradual increase

I set the mixture for continuous power (around 81%) and gradually increase throttle over 5 - 6 seconds.

[9./JG27golani79]

Hm .. gonna try again - took her out for the first flight yesterday but didn´t have any problems at TO.

 

Think it´s also important to just do small adjustments on the take off run and don´t overreact when countering.

[Finkeren]

Kinda getting used to it now.

 

I find there's really no "trick" to it. Just apply throttle very gradually and keep rudder movements to small increments to avoid oversteering.

 

Certainly not pretty yet and I generally use up the entire length of the runway, but at least my take offs don't go off road anymore.

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

No problems here... I have several successful takeoffs in the DCS K4 with tailwheel unlocked - after that, all is piece of cake :-)

show off! I can get the K4 in the air..but I don't think I'll try it unlocked just yet!