Tempest elevator design

[Bilbo_Baggins]

Wondering if anyone could ELI5 why the Hawker Tempest elevators and pitch authority were so sensitive? Was this a CG thing or what?

 

Interested to learn why this machine was so sensitive on the pitch axis. It is quite challenging to get used to!

 

Having said that... What a machine!

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Bilbo_Baggins

[[DBS]Browning]

Sensitive pitch is a result of low dynamic stability, typically as a result of the center of lift being close to the center of mass.

There are various advantages and disadvantages to low and high dynamic stability in aircraft. Low dynamic stability usually allows a plane to pull very high angles of attack.That's a big advantage if you want to point your nose at the enemy quickly, but it also can cause your plane to slow down quickly or even snap off the wings.

 

[357th_KW]

Frankly, it's probably wrong in game based on period testing.

 

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/tempest/tempestafdu.html

 

 

 

[Bilbo_Baggins]

On 8/31/2020 at 11:52 AM, KW_1979 said:

Frankly, it's probably wrong in game based on period testing.

 

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/tempest/tempestafdu.html

 

 

 

 

Quote

(c) The elevators are heavy also, but a great relief from the Typhoon, as they are quite positive and there is no tendency to "wind up" in a steep turn. With increase of speed there is a nose-up tendency, easily rectified with the trimming wheel.

 

Not sure what "wind up in a steep turn" really means to be honest, but yeah the elevators are anything but heavy for this machine in-game!  

Edited September 4, 2020 by Bilbo_Baggins

[unreasonable]

34 minutes ago, Bilbo_Baggins said:

 

 

Not sure what "wind up in a steep turn" really means to be honest, but yeah the elevators are anything but heavy for this machine in-game!  

 

"Wind up in a steep turn" means that the turn will naturally tend to progressively tighten up with the stick held back in the same position. Spitfires (real ones at least) do this. To prevent this, the stick has to be pulled back to initiate the turn then pushed forwards a little almost to the starting position: the plane will then turn at a constant rate.  

 

 

[HR_Zunzun]

15 hours ago, unreasonable said:

 

"Wind up in a steep turn" means that the turn will naturally tend to progressively tighten up with the stick held back in the same position. Spitfires (real ones at least) do this. To prevent this, the stick has to be pulled back to initiate the turn then pushed forwards a little almost to the starting position: the plane will then turn at a constant rate.  

 

 

 

You can feel it with the spit in the game. In my experience, more pronounced in the spitV. The Tempest, otoh, looks more stable in that regard. Main problem is that tend to fly faster so it add to its light elevator.

[Talisman]

On 9/4/2020 at 10:10 AM, unreasonable said:

 

"Wind up in a steep turn" means that the turn will naturally tend to progressively tighten up with the stick held back in the same position. Spitfires (real ones at least) do this. To prevent this, the stick has to be pulled back to initiate the turn then pushed forwards a little almost to the starting position: the plane will then turn at a constant rate.  

 

 

 

I think you will find that this is modelled in-game for the Spitfire V and that under the 'specifications' section mention is made by the developers of the need to use the joystick in the way you have indicated.  I don't think this was an issue for other types of Spitfire that we have in-game.

 

Happy landings,

 

56RAF_Talisman 

On 9/4/2020 at 9:27 AM, Bilbo_Baggins said:

 

 

Not sure what "wind up in a steep turn" really means to be honest, but yeah the elevators are anything but heavy for this machine in-game!  

 

 

"easier to control than most aircraft at speeds over 400 I.A.S."  

 

 

So, not that heavy then, lol.  Heavy in relation to what is the question in my mind.  At least in the above statement we get some sort of qualification, even if still very vague, in terms of a comparison to "most aircraft", but we get no such comparison in relation to "heavy", apart from "a great relief from the Typhoon", which might just as well mean they are very light in comparison, lol.  I think we need to be careful how much we read into some of these statements.

 

Happy landings,

 

56RAF_Talisman