Taxi in the Bf109

[lwalter]

I've watched several videos, read several guides about how to taxi the Bf109.

Yet, turning right is still a nightmare for me.

Even when pushing the right brake all the way in (animation in cockpit confirms it), the Bf 109 doesn't want to turn right. Worse, it goes even left.

I tried this with tail wheel lock and without, with right rudder and without, with small and big amount of throttle.

The only time I get the Bf 109 to turn right is: no tail wheel lock, starting from complete stop and pushing hard on the throttle until it moves.

Is there no smoother way to get right turns?

I'm sure I'm missing something...

Your help will be so welcome.

[kestrel79]

I think turning on manual prop pitching and sliding it all the way down to 0 helps on taxing as well.

[Dragon1-1]

It you go all the way to 0 you may need to go to high revs to get it to move at all. I think the recommended setting is the prop indicator at 12 o' clock. It's not all the way down, but close.

[lwalter]

I tried all that, but still no luck.

I don't know if it counts, but I have no problem taxiing the bf 109 K4 in DCS.

I wonder if it has something to do with the brake settings or brake axis curve in IL2 BOS. 

Push the right brake has no effect at all, tailwheel locked or not. Even worse, with full right brake, the Bf109 sometimes could turn left.

However, by chance, and only once today, I could have a very gentle and controllable right turn, with very little right brake.

When I restarted, it was impossible to reproduce this again.

Very frustrating... because Russian and English planes with differential brakes, US planes all give me no problem to taxi.

 

[lwalter]

I tried with the FW190 and the Ju87, which should be similar in the way you taxi. I have no problem with them. The FW 190 is very easy to turn, the Ju 87 a little bit less but still very manageable.

For the Bf109, I tried many throttle settings, many different pressure on the right brake, at best it just goes straight. The very few times it accepted to turn right, I could never reproduce.

I'm getting a bit frustrated at it. BTW; it's the Bf109 E7. I don't know if it changes anything, but I haven't tried the other Bf109 models yet. 

I tried now with the Bf109 K4. Still the same. The right brake doesn't seem to have much effect.

I checked the animation of the wheels. Left brake => animation of left wheel stops. Right brake => animation of right wheel slows down a bit but doesn't stop, unless my power is lower than 20%, but then the plane stops completely.

I tried also using the keyboard to brake (period, comma). Same.

If somebody understands what I'm doing wrong, that would be so helpful.

[von_Tom]

 

There is some kind of weirdness that occasionally happens - aircraft do not taxi right at all.  I've had this in the 109 where no matter what you do, you cannot control any kind of right turn.  I do wonder if it is a wind setting or something.

 

Try pushing the stick forward as you start to turn.  That is what they did in real life to get airflow over the elevator to lighten the tail a little to get it to shift around.  I've found that this does help, though whether it is placebo or not I can't say.

 

von Tom

 

[ragvard]

Are you able to start from the runway?

Really strange that you have no problems with the FW190, cause for me it was the other way round ?
Also weird that tail wheel lock doesn't have an effect.

What do you mean by power under "20%"? throttle?

If so, that might be too much.

Try pushing until the plane starts to move, than immidiately throttle down a bit.

[lwalter]

Thanks @von_Tom that's an interesting tip: pushing the stick forward. I'll definitely try that next time.

 

@ragvard 

- taking off from the runway is no problem at all, but I don't know if it's comparable, because I use the rudders and not the brakes to stay aligned with the runway while taking off.

- yes, for me the FW190 feels very easy to turn, using the brakes.

- tail wheel lock changes only that it's easier to taxi straight, but for turning right it doesn't help whether I have it or not

- I try to taxi around 20%+ of throttle (the percentage displayed in the "technochat"). Anything under 20%, if I use the right brake, it just stops the plane.

[ragvard]

I just fired her up and tried to replicate it. I don't fly with technochat, so sorry for the confusion, indeed  around 20% is alright for taxi.

With the tailwheel unlocked i could turn her right with full right brake and a little rudder ? Could you upload video?

The last thing i can think of is axis calibration, have you checked if everything is centered?

[lwalter]

I finally could get back to IL2 to try your new advice.

It's a bit better but still very hard to control.

So, pushing the stick a bit forward helps in the turning.

Something I noticed is that while the turn indicator is not on one extreme, either left or right, it seems controllable. Once the turn indicator gets completely on one side, then impossible to avoid making circles. I have to completely stop the plane.

One more thing that probably doesn't help: when I use the right brake, the plane comes fast to a stop. But if don't put enought right brake, it won't turn right.

I don't know if everything I'm writing makes sense, but I try to describe what I experience, hoping somebody could ever find out my problem.

[Nocke]

just to rule out possible causes - you are not, incidentally, repeating the same quick mission settings and having a wind coming from the left?

That does make it difficult to turn right ...

[69th_Mobile_BBQ]

Have you tried holding the stick back all the way and giving enough power to get control response from the rudder?  (after setting the RPM, of course)

If the tailwheel is unlocked, it should be possible to steer without going too fast.  Just use the propeller thrust and elevator to keep the tail stuck to the ground and be careful to not accelerate too fast when starting to roll.  Obviously, be careful of going too fast when you are rolling.  

[HenFre]

Try watching my video on how to Taxi in the Bf 109 E-7 and I hope that will help you along. Link: 

Best regards

Henrik

[lwalter]

Thank you all for your advice and @HenFre for your video!

I finally managed to decently taxi the Bf109. It looks like I had to apply lots of right rudder. I thought the rudder was useless at such low speed and I was using only brakes. Moreover, for small turns, I'll stick for now to locked tailwheel, as it's easier for me.

 

[BladeMeister]

Iwalter, I am not saying you are not having problems, but I do want to confirm that turning to the right, Bf109f2, does work well for me. It is much easier to turn left, but I have been practicing in the F2 for like 10 QM from parked and I can successfully maneuver each direction compatantly now. Do you have rudder pedals with independent toe brakes? I use stick full back, tailwheel unlocked and full right rudder while tapping or pushing right toe brake(on my rudder pedals) while adjusting throttle as needed and achieve whatever degree of right turn required. Keep practicing as right turning successfully in the 109 is achievable and quite functional. Good luck!

 

S!Blade<><

[lwalter]

@BladeMeister Yes, I will continue practicing.

As I wrote in my last post, it's much better now that I'm also applying full right rudder.

And yes, I have rudders pedals with independent toe brakes: I have the MFG Crosswind 2.

[BladeMeister]

2 hours ago, lwalter said:

@BladeMeister Yes, I will continue practicing.

As I wrote in my last post, it's much better now that I'm also applying full right rudder.

And yes, I have rudders pedals with independent toe brakes: I have the MFG Crosswind 2.

Alright well keep up the good work Sir. You are one of the privaledged few to use MFG Crosswinds and I am as well. I love mine, they are the best rudder pedals I have ever experienced. I just purchased and installed a VKB Gunfighter MKIII L and that coupled with my Crosswinds is transforming GBS and other CBFSs into a whole new experience.

Good to know you are getting along well. Have fun Sir.

 

S!Blade<><