The more I repeatedly revisit this sim (and then drop it), the more I realize that #1. I suck #2. Trim Trim Trim fargin Trim ! I will never truly enjoy this sim until I master trimming the aircraft. my question is, is a HOTAS a must to effectively control trim ? I have owned both a Saitek X45 and X52 (not pro) in the past, and tried assigning an axis wheel to trim, but that did not work for me. Tapping keyboard keys does not work for me either.
After going the console route for a couple of years (there is nothing on the horizon that really interests me, and quite frankly I am bored of cookie cutter FPS), I find myself coming back to IL2. Unfortunately with my terribly impulsive habit of selling my gaming gear when ever I get bored or frustrated, I find myself with a Saitek Cyborg X (please put the flamethrowers down)that I use for IL2 BOP on PS3, it is "OK" for that game, but for the sim IL2 on PC it is obviously a handicap.
How many use a HOTAS as opposed to a single Joystick setup ? I really am leaning on getting a decent HOTAS, one I will keep. If I have to I will buy it one piece at a time if cost is high. CH is hard to get in Canada, same for Thrustmaster. There are some on eBay, but they are inflated prices. How is the Saitek X52 Pro ? was this made under the MadCatz regime ?

Thanks for any help.

Yes.
If you want to mitigate your aggravation, a HOTAS is a must for any flight sim.

I use a CH HOTAS and have been pretty happy with it. Is it truly not available in Canada?

CH is not available through retail stores up here. I bought a new CH Fighterstick and Pro Throttle off eBay today. I'm going to get a set of pedals in the near future.

RE: Trimming. I too am attempting to master trimming. I latched on to an aid that is helping: The Zoard "Merc" or the "Fang"! I use the Merc. I got it for other type games for but I found that it's keyboard programmability and special key layout is convenient for trimming. Check the net for pictures at http://www.ZBoard.nl or www.steelseries.com, or http://www.everythingusb.com/ideazon_fang.html for a review.
Here is what I have done: Aileron Trim keys are Q,W,E for left, neutral and right trim. The A,S,D keys are for rudder trim, left, neutral, and right and the "Q.Load", "PrtScr", and "Q.Save" keys are for the elevator trim, pitch up, neutral, and down. The aileron and rudder keys are large, red, and positioned in a row left to right. The elevator keys are positioned next to the large red keys and are in a vertical positioning. So, with my left hand I can easily trim all three trim contols with very little hand movement and very little glancing at the keyboard. I use the cougar MFDs and TrackIR5 with that keyboard. BTW MFDs and TrackIR both work with IL-2 Forgotten Battles, Falcon 4.0, and Wings of Prey.

Thanks for the ideas.

Of course the likes of =FB=Viks have won numerous (all?:) titles in IL2 competitions without any HOTAS, and (i'm pretty sure) without using trimming. Trim is meant to be like cruise control -alleviate long periods of flying A to B. During combat trim was not meant to be used.

I'd say check your joystick for spikes/deadzones as they are trully crippling for an il2 pilot. Replace joystick if necessary, but HOTAS is not a must.

Personally, I'm very happy playing IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 offline with my Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 joystick.

Although I use a HOTAS now I sometimes feel that I actually flew better back when I was using my old sidewinder. A HOTAS is not a must have IMO.

I am still using an old MS Sidewinder 2 stick, teamed with a Nostromo n52 game pad... a poor man's HOTAS. The Nostormo has a D-Ring that I have programmed for trim. Right next to it is a mouse wheel that is my throttle. I don't do to bad with it... Heck a fancy HOTAS rig would probably confuse the hell out of me. As far as using trim...

I trim the controls so that I have level flight once I have reached my desired altitude. When I reach the combat area or spot bogies, I start to trim the nose down. For me anyway... trimming the nose down, so that I need slight back pressure on the stick, works well for me in combat. This way I feel I have better control. I can make adjustments quickly, and not fight the plane. If the nose is trimmed up to much, then you have to fight pushing the stick forward, to combat any balloning effect. Not a good feeling as you are trying to get a shot, especially a deflection. You can really see this when trying to land, especially in say a P-38. To much back trim on landing, and you'll really have to really force that stick forward. I am not saying this is the right way, it's just how I have been doing it for a number of years. It's become second nature.

Just hang in there. After awhile it will come.

Z

While a HOTAS is never essential to compete in a sim, it does make things easier; having all the essential controls readily available, without having to adjust your gaze or move your hands means you are able to better focus on the screen and maintain smoother overall control. Coupled with tir, it means the bulk of your focus is on the action and you are able to react without conscious effort and without removing your hands from the aircrafts primary controls, when you need hands on most.

As for trim, you can fly perfectly well without ever touching it, this however increases potential fatigue on longer flights and necessitates constant adjustment of the flight controls, and the reason trim was introduced in the first place. Correctly trimming a plane does not alter its flight performance one iota, it simply deflects the control surfaces from their resting position to reduce the amount of control input required to maintain straight and level flight for a given speed. Indeed, excessive use of trim can be detrimental to achieving optimal control during a dogfight, when rapid changes to the aspect of control surfaces is required, although this is not really modelled in IL2.

Ultimately, one is perfectly able to fly a sim such as il2 or even more complex sims like black shark with a basic stick and keyboard, additional gear such as HOTAS and tir simply make the task easier, allowing a virtual pilot to spend more of his or her attention on the action. What they will not do, is improve a pilots abilities, that only comes with practice and study.

Simply grab another stick and use them both as a poor mans HOTAS. Bind the throttle and some of the trims to the second stick. Did that way back and it worked fine.

I use a Speedlink 'Black Widow' which cost me about €30. It is German-built, solid, comes with a joystick, throttle, with the rudder controls incorporated neatly in the latter. Also has good force-feedback. Has eight buttons and a hat-switch, probably could do with few more. It was cheap, but I'm very happy with it. Of course may not be available outside EU.

No. And you're welcome.

~~~

Okay ... I was going to leave it at that <I am absolutely bugged by the rash of vague questions today!!>, but you obviously deserve a better answer. So here goes:

A HOTAS system will enable you you to have better control over many various aspects of IL-2's flight control systems. But it is not necessary to own a HOTAS system to effectively control trim. Any pointing device attached to your computer can be used as a trim control (have a racing steering wheel? how about an extra mouse? a ball pointer? anything like that can be used).

If you have nothing else, then you'll have to learn to more effectively use your keyboard. Or buy a HOTAS system.