Rudder problems in IL2/Formation Flying.

[RODDERS]

Dear All,
Hi, me again. Sorry for coming back so soon. I forgot to ask if anyone can help with rudder problems.
I have a logitech joystick with the rudder set as the twist function. But, i can't seem to get it right. I had it set on full rudder left/right and now changed it to incremental changes. Has anyone any experience of this and what i can do to tune it. The rudder just doesn't respond right.
Plus, i have a lot of trouble formation flying. I take off and rush to catch up to everyone but i can't keep a constant speed. I either shoot past or lag behind. Can anyone help.
Sorry for waffling on but this is the only place i can ask for help. Everybody is so knowledgeable here and helpfull, so thanks again.
Rodders.

[MaXMhZ]

Hi Rodders, thanks for the compliments on behalf of all.
Tweaking the rudder settings under Hardware-Input and adjusting the profile sliders can be a bit difficult. Most of the time it's a good idea to start the first (left = venter) couple of sliders near or even onzero settings. IL-2 Joycontrol and IL-2 Stickscan be very helpfull when tuning your joystick (both available from http://www.mission4today.com in the Downloads section. Be aware that different planes might need different profiles, and only keep the right most slider at 100% - that's a setting that is hardly used, unless you want to loose huge amounts of energy and end up in a flat spin Do you have this problem especially when taxiing on the ground or is it in the air only? Check if the signals the rudder is giving to the game are what you expect (IL-2 JoyControl has feedback "dots"like in the game input section.

When approaching your target, set Icons on and keep an eye on distance. when getting close try to get to the same speed (distance keeps the same) and then "creap up"slowly.

Catching up with a plane for formation flying can be a bit tricky, especially when it's an AI plane you try to catch up with. Make sure your plane is trimmed right for your altitude and speed, don't take 100% fuel but only what you think you'll need and try to catch up speed by slightly diving toward where you want to meet the target It can take a while to learn, but it can be done. IL-2 Silver Triggers' ST_Pawnee posted a great aerobatics pair close-formation flying movie (think centimeters, not meters) he did with his squadmate some years back - really amazing to watch.

here's the original thread I don't know if it can still be found on the web. If I find it I'll report back with a link. It's call "Hot Pair Aerobatics"IIRC
Maybe it can still be found on Flightsimmachinima

[MaXMhZ]

As an afterthought you might find some usefull info on formation flying at http://www.haute-voltige.com/virtualHVteam/index.htm -Virtual Haute Voltige Team (formerly PAV (Pattuglia Acrobatica Virtuale) is a 5-member aerobatics team. most are from Italy specialising in close formation flying in FB. They did have some great movies posted in the past and had close ties with Frecce Tricolore (Italian Airforce aerobatics team). Agoogle for IL2 Aerobatics should turn up some good links too

And let's not forget AW's Guides and Tutorials forum - do a search for "formation flying" and you should find a good multi-part guide

Hope this help.
S! MaX

[IV/JG1_Oesau]

Max has pretty much covered it there.

Formation flying comes from practice, and a fair bit of it. Without knowing your experience I’ll say what I said to some of the members of IV/JG1: first you have to be able to fly straight and level and be able to hold a desired airspeed. This sounds like a “duh – of course you have to” but IMO this has to be mastered first.

Flying in formation is also a team effort, the leader and the wingman have to work together in order to stay in formation. Flight leaders have a very important role to keep a formation together. Of course if you fly with AI you don’t get the help you need and it becomes difficult.

Also, formations are all about mutual support, so therefore tucking in tight doesn’t help the pair in providing cover for one another (thought it does look good). Therefore the typical rotte or finger four formation has aircraft about 500-600 meters apart. At this range you don’t have to be absolutely perfect (thought, at high speed, any divergence on your heading can cause the distance to grow quickly).

From experienced military pilots I have been told that holding formations in FB is at some level more difficult than in real life. The visual cues are not the same as you would see when flying in formation with another (real) aircraft. But, with practice it can be done (as the videos show, but keep in mind that they are on a LAN connection and not doing it over the net. Lag on servers can cause issues with tight formations as the aircraft tends to move and back forward which has nothing to do with the aircrafts speed).

[MaXMhZ]

As allways, well said Oesau!

In the past I found it handy to set up a V1 flying over a long range and then jump in a fast plane to form up formation with it. As Oesau already said AI planes are not suited for formation flying. Even on the net you need a very low ping to your fellow pilots and a fast speed connection to practice good formation flying. Finding some fellow players near to you may help with this. Flying with someone at the other side of the world is near to impossible due to the 0.5+ second delay times Also be sure to agree on what to do in terms of speed and plane to fly. Don't go for maximum speed ever because the formation formed will be nonexistent that way.