Mustang pulls left on takeoff

[NL451MG]

I think I found a good trim zone for the time being until I can get this fixed. 7* right rudder trim, -7 elevator, 1 aileron right. It seems to keep it more centerline, but still very squirrely on takeoff.

[DHenriques_]

I think I found a good trim zone for the time being until I can get this fixed. 7* right rudder trim, -7 elevator, 1 aileron right. It seems to keep it more centerline, but still very squirrely on takeoff.

(Assuming your controllers are calibrated correctly)

A BIG mistake a lot of sim pilots make when flying the Mustang is in how they handle power on takeoff. We tweaked the A2A 51 to reflect the behavior of the real Mustang and it acts accordingly.
The main thing you have to remember, and this goes to real pilots who have flown light airplanes as well, is that the way you apply power to a P51 on takeoff is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than the way you would do that flying a light GA type aircraft. Basically what this means is that the TIME LINE between initial power application and where the aircraft is finally under full takeoff power IS LONGER in a P51.
Initially it's fine, and indeed recommended to power up slowly to around 30 inches and release your brakes at that point. This gives you relative wind on the vertical stabilizer and also the rudder so you have response.
At this point you should have your stick just back far enough to lock the tail wheel but not too far back; just aft of neutral. Here's where a lot of pilots make a gross error. They come in too fast with the rest of the power.
Assuming you are using 100LL you will be seeking 55 inches as the takeoff proceeds, but DON'T RUSH TO GET THAT. Ease in a bit more as you gain positive directional control and allow the tail to come on up without forcing it. As the tail comes up, GRADUALLY feed in more power. You keep easing it in like that until you reach 55 inches. If you are doing it right you will reach your 55 inches just a little before you reach rotation speed which will depend on your takeoff weight. Light without a fuselage tank I'd look for around 105 knots minimum.
All the time this is happening you will find you need considerable right rudder and even a bit of right aileron.
It takes a lot of practice to get all this right. We did this on purpose so that you have to leave your light airplane habits behind you as you learn to handle a much heavier and more powerful propeller driven fighter plane.
Just hang in, follow my lead on this and you'll get it.
Dudley Henriques

[Bosko]

The veering is definitely a feature and not a bug. Finally getting her airborne almost perfectly for the first time is a good feeling. Dudley's tips in the last post are very helpful. I've found that any time you're veering off you're adding power too quickly. I release the brakes at around 30" like others mentioned and then just focus on keeping the aircraft straight on the runway. I get it stabilized and then start increasing power. If it starts to go left then I slow down how quickly I'm increasing the power. It takes a lot longer than you'd expect to get to 55". If I do that and rotate at the right time, it goes straight up and doesn't try to spin and crash. This worked well with 5 degrees right rudder trim and -1 degrees on the elevator trim.

Granted, I've only taken off from long runways so far. Will be interesting to try out some short ones.

-Brendan

[wallydog]

I think this topic really speaks to how incredible accusim really is. For years it was full throttle and take off in previous versions of FS. Then accusim introduced realistic engine physics so you had to actually think about things like manifold pressure and detonation and destroying your engine. Now we have to think about how all that sudden thrust from a warbird would effect our takeoff.

[Scott - A2A]

This is all thanks to the recent training and Dudley's continued input and expertise. It's great to see the Mustang just keep getting better.

I enjoy flying it out of my home airport, which really gives me a feel of what it would be like to fly in an area I'm very familiar with.

Scott.

[dacamp66]

I believe the crashed large aircraft in question was the prototype for the turboprop conversion of the dhc caribou. the original piston version had a throttle lockout if the gust locks were engaged, during the conversion, this lockout was disabled; a simple sign placed on the yoke "WARNING! THROTTLE LOCK DISABLED! CHECK GUST LOCKS MANUALLY!" would probably have saved the lives of the test crew.

[howellerman]

After trying every suggestion in the forums, multiple uninstalls/reinstalls, different fuel configs, nothing has remedied the uncontrollable veer to the left above 10knts. This has unfortunately rendered my Mustangs grounded until a fix or a confirmed solution is found.

I too have this problem, and want to add that hitting the brakes with full right rudder does absolutely nothing. Still pulls hard to the left, to the point that I almost have to "spin out" in a left turn to get her to stop. Both Military and Civilian.

I don't know if they are related, but this started happening after I re-installed the P-47. I wanted to master that plane (always frustrated me before), and now that I can sort of fly it (landings are a b*tch), the Mustangs are INOP.

I applied the last Accusim update about a month ago.

EDIT: Just tried the Civilian again, and while I can taxi left and right, and the rudder goes to full deflection both ways, and hitting the brakes will make a hard turn in either direction, once I am on take-off roll it pulls left, period. No right whatsoever.

[Lewis - A2A]

After trying every suggestion in the forums, multiple uninstalls/reinstalls, different fuel configs, nothing has remedied the uncontrollable veer to the left above 10knts. This has unfortunately rendered my Mustangs grounded until a fix or a confirmed solution is found.

I too have this problem, and want to add that hitting the brakes with full right rudder does absolutely nothing. Still pulls hard to the left, to the point that I almost have to "spin out" in a left turn to get her to stop. Both Military and Civilian.

I don't know if they are related, but this started happening after I re-installed the P-47. I wanted to master that plane (always frustrated me before), and now that I can sort of fly it (landings are a b*tch), the Mustangs are INOP.

I applied the last Accusim update about a month ago.

EDIT: Just tried the Civilian again, and while I can taxi left and right, and the rudder goes to full deflection both ways, and hitting the brakes will make a hard turn in either direction, once I am on take-off roll it pulls left, period. No right whatsoever.

Hello,

you will want to apply the latest Accu-sim updater it should be applied every time you install an Accu-sim aircraft.

thanks,
Lewis

[Jacques]

I had this happen a few months ago. It was a short while after I migrated from Window 7 to 10, and at the same time I moved to FSX:SE. Everything was fine, all recent upgrades applied and then one day I couldn't stop the Mustang (military) from an uncontrollable left veer off the runway.

I did two things: deleted the .dat files for the P51 and re-calibrated the rudder pedals.

It wasn't a scientific approach so I don't know which action solved the problem. In my case, one of those worked, not a problem since. Very strange, I know.

As an aside, I did the same as you, went from the Mustang to the P-47 for a refresher. I spent a couple of hours "wood shedding" the pattern at Hobbs, New Mexico. I came away appreciating how heavy the controls are in the P-47 compared to the P-51!! Control inputs that would tumble the Mustang barely nudged the Thunderbolt. What a beast!

Don't be discouraged by this setback- it is certainly temporary. Lots of eyes are on the problem and no end of suggestions, I'm sure.

[howellerman]

After trying every suggestion in the forums, multiple uninstalls/reinstalls, different fuel configs, nothing has remedied the uncontrollable veer to the left above 10knts. This has unfortunately rendered my Mustangs grounded until a fix or a confirmed solution is found.

I too have this problem, and want to add that hitting the brakes with full right rudder does absolutely nothing. Still pulls hard to the left, to the point that I almost have to "spin out" in a left turn to get her to stop. Both Military and Civilian.

I don't know if they are related, but this started happening after I re-installed the P-47. I wanted to master that plane (always frustrated me before), and now that I can sort of fly it (landings are a b*tch), the Mustangs are INOP.

I applied the last Accusim update about a month ago.

EDIT: Just tried the Civilian again, and while I can taxi left and right, and the rudder goes to full deflection both ways, and hitting the brakes will make a hard turn in either direction, once I am on take-off roll it pulls left, period. No right whatsoever.

Hello,

you will want to apply the latest Accu-sim updater it should be applied every time you install an Accu-sim aircraft.

thanks,
Lewis

Hi Lewis,

Yup, did it when I installed the P-47 and just did it again (no updates, as expected).

Tried to quantify exactly where things go squirrelly. Loaded up the P-51 Civilian (the updated cockpit theme from the SE-BIL paint job is terrific!), put exactly 50-percent fuel in her, both tanks at 74-percent, and warmed up at S47 Tillamook, where there is lots of grass to slide off into. Good thing the warm up takes a while - everybody and their mother's uncle was out flying!

Anyway, I think I have pinned it down. When the KIAS in the header line goes above 50, all right rudder/brake actions cease to be effective. Up to that point I can slew back and forth on the runway, but after 50 kts I end up in a lurid pirouette off into the port-side grass. Repeated it three times, all with the same result.

Left her parked on the grass - the mechanic will want to check the undercarriage!

Something is not right, obviously. Should I just re-install the aircraft? It is so weird that it happened to both Military (just verified identical behavior) and Civilian versions, and only after installing the P-47.

Thanks for the help!

JKH

[Jacques]

JKH,
If you don't mind starting from scratch, before you uninstal and reinstall, try deleting your .dat files. You can find them in your documents\FSX\A2A\P51 folder.

[Lewis - A2A]

Yes I think a re-install (and manually deleting files + update folder for the mustang) would be a good idea.

thanks,
Lewis

[howellerman]

Hi Lewis,

Just a follow-up: deleting and re-installing did the trick.

Thanks for the help!

JKH

[Styggron]

The pulling left as described by the OP, this is accu sim doing this yes ? or is it also in the base model without accu sim as well ?

[Lewis - A2A]

Both, with the base you'll get the basic pull you'd expect with a powerful prop and with Accu-sim you of course get the advanced physics and flightmodelling etc.

thanks,
Lewis