Yoke or Stick...???

[rkk01]

Just been skimming through some videos to get an idea how quickly / slowly / smoothly the throttles are advanced on take off...

 

Couldn't help noticing that KA114 and PZ474 both have a flight stick, whereas VR796 has a yoke...

 

Presumably this is dependent on FB vs B model???

 

As for throttle action, the vid of VR796 shows a very controlled opening of the throttles - similar to what I’ve seen in Lancaster videos, and something to learn from

[Jester986]

I was hoping for a yoke but judging by the screenshots we're getting a stick. Would have been a great use for my honeycomb yoke. Might still use it anyway.

[Mogster]

The fighter and fighter bomber variants replaced the yoke with a stick. Pilots preferred the yoke iirc.

[Krupi]

The flight characteristics were drastically different between the two, perhaps they replaced the yoke to take advantage of that?

[Mogster]

Not sure. Fighter Command is supposed to have specified the stick for the fighter and fighter bomber variants. As I understand it the original purpose of the yoke in larger aircraft was to give you more leverage on the control surfaces and in a large cockpit you have room to get your elbows out if necessary. As the Mosquito was a large-ish aircraft you’d think there was still some merit in giving the pilot something big to pull on. The reports say the pilots felt it was easier to throw the aircraft around with the yoke, although the variants with the yoke were probably lighter so...

[Krupi]

I was under the impression that there was a mass balance on the Bombers elevators that was removed from the Fighters?

EDIT:

Ah no seems that was a single pilot test that they did, see point 26.

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/mosquito/Mosquito-VI-tactical.pdf

 

I wonder if the inertia weights on the fighter versions differed from the Bombers?

Edited January 25, 2021 by Krupi

[Bozon]

All night fighters (NF) models had a stick instead of a yoke, by RAF demand. This was carried over to the fighter-bombers (FB). There was no advantage to the stick, except that this is what fighter pilots were used to from other fighters they may have transitioned from, or were trained on.

 

This is just simple thinking of the top brass that fighter = stick, bomber = yoke.

 

@Krupi afaik, the elevators inertial weights were on both the fighters and the bombers, since the control cables were identical. This system was originally designed for the bombers to stiffen the stick in maneuvers in order to give the pilot a finer “feel” for how much he is pulling (the spit for example was VERY sensitive in pitch control for very minor stick movements).
 

Fighter pilots sometimes  removed these weights. I suppose some may have customized their weights to suit their liking but I have never read anything about that.

[Krupi]

You wouldn't need to change the control cables, at least not in my understanding, you just change the weight. 

 

It is a tough call, add a weight to tune the flight characteristics and ensure the integrity of the aircraft is maintained or remove it to allow greater manoeuvrability at the risk of damage to the aircraft.