[VSKYLABS Test-Pilot Report] issued 1st September 2024
The answer is…YES!
Controls in the Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger aircraft were fully mechanical and manual, without any power augmentation. The aircraft featured ground-adjustable trim tabs for all movable flying surfaces (ailerons, elevator, and rudders).
In addition to the fixed trim tabs, the control system included in-cockpit manual trim for the rudder and elevator surfaces.
The tail section and elevator trim had a unique design involving the movement of the entire tail section (vertical stabilizers, rudders, horizontal stabilizers, elevator, and the tail cone) using a mechanical hand-control crank.
The pilot used the crank to set the entire tail cone pitch between +3 and -2 degrees.
Pitch trim could be managed by using a manual pitch-trim crank located on the left-hand side of the cockpit. A mechanical pitch-trim indicator was incorporated into the pitch trim system. The crankshaft (control rod) went through the cockpit back wall straight into the fuselage toward the tail section.
The tail cone was attached to the back portion of the fuselage using two upper mounting points. This mechanism allowed the whole tail section to be tilted up or down to trim the pitch forces.
The mechanical directional (rudder) trim control slide lever was located underneath the pitch trim crank. A directional trim indicator was incorporated into the mechanism.
