Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

So you have an aircraft that is neutrally stable in bank at 50 degrees of bank and must be flown at a negative pitch attitude in level flight to allow for the nose on the horizon in the steep turn?

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

So what airplane has neutral bank stability at 45 or 50 degrees of bank? I tend to remember this more around 10-20.

I'm not sure what the pitch trim has to do with it. Are you saying that pitch trim somehow negates negative bank stability? Are you saying that with the "nose on the horizon" you can maintain enough lift in the steep turn, or does it take an increase in pitch attitude? You said you could maintain a coordinated turn with just rudder during a steep turn, so this implies there must be neutral bank stability, otherwise the plane would roll in or out of the turn. If it does not have neutral stability in bank and you are using the rudder to maintain bank, that is A, not the way the maneuver should be flown and B, not coordinated.