My Pit

[lowwing_99]

I just joined FO last night so I want to get in on the fun!
I'm rebuilding an old Thrustmaster pit. I put a Martin Baker Mk H7 seat out of a F-4 Phantom. I got a Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS, & PFC pedals. My lt., & rt. panel switches from Aircrafft Simulators. They are not installed yet. For software I'm using Janes F/A 18 until FO comes out, then I'm going to transtion to the F-16. For now I'm using a 14" LCD, lighted keyboard, & mouse in the cockpit until FO. I have 1 overhead projector but isn't on line yet. I was planning on getting 2 more overhead's for lt., & rt. views but now I feel that I might enclose the cockpit, & go with 3 32" LCD screens, all switches, & displays I want to work when FO is on line. In the future I'll need help with a few displays hope I can get some help. Keep flying
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0371.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0371.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0380.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0379.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0378.jpg
:bigsmile:

[Cobra]

Hi lowwing_99 ... welcome to Fighter Ops and Area51!

That is one sweet looking pit. I dont know much about pits but when you say that is a Thrustmaster pit is this something that you buy as a kit? Keen to hear more about how you went about building it etc.

Hope you dont mind, i have moved this thread to the Pit Builders forum for all to see and also later on it will give you the best chance at getting advice from all the pit builders as not all of them are Area51 members.

:thumb:

[goonybird]

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/thinking.gif don't see how you guys who build replica cockpits restrain yourself from going all the way and building a domed projection structure out in the back yard and putting your "aircraft in the middle of it.... that's what moved me to the "generic" path....couldnt see doing all that beautiful work just to have a monitor-screen in the windshield.... the three big screens?...been toying with that idea myself would be interesting watching your progress http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/thumbsup.gif

[lowwing_99]

I don't mind that you moved it. Sorry I put it in the wrong place. Just think they let me fly airplanes. Thrustmaster back in the early 90's made these simulators to work with Falcon 3.0 I believe. It had switches, & interface for that program. I bought it off of a guy selling it on Ebay. I got all the panel switches for it but like I said I'm in the process of of installing them. If you go to Aimsworth they sell a newer vesion of this pit, & also Real Simulators is going into production. There are a lot of people whom build their own pits from scratch. When it finaly gets up & running fully the HUD, MFD's, PFD, DED, idiot panel, indexer lites, ect. will work. I was told by FO that 1 of their goals is to make everthing funtional for pit builders. If I had they money I would have the best flight simulator that money could buy. I would also have a brand new Piper Saratoga with all the bells & whistles. Will keep you posted of my progress.

[Nighthawk]

thats sweet, i want to build a pit someday but until i get the money i cant :(

[Sun Stealer]

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/thinking.gif don't see how you guys who build replica cockpits restrain yourself from going all the way and building a domed projection structure out in the back yard and putting your "aircraft in the middle of it.... that's what moved me to the "generic" path....couldnt see doing all that beautiful work just to have a monitor-screen in the windshield.... the three big screens?...been toying with that idea myself would be interesting watching your progress http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/thumbsup.gif
Know what you mean Goony. Been thinking of getting a quote for one of these: www.seos.com/GRIFFIN (http://www.seos.com/GRIFFIN) lol :bigsmile:

.

[goonybird]

that is EXACTLY where a replica-cockpit will send you, if the idea is taken to completion!!!!:thumb:....LMAO ... now for a cool 20-grand, i'd like to toy-around with adapting this to the generic-type sims: check out the products>vision station...this elumens company has something for the replica guy too! [for the cost of a 3rd-world country's defense budget, i bet]
http://www.elumens.com/
...let me know how much the setup you found costs.

[Funky]

I just joined FO last night so I want to get in on the fun!
I'm rebuilding an old Thrustmaster pit. I put a Martin Baker Mk H7 seat out of a F-4 Phantom. I got a Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS, & PFC pedals. My lt., & rt. panel switches from Aircrafft Simulators. They are not installed yet. For software I'm using Janes F/A 18 until FO comes out, then I'm going to transtion to the F-16. For now I'm using a 14" LCD, lighted keyboard, & mouse in the cockpit until FO. I have 1 overhead projector but isn't on line yet. I was planning on getting 2 more overhead's for lt., & rt. views but now I feel that I might enclose the cockpit, & go with 3 32" LCD screens, all switches, & displays I want to work when FO is on line. In the future I'll need help with a few displays hope I can get some help. Keep flying
:bigsmile:

What's up Lowwing and welcome to FO forum bud :thumb:
I'm the one with the big chunk of your cockpit at his house!!! I'll let you guess who from here on...

Funky

[Sun Stealer]

that is EXACTLY where a replica-cockpit will send you, if the idea is taken to completion!!!!:thumb:....LMAO ... now for a cool 20-grand, i'd like to toy-around with adapting this to the generic-type sims: check out the products>vision station...this elumens company has something for the replica guy too! [for the cost of a 3rd-world country's defense budget, i bet]
http://www.elumens.com/
...let me know how much the setup you found costs.

The Vision Station is pretty cool! Very futuristic looking. :thumb: Suddenly my monitor looks quite lame. :smile: The SEOS Griffin is a multi-million £ setup, designed for the hardcore gamer...I mean Air Force / Defence agencies, lol :smile: Leaves you with a rather large electricity bill too, lol.

.

[goonybird]

would like to see a vision station live, just to see what it is made of....for now, i envision converting an old large satallite dish for the screen [remember the old TV dishes seen in back yards?...hope there's some left]...and find out what kind of lense system the projector uses....should be able to knock a few-thousand off just in labor....lolhttp://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/dremeltool.gif

[lowwing_99]

I finaly got some work done. Up until now I have just been flying, & laying down some serious ordinance. My forward landing gear panel is installed. I have to cut the side wall a little yet to accomodate the landing gear lever mechanism. I was sent the wrong LCD lites for the chaff/flare panel, & will be putting blue lcd's below for lighting. It won't be wired up for a while to a Gamma Ray board until Fighter Ops is released. Reason being I'm using a friends computer. I have been running Janes F/A 18, but last night I switched over to Falcon 4.0 haven't flown it yet will do so later on today. I want to learn how to drive a viper. Fighter Ops can't say what size machine I will need so I'm not going to invest until I get the requierments. 1st pic is the new panel complete, 2nd is the old panel in the pit, & the 3rd is the new panel installed in the pit. :thumb:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0465landinggear.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0466old.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0467landinginstalled.jpg

[razorseal]

that EWS looks not so much like the ones in block 30+ :hmm:

[lowwing_99]

Small update. When Jarrod66 from Viper pit bought my AGT ICP I bought a HGU 55 flight helmet with an MBU 5/P 02 mask. I know it's not a Viper helmet because it is the Jolly Rogers but I have always liked the skull/X-Bones. I think the helmet actualy uses a MBU 12/P 02 mask but I like the looks of the older one. This is for display in my office, not for flying in the pit. The 3 boxes that the helmet is on are my 3 26" LCD's, & I have various pit parts but not all in pic. There is the RS equipment I got from KuKki from Viper pit off of Ebay, some flight instruments, one of my 7" monitors for my glass gauges, RWR reciever, & manuals. Also in the background is my next passion the drums. I love to beat the hell out of those things. Pic is kind of dark, but the basement has been declared my domain by my wife & lighting isn't that good. My pit sits about 10 feet to the right of this pic.:smile:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/000_0547helmet1.jpg

[_Big_Mac_]

You never said you play drums :thumb:
What are those?

[lowwing_99]

I took my pit in a different direction. I have a 3head to go on 19" screens, a 21" for an instrument panel, 2 22" for left, & right views, & a 7" for the moving map, pic of that didn't show it on very well but it works great. I don't like just 1 outside view, the instrument panel & everything else there so I have been flying X-plane 9. 5 seperate views, 5 seperate computers. I can't waite for someone to develope a fighter program that can do this. I just got back from a flight from ASX to DLH I got vectored in on the ILS 27.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915001.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915002.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915003.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915004.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915007.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915008.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915009.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/2009_0915010.jpg

[BHawthorne]

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/fyterjok/thinking.gif don't see how you guys who build replica cockpits restrain yourself from going all the way and building a domed projection structure out in the back yard and putting your "aircraft in the middle of it....

Who says we aren't crazy like that and aren't doing what you suggest? If you're crazy enough to buy a 20 foot section of an x-USAF fighter, that custom building for it isn't too far behind. :rofl

About the Thrustmaster pit. I hear some people complain about the accuracy of them, but really it looks kick-a$$ IMHO. Looks like a really fun setup. There are those that have, and there are those that complain. :wink2:

[lowwing_99]

Here is a couple of videoes my wife took of me holding over an NDB with X-plane 9. I could have a top, & 6'oclock view also with 2 more computers & monitors. Wish there was a fighter combat sim that could do this, any combat sim, even a WW1 with just a gun. By the way my wife thinks I'm nucking futs with this sim & when I talk to traffic, & ATC that isn't realy there.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/th_ndbflt2002.jpg (http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/?action=view&current=ndbflt2002.flv)

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/th_nbd1flt001.jpg (http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f384/lowwing_99/?action=view&current=nbd1flt001.flv)

[BHawthorne]

By the way my wife thinks I'm nucking futs with this sim & when I talk to traffic, & ATC that isn't realy there.

Just tell her that she should be thankful that your hobbies aren't smoking crack. It's not like gaming is that bad. :rofl

[aircraft]

good pit , very professional !