605,

Hi.

I guess a lot depends on how you define "a lot of money".    Then another factor is what level of realism you desire or will accept.

Some people put multi tens of thousands into this idea....... by doing things like buying front ends of 747's and such.  But it can be done for FAR less than that.

Increasing the sense of immersion / suspension of disbelief is what it is all about.  The more realistic your senses percieve the environment you create...... the more "real" it seems.

A F4U is a figher isn't it?  So that makes a full size simpit pretty small.  So the wood to construct the basic airframe shouldn;t be too expensive....... if you already have or can borrow the tools.  Fighters are easier in some ways because they typically have a single throttle, use a joystick, and have a "front view" that is easily simulated by a single large monitor.....all stuff that you likely already use.  

I've seen some people make a wooden frame that is somewhat realistic....and then populate it with pretty much the basic conmputer setup you'd have a t desk....and the rest is all "fake" eye candy stuff.   That increases the sense of realism ....for not a lot of money.

"Glass cockpit" instruments are pretty easy to set up...... (see other threads here) and the old machines that will run the sioftware can be had pretty much for scrap (PII or III 3 500Mhz or so).  Put them behind some wood "panels" and there you have instruments.

If you think more like "generic fighter" cockpit.....with it LOOSELY based on the F4..... that will make things FAR easier and cheaper.

Hope this helps.  Check out all the threads here in this Forum.... there are a lot of resources located here.  A couple of figher cockpits are in links located here ....... from very simple to one that you'd swear is the real thing (started with a REAL cockpit and REAL instruments and is making it all work).

best,

...................john