Okay guys, I finally got around to taking some photos of recent progress on the Vulture.  For those of you who have not seen her before, she is a "generic" WW2 Navy fighter, along the lines of a Hellcat.  I chose to do a fictitious aircraft since it is much easier and cheaper to design and build than to trying to accurately replicate an existing aircraft.  The Vultee make was chosen since I am using actual Vultee BT-13 rudder pedals with the Vultee logo on them.  I am using CFS2 to run the sim and a Hagstrom KE-72 encoder for the switch to keystroke interface.

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/vultureside.jpg[/img]

Construction is primarily aluminum, wood, and masonite.  Some of the riveting is normal aircraft sheet metal riveting technique and some is what I call "faux riveting".  That is used where I am joining skin panels to wood frame underneath.  I drill the hole slightly undersize and apply CA adhesive to the rivet before pounding it in like a nail.  Works and looks great!


[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/lhconsole.jpg[/img]

Here is the left console showing the scratchbuilt throttle quadrant.  The switches aft of the throttle are for the starter, primer, water injection, cowl flaps and a couple of extras.  The button on the top of the throttle lever is a microphone switch, just like the real thing.  The small dark spot just forward of the placard templet is a POV hat switch for changing views.  I plan on using a video projector for the outside view.  I have a cockpit flood light on each side.  You can barely see the wingfold control on the aft panel.  Aft of it is also a small stowage compartment.  Still working on the trim controls.

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/throttle1.jpg[/img]

The throttle quandrant uses a hacked joystick with pots for throttle, mixture and propeller pitch.  The flap conrol switch is mounted to the side of the throttle quadrant.  The mixture and propeller knobs were pretty easy (just wooden balls), but making the throttle grip was pretty involved.  The quadrant is made mostly from aluminum and plywood.  The friction knob actually works too!

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/rhconsole.jpg[/img]

On the right side you can see a volt/ammeter, tailhook control and oxygen panel.  I will be also be adding switches here for things like lighting, weapon arming/cycling, etc.  The black box just under the canopy rail is for radio controls (as well as basic sim sound functions like volume, mute, etc.)  The seat and stick grip are from a T-28 Trojan but are basically the same as a WW2 aircraft.  On the side of the console are some circuit breakers (mostly for looks) and a nice mapcase that my wife made for me.  Aft of the console I will be mounting an oxygen tank (again, for looks.  No oxygen needed at ground level...)


[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/floor.jpg[/img]

Here you can see the rudder pedals and the mounting points for the instrument panel.  I eventually want to have working instruments using Simkits or similar but initially I will just use the CFS2 hud for basic flight info.


[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/rbrake.jpg[/img]

I am building brake cylinders using PVC and push/pull throttle cables used for lawn mowers.  In this photo, I don't have it all together yet but you can get the idea.  As you push on the toe brake, the wooden ball (to which the cable is attached) compresses the spring.  The other end of the cable goes to a brake switch (or a pot if I want to make the brakes variable).  The cables will run through the floor just outboard of the pedals and will be sleeved with a black rubber hose to look like a brake line.


[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/auxbox.jpg[/img]

This is just a plastic Radio Shack project box painted with black wrinkle finish paint.  This box is for a few sim functions such a cycling targets, pause, warp to next waypoint, bailout, etc.  


Well, I know I fire hosed everybody with a lot of info here, but if you have any questions,  ask away!

Fate

Thanks, R-D!  I have been putting in a lot of time on her lately. 

I have all the design details worked out except for one.  CFS2 does not allow a key assignment for fuel tank selection.  You have to select it by mouse clicking the guage on the screen.  I want to have a physical fuel tank selector switch.  Been pinging the Sim-Outhouse site for ideas on how to hack code or otherwise solve this problem.

Fate

Wahoo!!!  I found a solution to the fuel tank selection dilemma!!!  A little program called Key2Mouse can be programmed to use a keystroke sequence for simulating a mouse click at the desired screen coordinates.  Just tried it out with CSF2 and it worked great!  This might solve your MAAM DC-3 issues Rottydaddy!

Now I just need to build my fuel selector switch... 

Fate

Hi Prof
great pics. Your pit is looking real good-- great work.

Good job on that throttle quadrant-- like the remote arms to move the pots-- great idea.

Thanks for that link I will check that out.

cheers
chuck

Professor,

That pit looks AWESOME!  Beautiful work.

As far as I know, Key2mouse requires that the panel it is "contriolling" be on the screen.  So you have to display the gauge that you want to control.  So that defeats the "palin view" out the front, unlessyyou use multiple monitors with one for instruments and one for gauges.

When I was considering this form my pit I was thinking of creating a panel and gauges that were "invisible".  Set the color so that it is transparent so the "panerl" did not show at all visually.....but was "there " for Key2mouse to "see".

best,

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

Hi Professor!

What i've seen here is really number one of WWII homebuilts!!
Compliments again. I've seen similar realism only with real warbirds in museums. The "Vultee Vulture" is a fantastic example to be followed.
Thanks a lot for sharing. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Bye!!!!
A.