Not bad... Make sure those CRT's have room to breath, my current 17" gets reasonably toasty on top after a few hours of use. Also, cable management is always a good thing when it comes to desks, as I find now I'm snowed under with cables on my desk.

If you want to see some really wacky multi-monitor setups, check this gallery. It is my aim in life to have more monitors than I have applications running 

Also if the joystick you intend to use if force feed back make shoure you can lock the slide that it will sit on as other wise it will moving and make your stick have a mind of its own (Not a good thing if your trying to land a tail dragger in a cross wind)

Hmm you might be correct as I know that i can get 19" CRT's for about £10 ( $5 ) from the local computer shows

Frank,

We usually call that a "sheet" of plywood here in the USA.  I have no idea of the derivation of the use of that word... but it is also the thin cloth layer that you use in a bed as the first layer of covering.  Plywood is a thin wide item that is often used as an underlayer in construction....so that LIKELY is the source.   (By the way.... your English is excellent.)

If you've followed my series on my pit, like Masternerd I strongly recommend fans for the CRT enclosures.  For LCD... not an issue.

One issue that is REALLY important for both you and your wife.......... is the height of that TOP 17" monitor.  Be careful to NOT get that so that you have to look upward.  You will KILL your neck over time.  So you might have to lower the height of the general tabletop or build in a depression to lower just the monitor stack.  

As to the "facing" for the lower instrument monitor........

Rather than a fixed rectangular grid...... maybe you could look into a thin (maybe .5 cm or so) sheet of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) that is cut with rectangular and round openings to line up over the sim's simulatted gauge panel.  If on the monitor enclosure box itself you put some extra strength Velcro to hold the facings in place, you could have multiple panel facings that match up to the various aircraft panels that you fly.  With the Velcro.... it would be pretty easy to swap them out.

As to the finish, plywood will show a slight wood grain pattern when painted unless you spend a LOT of time on the finish with a grain filler material and lots of sanding and primer coats.  If you don't mind the slight grain... then just sand it and prime it and paint it all grey.  I used MDF for all of the pit structures... and that takes a very smooth finish of paint withouit too many coats.

Think of this as a "starter simpit".  You'll learn a lot from doing it.  First steps on a long but enjoyable journey.

Here's some more "food for thought":  http://matthewmwohlford.googlepages.com/

Can you solve your wife's need to ALSO use the computer with an EXTRA monitor located at a desk somewhere else from your pit, and if your current keyboard and mouse are the typical wiring, ass a usb keyboard and usb mouse to the current system?   Or use the standard KVM type switch to accomplish that?  Instead of adding a full second computer for her to use you just are adding an extra monitor, keyboard, and mouse (plus maybe the KVM switch).

best,

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

Also its wise to note that the keybord and mouse will probably be the most used unput devices on your PC as thay are used for all most every thing.  I would never have spent £80 on the bord and mouse that i have but when you think that its lasted over 5 years with no problems (and even survied the orange juce i covered it in last month with only a slight dismantle and cleen ) spending that little extra might hurt your wallit  right now it payes for its self in the long run.

hmm, i think the monitors should be larger and of equal size. a 19" monitor like mine is a nice size... and i would only ever dream of dual screening with an equally large monitor (i hate it when things look out of odds like that)

the rest does look nice though.... sure it will need 2 towers?