What Does Your Cockpit Look Like?

[HomeBoy 1]

I thought you might be amused by a bit of a tour of the HomeBoy Laboratory. (Sorry this is pulling this thread a little off topic perhaps).

 

I've always thought of myself as kind of a cross between Sid (from Toy Story) and Dexter (Dexter's Laboratory).

 

I'm suffering a bit of downtime at the moment as I've sliced the end of my thumb pretty badly with a razor knife working on my latest project. It's not that bad really but I have this giant bandage on it and it's definitely affecting my flying. It's been bleeding like crazy and I'm sure once I get that under control, I'll be able to switch to a regular bandaide and will be able to resume. I figured I'd just show you the lab while I wait to heal. Feel free to express all sorts of sympathy! :yes:

 

First, the project I shed literal sweat and blood over:

 

A friend of mine sent me this thing. It's called "The Claw." It is designed for FPS games (which I don't even play except for Call Of Duty 2) and I have no idea what I'll do with it now that it's done. The thing had horrible buttons on it and the circuit and associated software were equally horrible. I pulled out all the electronics and replaced it with a CH Throttle Quadrant and put an extra two-way hat at the thumb position as well as replaced the four thumb buttons with a four-way hat, the index finger button pair with a two-way hat, the middle finger button pair with a two-way hat. I was able to clean up the ring finger and pinky buttons well enough to make them work so I used them. The nicest feature of this thing is I can use the CH Control Manager to program it so it is the ultimate in programmability. Maybe later I'll crank up Call Of Duty and give er a whirl. Maybe I should install this Rainbow6 game that I never even took out of the shrink wrap and see what that's like.

 

 

Here I am in the shop displaying my masterpiece: The FrankenForce stick. It's an old CH Force FX stick that I've gutted and replaced with two joystick circuits: Logitech Wingman Force (which gives me the Force-feedback) and a CH FighterStick which gives me all the buttons and great CH Control Manager programmability.

 

 

Here is a lefty version of the FrankenForce like the one I use. I sold one to Condor as well who is also a lefty. I sold one other one and have two spares out in the shop somewhere. I should probably get rid of them but the Force FX stick is so hard to find anymore that I hang on to them. My wife will tell you I hang on to far too many things!

 

 

Here was a fun project. This belongs to a friend who lost his right arm in a motorcycle accident and we designed this monstrosity so he could fly IL2 using his left arm. He did most of the work, I built the lefty stick for him and mounted a throttle arm gadget on the side of it. His name is Ross and lives in Teignmouth, Devon England. He is a wonderful guy. I wanted so bad to visit him while we were there but he just lived to far from where we were to make it happen. Maybe some day.

 

 

This is something I called the "FighterRunt." It's a CH FighterStick with about 3/4" segment sliced out of it to make it fit better for someone with a smaller hand.

 

 

This is my CH Pro Throttle in which I added a second controller board which gives me Rudder, Aileron, and Elevator trim and a couple of other axes (e.g. Mixture, cowl flaps). I put some high dollar pots in for my trims and get really sweet trim controls with it. This is one of my favorite contraptions.

 

 

Here was a fun project. This is a P51 trim wheel unit that I built for SkyPig, a squadmate in Aces High. He built a P51 cockpit in his home and hired me to make this trim unit for him. It worked great.

 

Here is SkyPig trying out his new trim controls.

 

This is my little part time business: theLeftyHOTAS

I use right-handed CH controller handles and convert them to left-handed. Here is a batch of them just before sanding and painting. I have sold about twenty five of these since starting the business about four years ago. I have sold these things all over the world.

 

Ok, that's enough. Sorry for the length of this post, I got a little carried away there I guess.

 

Enjoy!

[Barkhorn1x 14]

I thought you might be amused by a bit of a tour of the HomeBoy Laboratory. (Sorry this is pulling this thread a little off topic perhaps).

 

You are one talented guy homeboy!!

[Herr Prop-Wasche 7]

Wow! The master's workshop! Excellent!

[Olham 164]

An insight into "FrankenFighter's" little shop of horrors (all technology with electric wires is horror for me - Lol!)

And then he even tries to modify his thumb!

 

Sorry, HomeBoy, I wish you that it heals together as it should be. I have done signwriting some time and had to

cut film/foils for letters and decorations a lot; sometimes in a hurry. So I know what a good cut with a razor feels

like. The good thing is - these cuts are so "clean", they heal quickly. All the best!

[Creaghorn 10]

wow homeboy,

you're the man-at-arms

[HomeBoy 1]

 

BTW. if you're interested, here is the thread my "One armed bandit" friend Ross did when he was building his stick. He is a remarkable guy. I can only imagine the pity party I would have if I suffered such an injury. But not Ross. He is a true inspiration!

 

http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/showthread....ight=tripehound

Edited July 27, 2009 by HomeBoy

[Check Six 2]

Homeboy,

 

Brando and yourself are both inspirations! Like Brando, I was involved in a pretty bad motorcycle accident. Whilst I didn't lose my right arm, I lost the use of it for a good deal of time and was forced to adapt. I really know how difficult all that can be. Whilst I eventually gained some use, I still have no feeling, and that makes for some pretty shoddy flying (LOL at Brando's comments about his "loose formation flying" - I know how he feels [kinda]).

 

You are a truly gifted technician, Mark. Seeing your work in your "laboratory" (available to us all in your signature block link), and your work here helping all with technical questions, tweaking OFF etc. is truly an inspiration to us all. There is nothing you can't overcome with persistance, tenacity, and inspiration. A lesson for us all.

 

Thank you. Thank you very much.

 

[Hauksbee 103]

Looks like all the 'heavy' subjects are on the middle shelf...

[Jimko 0]

I'm really surprised that no one has yet commented on the home-built cockpits featured in the pics of Raven-1 and Homeboy's pics of his friend "Skypig".

 

While like most, I prefer to have my cockpit as the virtual cockpit of whatever plane I'm flying on my monitor, I have to admire the time, work, and $$ involved in creating these personalized 'flying machines'. Wow! The Skypig cockpit is particularly impressive from what I can see, and I can only guess that he chose not to wear his complete authentic flying gear including helmet and goggles for this picture.

 

As for Homeboy and his 'Frankenstein' lab...very impressive! A man of many talents! I've built many things, but nothing quite like those items.

 

Very interesting stories.

[CaptSopwith 26]

 

BTW. if you're interested, here is the thread my "One armed bandit" friend Ross did when he was building his stick. He is a remarkable guy. I can only imagine the pity party I would have if I suffered such an injury. But not Ross. He is a true inspiration!

 

http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/showthread....ight=tripehound

 

I just checked out the thread in your link and wow, talk about inspirational. Thanks for passing that along Mark.