F-4 Phantom B-8 Stick Phase 3

[TheTracer]

Sorry for the late reply. I´ll make the new pictures of the left sub panel and the last missing blind panel today. Would be nice to see pictures of your wooden cockpit.

In the meanwhile I a complete stick like you. New pictures later. In January I hope to get a ejection seat trainer cockpit and then I will put everything in it :-)

[TheTracer]

Okay, I can´t find the last missing blind panel at the moment. But I have the new picture for you. It´s hard to get a picture without the perspective effect. Let me know if you need a better one.

This panel was also missing. The panel between the two throttles.

And this is my stick with mounted pedestal panel. The right console is not complete. There is the old UHF-radio panel still missing.

And this is what my cockpit hopefully should look like in some years if my wife has not killed me...

Edited December 6, 2013 by TheTracer

[+streakeagle]

That pic is perfect!

I am envious of everything you have.

If and when DCS has a fully clickable F-4E/F Phantom, I will be wishing I had everything you have.

But, over time, I hope to largely replicate what you have with wood and real switches minus the gauges.

Of course, years from now, maybe I will be in a position to get equivalent PC driven gauges or maybe even get around to getting what you have.

While my wooden box does the job, I truly regret not buying the authentic enclosure that was sold on eBay by the same person that sold me the stick mechanism.

You even have the snap on "boot" that covers the base of the stick.

At some point, I would like to have functional rudder pedals that move in and out with the hand crank on the center console.

But I don't have the metal working / machining skills to do it right and can't afford to pay someone else either.

Rudder pedals and throttles almost never pop up on eBay, and when they do the price goes too high for me.

So if I ever want to do this, I have to come up with something I can fabricate in my garage with basic tools and materials from Home Depot / Lowes.

 

I saw the ejection seat trainer cockpit on eBay once, and my wife even authorized me to get it.

But I had no place to put it and didn't want to waste money on something I wouldn't be able to use or even store at home.

The one I saw was ultimately bought by the USAF for training QF-4 pilots in Florida.

Kind of ironic that the USAF had to buy and F-4 trainer at eBay prices that they had probably just gotten rid of for pennies on the pound through DRMS.

 

Keep posting pics of your progress!

[TheTracer]

if you need some drawings from USAF technical orders I can help you, especially concerning the throttle. if you understand how it is built it would be easier for you to upgrade your Thrustmaster or build your own. I have forgotten to post the last picture. My throttle problem is solved also. It´s a german throttle. The left piece is slightly different from the US throttles due to some attached switches the USAF didn´t have.

And this is what my cockpit looks like at the moment.

Edited December 7, 2013 by TheTracer

[+streakeagle]

I will gladly take any drawings you have!

At some point, I want to ditch the Warthog throttle and put in a home-built reasonable imitation of the real one.

[TheTracer]

Okay I wil sort some things out that may help you. But first you have to show us new pictures

 

I´m really interested in your project!

Edited December 7, 2013 by TheTracer

[+streakeagle]

Well, the only advancements from before are using your photos as an overlay for the previous black/white lo-res manual print-out and adding our old 46" LCD TV to my computer desk... no more dragging the PC out to the family room, its mine now! I will provide pics as soon as I get a chance.

[TheTracer]

Found the last missing panel. Here it is.

[+streakeagle]

Latest Pics inbound:

It may be awhile before I can make time to get the real switches mounted and covered with plastic plates, but it will be great once it is done!