Vultee Vulture Project

[Professor_Fate]

Okay guys, as promised, I finally have some pix of my pit, affectionately known as the "Vultee Vulture".  It is a fictional aircraft, somewhat of a hybrid between a Hellcat and Dauntless.  It is based on the CFS2 sim and will utilize a Hagstrom KE72 encoder, video projector, and stereo speakers with bass shakers.  The construction is wood, masonite, and alumimum.



Unfortunately, I didn't have the main instrument panel in place when I took these photos, but it is similar to an SBD Dauntless setup, located between two machine guns.



The seat is from a T-28 Trojan, but is basically the same type of construction as WW2 vintage seats.  It has a working height adjustment lever on the right side.  I also have a seat parachute pack and pad shown.



I decided to invent the fictional Vultee "Vulture" since the rudder pedals I used have the Vultee logo on them and that Vultee aircraft always started with a "V".



I am currently working on the console panels.  The right hand console with have controls for electrical, radio, armament, tailhook, and oxygen.  The left panel with have the throttle quadrant (with mixture and propeller controls), fuel tank selector, wingfold control, flaps, dive brake, trim, landing gear, emergency hydraulic pump, etc.




There is a pull out chart board in the center of the main instrument panel, just as was used in many WW2 Navy aircraft.  However, this one doubles as a hiding place for a keyboard to use for initial setup of the sim.



I just finished this landing gear handle.  It is actuated by pushing in the button on the top of the knob and moving to the up or down position.  It has a nice mechanical "clunk" feel to it.



As you can see, I have been busy collecting a lot of instrumentation for the pit.  Initially, I will be able to use the CFS2 hud for basic flight data.  Eventually, I plan to start interfacing gauges using servo based Phidgets.

I hope that you all enjoy the photos.  Please fire away with any questions.

Fate

[JBaymore]

Way to go Professor!

[chuckcrc]

Professor Fate
WOW  fantastic- that looks great. Love the gear lever.
Looks like you plan to use real instruments. How do you propose to get these working in CFS2.
I think I have seen your sim before on the Simpit.org upload file area.
Anyhow excellent work and keep the pics coming.
You never know if we keep getting more ww2 simpits we'll get known as the place to come to for ww2 simpits as there aren't any other sites out there.

cheers
chuck  

[Professor_Fate]

Thanks for the compliments guys!  

Chuck, you are correct that you have seen this before on the Simpits site.  I kind of dropped out for a few months since I was in the middle of moving to a new house and basically had no time until recently to begin working on the pit again.

As far as getting the instruments to work, I am going to use Phidgets to drive servos that, in turn, drive the gauges.  This works well for most gauges, except that gauges like compasses and heading gyros (that need to continuously turn past 360 degrees) are more of a challenge.  For right now, though, I have enough to keep me busy just getting the pit structure built.

John, cutting the aluminum plates for the gear lever was tricky and took some time.  I laid out the curved slot pattern, drilled the end holes and cut out the slot with a scroll saw.  Then, I finished up with a lot of careful filing and smooting with sandpaper.  A lot of work, but worth it.

Fate

[Skua]

Great work, Professor! I've started the initial planning to build a 'Sinister' F6F simpit. The 'Sinister' name comes from the medievel use of the word, which referred to those who are left-handed. Being a southpaw myself, I plan on constructing the simpit with the throttle and engine controls on the right, and additional buttons/switches, etc. on the left.

I would appreciate any input you might have on fabricating the basic structure, and also on building a canopy frame. I've no skill in forming sheet metal, so making a rigid frame for the moving portion of the canopy is going to be a bit of a challenge, I think.

Skua, Ensign, VF-15 Flying Aces

http://www.vf15-flyingaces.com

[funhouse]

Nice work there Professor, good luck with the project  8)

Dave