sndwv

I might be interested in one for my Defender Cobra M5 ... would that be possible if I provide measurements? It looks naked next to the covered-up Warthog :) Will these feature the 'remove before flight' tags like Deadman's? (and if so, does anyone know what these look like on Russian aircraft, color/text-wise)?

I too would be interested in learning more about the printers and process, but also because 3D printing for heavy use items somewhat worries me to be honest (not based on any scientific data by the way). What I've seen of high end prints thus far the result is always somewhat rough and, most importantly, porous and I would also have concerns about the properties of the polymer over time (sun, heat, moisture). Casting 'feels' more robust to me but, as I said, this is just my gut feeling. BUT, not wanting to rain on your parade at all; I'm still pretty exited about the project and perhaps a bit more info could unnerve any worries I have.

Intuitively I'd prefer plan B or, of course, C and also wouldn't mind paying more for that, but of course it all depends on how much more that would be. Still very much looking forward to what you're planning and would be happy to pledge on a future Kickstarter!

Have you settled on a material for the grips? Will you be using the prints to make molds for casting or will the printed material itself be strong enough for use?

Just discovered this thread ... wow! I would absolutely be interested in one or two metal, painted(?) grips. I like that these are drop-in by design; would replacing the throttle handles be difficult? As taking the throttle assembly apart wouldn't be something I'm looking forward too. Also: is this the 'official' place to keep updated on the project at the moment?

Mine shipped from the Netherlands. I'd shoot them an e-mail with any questions.

Thanks! Actually just picked one up via that shop. Great service! The stock M5 works like a dream, but build quality is so-so. That said, I would still recommend!

Hey Nikos, that would be interesting - do they offer international shipping? As far as I can see there is no English-language option on that site.

No hard feelings Maximus, I went in knowing the risks. :) Just bad luck- their site has been down for a while, they might have gone under. That said, I'd be happy to try for another / King Cobra, so I hope this thread can be kept updated for non-Russian speakers.

I would also like to add that for the brief experience I had with the stick (which had a great quality look and feel) I wasn't too happy with the performance. While very possible that it was due to shipping damage (see above) the centering was way off and while I was able to calibrate this out that meant the x-axis ended up with a lot more deflection to one side than to the other.

I went with Maximus' suggestion and ordered one at ApitComp. Stick arrived broken due to improper packaging (none), was promised exchange, returned the stick, never heard from again. Soooo ... that went well :) Unless you're willing to risk it, I unfortunately can't advise purchasing directly from Russia (unless you're from the area). It does seem like the only route at the moment though.

Thanks Maximus_G! I'll try an order at one asap.

Ok, so at least it's probably already 'out there'. I would love to know if any of these stores are shipping these out of the country. I have a friend who speaks Russian, so if some one could point me in the right direction I would be able to complete a check-out process or contact such a store as long as they have a website. Or perhaps one of the forum members from or from around Moscow would be interested in exporting one (or a couple, if there interest) for a small compensation? It's just such a unique stick: based in realism but with concessions in the right places to make it useful as a stand-alone, low cost, compact alternative for a full HOTAS AND it uses magnetic sensors! Only the T.16000M is comparable, but that suffers because of it's ambidexterity and Christmas tree-like looks.

Does anyone know if the Defender Cobra M5 (the entry-level stick) is available for purchase at all, anywhere, in any variation? Are stores in Russia already carrying it? Or in any of the other countries that have other brands producing these? How to get it here would be the next step, but so far I am unable to find it anywhere in the first place. Thanks!

For whoever's interested: I recently contacted TM tech support to ask about the status of the issue with the throttle (still scared every time I plug in the WH). They assured me that the cause is known (unstable USB voltage), and that the latest firmware makes it far less likely for this to cause problems. There is as of yet no change to the hardware, which makes updated early stock just as (un)likely to fault as current stock.