A-10 Warthog cheapest cockpits Kits

[Don_Walker]

Hi DCS pilots,

 

I want to share with you my project,

for anyone who have no time or money to build one. I created 3d model sized as close as possible to real plane, then made extremely detailed textures ( each one is around 14 000 x 10 000 pixels) , did ribs, panels and surface parts with folds for easy assembly and dissasembly. Then I sent it to printing company what UV print and cutted it.

 

Did i mentioned that it's from cardboard? Yes ,but no worries its strong enough to keep my 95 kilos

and strong enough to keep steady all your gear. I proved it already few times. You can check my videos on youtube also with previous design .

 

Assembling without hardware takes two hours, with hardware from 4-5 hours. You need just sharp knife and hot glue gun, then nothing can stop you :smilewink:

 

It is ready for Thrustmaster Warthog gear, any rudder pedals you have and up to 28'' monitor for MIP. 28'' will cover almost whole middle panel.

 

In case you would be interested, you can download instruction manual to check how easy is to build this cockpit

 

I am selling also data in pdf ready for printing company to save money for shipping, or just textures for your own project, to cover your ribs or unused panels. or just as template. Please check my online shop

 

For physical kits, contact directly me please, now i have discount $350 plus shipping.

 

I cooperating with simpit.co.nz so you can have all products from both websites. That is why i have curved Black Pearl screen on photos.

 

I'll be also happy for any comments and advices, i know it is not hyper realistic cockpit, but it is still better than chair and desk :smilewink: and you can fly in one day :thumbup:

 

Thanks a lot for reading!

Edited April 15, 2015 by Don_Walker

[Lobinjaevel]

I've been following this since the Kickstarter, and I like the idea.

I'm personally building a MDF simpit, but I wish you all the luck and hope that you get to sell many of these.

The quality seems great and hopefully people that want a "ready" cockpit with minimal work find these, It looks awesome with Helios!

 

Cheers,

Robin

[bnepethomas]

Its an incredibly cool idea - planning to do one for the F18?

 

cheers

 

Peter

[EntropySG]

I also would like to congratulate you, this is a great idea! I would immediately buy one of your kits for the A10C, if we only had more space heh. My wife would kill me.. :(

[Don_Walker]

I've been following this since the Kickstarter, and I like the idea.

I'm personally building a MDF simpit, but I wish you all the luck and hope that you get to sell many of these.

The quality seems great and hopefully people that want a "ready" cockpit with minimal work find these, It looks awesome with Helios!

 

Cheers,

Robin

Thanks a lot Robin, it's always great motivation for me to see that someone follows this project. If you have a thread, please send me link to your cockpit to see how is going your build. If you will need i can send you some textures for free to cover outside surface or anything you will need to finish with nice skin.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Don_Walker

[Don_Walker]

Its an incredibly cool idea - planning to do one for the F18?

 

cheers

 

Peter

thank you :), i am planning f-16, f-18 and some WWII warbird, but now need to take a breath and see if current design will have any success , if not my wife gonna kill me and burn all my cardboard :)

[Don_Walker]

I also would like to congratulate you, this is a great idea! I would immediately buy one of your kits for the A10C, if we only had more space heh. My wife would kill me.. :(

 

Thanks a lot ! Great that you like it, i have the same problem with my wife and i can tell you that she started to be little more nervous since i build two cockpits at living room and then got curved screen from Tomas (Zahry) .

 

But i raise berserker in her when she realised how much whole development and all my ''toys'' cost :pilotfly:

 

Good thing on cardboard that is lightweight and you can stack cockpit on the nose and push to the corner, sure just in case its not attached to big screen, or you don't have three monitors on it

[JaBoG32_Prinzartus]

Anyone wrapped that cardboard-pit around an Obutto R3volution? I fear it is too tight for combination with the obutto.

 

Would love to see pictures of such a combination.

[Don_Walker]

Anyone wrapped that cardboard-pit around an Obutto R3volution? I fear it is too tight for combination with the obutto.

 

Would love to see pictures of such a combination.

 

I have plan to make version for obutto, current version is probably too high: 47 cm side consoles from ground and space for seat is 52 cm wide.

[agrasyuk]

I understand cardboard can provide sufficent rigidity to something like this, but as with the other fast paper pit that attempted kickstarter I think this way to much corner cutting. money being short i can see, but if someone already has the space to house something like this why not make proper framework, populate with printed panels and then slowly replace as funds become available. Wood for framework will not be much more then 350$.

So as I see it this offering is for those who need instant gratification

[Lobinjaevel]

Thanks a lot Robin, it's always great motivation for me to see that someone follows this project. If you have a thread, please send me link to your cockpit to see how is going your build. If you will need i can send you some textures for free to cover outside surface or anything you will need to finish with nice skin.

 

Thanks Mate!

 

Do you have any plans on making some reinforced seats? ACES II or Mk14 NACES?

If you end up making a F/A-18 cockpit and Mk14 seat, I'll definitely buy one of each!

 

Cheers,

Robin

[7rooper]

I think it's a great product. Mostly the children sized pits which would be great to see in the videogames rooms at shopping malls. It could be a good replacement to the fiberglass pits you see in some arcades which are not accurate at all to the plane or car you are supposed to fly or drive.

I already started building my A-10C cockpit in wood and aluminum but it's been expensive so far. I might consider getting one cardboard pit if a F/A-18C's is on sale.

[zahry]

I understand cardboard can provide sufficent rigidity to something like this, but as with the other fast paper pit that attempted kickstarter I think this way to much corner cutting. money being short i can see, but if someone already has the space to house something like this why not make proper framework, populate with printed panels and then slowly replace as funds become available. Wood for framework will not be much more then 350$.

So as I see it this offering is for those who need instant gratification

 

Hi Anton, check this out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtCKyXjkQ9I. (it's my kids favourite climbing toy) I've been quite skeptical to start with but Lukas done his homework well - it's all about distributing the load. I'm happy he stick to his guns. Before I got my hands on the cockpit I was trying to convince him he needs plywood frame as well - he really doesn't. In fact I would say it will make things worse and lot more expensive to transport. To achieve same weight to strength and rigidity ratio is not possible in any other way.

 

Edit - I can cut the skeleton for Lukas from MDF on laser if necessary (if anybody is interested let know lukas) but I don't think it will be necessary

Edited April 16, 2015 by zahry

[Don_Walker]

Thanks Mate!

 

Do you have any plans on making some reinforced seats? ACES II or Mk14 NACES?

If you end up making a F/A-18 cockpit and Mk14 seat, I'll definitely buy one of each!

 

Cheers,

Robin

 

Well i have F-18 in plan, i am deciding between f-16 and f-18. Currently i am focused on

advertising and listen Vox populi if this kind of cockpits can be popular, Zahry from simpit.co.nz is working ejection seats now, his first cutted seat looks great

 

I have also plan for ejection seat, you can check the render, in cooperation with Zahry , coated by cardboard and ribs from MDF. On render is all cardboard , with MDF we can skip half of the ribs. Now i've got more detailed ACES II mesh so i have good source for textures.

[Don_Walker]

I think it's a great product. Mostly the children sized pits which would be great to see in the videogames rooms at shopping malls. It could be a good replacement to the fiberglass pits you see in some arcades which are not accurate at all to the plane or car you are supposed to fly or drive.

I already started building my A-10C cockpit in wood and aluminum but it's been expensive so far. I might consider getting one cardboard pit if a F/A-18C's is on sale.

 

Thanks 7rooper :), i have plan to send it to shopping malls, flying museums as gifts for children, there are many opportunities. Need to visit also gaming centers. I also want to ask Thrustmaster if they would like to give PDF's with their Warthog gear.

 

F-18 is in schedule, just need to find proper dimensions, but i think that this is not a problem. Just find time to do it :)

[agrasyuk]

Hi Anton, check this out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtCKyXjkQ9I. (it's my kids favourite climbing toy) I've been quite skeptical to start with but Lukas done his homework well - it's all about distributing the load. I'm happy he stick to his guns. Before I got my hands on the cockpit I was trying to convince him he needs plywood frame as well - he really doesn't. In fact I would say it will make things worse and lot more expensive to transport. To achieve same weight to strength and rigidity ratio is not possible in any other way.

 

Edit - I can cut the skeleton for Lukas from MDF on laser if necessary (if anybody is interested let know lukas) but I don't think it will be necessary

 

Its not the strength, as a said I do realise cardboard can be made into sufficiently rigid construction. Its the fact this shortcut is a dead end solution . if one already has the luxury of space why not build proper side consoles for sim devices that can later be populated as funds become available ? The only advantage of this is "here now with 0 effort!". I really like to see guys on this board constantly pushing the quality plank up , coming up with better and better crafted solutions, putting more elaborate stuff out, challenging and empowerig others to follow. And then suddenly there is this cardboard-fantastic " I can't be bothered to take a jigsaw to plywood" thing. Huge step backwards. You have probably the best visual solutuon available for ordinary simmers Zahry, and to couple it to this shortcut seems that much not right.

 

But i guess different people will have different quality standards and demands. Sorry for the rant.

[Don_Walker]

Its not the strength, as a said I do realise cardboard can be made into sufficiently rigid construction. Its the fact this shortcut is a dead end solution . if one already has the luxury of space why not build proper side consoles for sim devices that can later be populated as funds become available ? The only advantage of this is "here now with 0 effort!". I really like to see guys on this board constantly pushing the quality plank up , coming up with better and better crafted solutions, putting more elaborate stuff out, challenging and empowerig others to follow. And then suddenly there is this cardboard-fantastic " I can't be bothered to take a jigsaw to plywood" thing. Huge step backwards. You have probably the best visual solutuon available for ordinary simmers Zahry, and to couple it to this shortcut seems that much not right.

 

But i guess different people will have different quality standards and demands. Sorry for the rant.

 

One of the goal of this project is to provide solution also for people who doesn't want to spent their spare time by cutting plywood to death, searching references and after three years can sit and play. Someone is DIY man, hobbyist, craftman and someone is just gamer, flying enthusiatic and want to enjoy some virtual flying without spending so much money or give too much time to preparation. People who spent thousands of dollars for perfect pit, or years in garage are hardcore enthusiatic and to offer them my solution doesn't make a sense. I am able to design and produce hyper realistic cockpits from wood, aluminium, steel, but there are very few buyers for this product. I would like to see people happy that they finally can get nice, functional cockpit for economic price and enjoy some flying.

I understand that you like crafting and for you it is step backward indeed, and i don't trying to convince you to love my cockpits. But you should understand that there are people who have different priorities and for them this is step forward from chair and desk.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Don_Walker

[Sabre-TLA]

I think this project has promise for the reasons Don_Walker has stated.

 

I'm building my own pit and it is alot of work. Sure I'll have working switches and lighted panels which was my desire when I started, but I can see a market for Don's product.

 

Aren't we all after the same goal - to improve immersion when we play?

 

I think there is a market for the VR crowd (ie RIFT), the hard core crowd who want the working switches (like me) and the no fuss crowd who want the feeling of being in a pit without the expense and hard work.

 

I'm glad there are these options in our industry so I applaud anyone willing to dip their oar and offer something that can benefit some portion of the community.

 

At the price points listed and being light enough to move around I would consider buying a few so I can improve my immersion when I want to fly WW2 or Korea or helicopters, etc and not feel like I'm always in an A-10 pit.

 

When I was originally designing my pit I considered trying to make it generic but the allure of realism pulled me to the A-10.

 

Maybe someday I'll have working switch pits for all the different aircraft I want to fly but in the mean time Don's solution would be a good filler until then.

 

Keep going and please post pics of future pits you plan on doing.

[agrasyuk]

I would like to see people happy that they finally can get nice, functional cockpit for economic price and enjoy some flying.

Don, I'd argue the use of word "functional" to describe your project. Everything spare MIP is printed and very much decorative "nonfunctional" . And while purely decorative use is fine with me (I had enough printed placeholder items in my flight station) the biggest thing that later on this solution cannot be taken to next level.

 

What would be really usefull if this was a modular framework. There are a plan or two circulating on this form for such framework, but every one of those could use improvement. And your solution could have offered much more function for not much more cost, again especially paired with the surround display system which it fits.

[zahry]

Its not the strength, as a said I do realise cardboard can be made into sufficiently rigid construction. Its the fact this shortcut is a dead end solution . if one already has the luxury of space why not build proper side consoles for sim devices that can later be populated as funds become available ? The only advantage of this is "here now with 0 effort!". I really like to see guys on this board constantly pushing the quality plank up , coming up with better and better crafted solutions, putting more elaborate stuff out, challenging and empowerig others to follow. And then suddenly there is this cardboard-fantastic " I can't be bothered to take a jigsaw to plywood" thing. Huge step backwards. You have probably the best visual solutuon available for ordinary simmers Zahry, and to couple it to this shortcut seems that much not right.

 

But i guess different people will have different quality standards and demands. Sorry for the rant.

 

Hi Anton,

 

Many thanks. I might need to start a campaign to promote the screens more to free the people from the jailbars :D

 

I can't imagine anybody ditching their projects if they already started but I would see the cardboard cockpits as a great opportunity for people to get started and it will grow the community. It is good option for people that are not interested in lengthy builds (yet!). And you know how it goes - next moment they might find out adding monitor for instruments might improve the whole thing, then some MFD panels and so on and next moment they will have their routers, lasers and garage turned into pit with wife chasing them around the house with rolling pin for spending too much money on knobs and switches.

[zahry]

I think there is a market for the VR crowd (ie RIFT), the hard core crowd who want the working switches (like me) and the no fuss crowd who want the feeling of being in a pit without the expense and hard work.

 

Agree with you :-). Just a little correction: VR is immersive systems all around - Oculusers hijacked the term for their marketing but they are very tiny drop of huge sea. In the real VR world Oculus is the equivalent of Trabant in a car world :D - it's cheap and it get you moving - but it is great because if you have only $300 bucks and no hope of saving more you might as well do "wroooom" noises and pretend it is Lamborghini :-)

Edited April 17, 2015 by zahry

[hegykc]

Sory Zahry, I'm on your side, I'll be getting one of your srceens asap, along with my grips and throttles, physical instruments, g-seat and a complete cockpit...

 

but your statement is completely bias from a pit builder point of view. It's like if Enzo Ferrari said "please, if you get a Toyota Supra you might as weel sit in an office chair and go wroom".

 

While in fact a cheap toyota supra will give you one HELL of a ride for one TENTH of a price of a Ferrari.

 

Not only that, but our precious inventions and expensive phisycal cockpit representations will never ever get close to the visual imersion a cheap oculus set gets you, of simply flying around.

 

I myself would rather get a 20$ joystick and oculus to experience the sensation of flying around. Just because you wish it wasn't so doesn't make it true. That's fact, and it will soon become apparent when you see the VR market making billions of $$$ and us making what, one hundred thousand of that :) Again, you (we both) might wish it wasn't true, but it just is.

 

Sorry, but VR is the sh...t!! We can only try to compete with it. Otherwise facebook would have bought both you and me for a lot less then two f...ing billion :)

 

Still, I say we take 'em on!

Edited April 18, 2015 by hegykc

[zahry]

Still, I say we take 'em on!

nah - Oculus is a Trabant :-) good HMDs are around 20k - even the 5 year old ones have better resolution and FoV - as for real VR ...

;-)

[Don_Walker]

Don, I'd argue the use of word "functional" to describe your project. Everything spare MIP is printed and very much decorative "nonfunctional" . And while purely decorative use is fine with me (I had enough printed placeholder items in my flight station) the biggest thing that later on this solution cannot be taken to next level.

 

What would be really usefull if this was a modular framework. There are a plan or two circulating on this form for such framework, but every one of those could use improvement. And your solution could have offered much more function for not much more cost, again especially paired with the surround display system which it fits.

 

Anton,

 

it is a cockpit shell which is basically holder of all your hardware you want to use for flying in correct and ergonomic position, it's not something what need to handle 12 g's and it can be always improved by adding new gauges, switches etc. difference between wooden frame and this shell is weight, and durability, in weight cardboard wins and in durability always wins wood or aluminium. Yes You can't sit on it side canopy edge for example, but i doubt that you will try to sit on your finished wooden cockpit. If you have wooden or alluminium cockpit and you want to add new gauge, you spend few hours to drill a holes and mount it. I have it in 15 minutes and it stays still. Please check the picture, i added real gauge borrowed from my flying instructor. So i see the same functionality like in any other cokpit shells.