VKB/Virpil/Thrustmaster quick comparison

[Sokol1_br]

Some people that use Gunfigther Mk.II for play IL-2 BoS prefer disable "dry clutch" at all, because for then is more important fine control of gunsight than fight against an friction and have a kind of "real feel". :)

[streakeagle]

I have the Warthog HOTAS, the VKB MCG Pro, and a real F-4 Phantom stick with its special B-8 grip that has no support for the wrist. I am glad that I got into the first order group for the VKB MCG Pro, thereby avoiding the supply shortages VKB is known to have. It is an excellent stick.

 

 

The F-4 Phantom/B-8 grip is my all time favorite. The outer shell is some sort of heavy duty plastic/resin with a glossy, glass-like finish and a checkered texture on the sides similar to a stock M1911A 0.45 cal pistol. But the internally, it has some heavy metal components and the stick is all metal. So it has a heavy feel like the Warthog without the cold metal grip. For me, the B-8 is much more "ergonomic" than the Warthog grip partly because it doesn't feel like cold, smooth metal and partly because I think its more rounded shape and checkerboard textures are much more comfortable than the almost flat/square shape of the Warthog stick. The B-8 grip feels just like an M1911A1: built perfectly to comfortably fit my hand.

 

 

The VKB MCG Pro does not have the weight of the F-4 stick/B-8 grip or Warthog stick. Its plastic shell feels light and cheap compared to the B-8 grip. But it is still far superior to the Warthog. It has the checkered pattern on the right side of the grip and does not feel cold like the Warthog's metal grip. If the VKB used the same material and quality as the B-8 grip's outer shell, it would look and feel much better as well as be more historically correct.

[USSR_Rik]

I disagree.

It's up to you.

 

People are quite different and have their own preferencies. If you want to rotate RH sidestick CW - it means that your sidestick in your local place in your hand needed it. No problem. And it means also that your stick is enough far from the seat to the right.

 

I use sidesticks more thar 12..14 years, don't remember exactly (as virpil of course) with different grips (several Logitech, then F-22 (like F-16 grip), now VKB MCG) and I never wanted to rotate it. Never. AFAIR such discussion started approx. 15 years agi on Sukhoi forum.

 

Really it's enough simply to decide the most suitable layout and any virpil can make it by itself.

Edited May 11, 2018 by USSR_Rik

[Mars Exulte]

The purpose of rotating a stick in the first place is to align it with your wrist in a more natural angle, for comfort.

 

Center mounted, for a right hander anyway, would be a few degrees counterclockwise, which is what we have. Side mounted in anything reasonably resembling a normal arrangement, you would want it straight ahead, not twisted outward.

 

If you're placing it so far outboard that you have the need to twist it outward for comfort, I must ask.... Why??? Are you placing your controls either side of a very large monitor you're two feet away from? A semi reasonable location is ballparkish just outside the range of your thighs, effectively in line with your arms. This is the PC equivalent of ape hangers on a motorcycle @@

 

 

You can't expect to have EVERY taste catered to, no matter how impractical or rare :p

 

@98abaile

That's why they're adjustable... It's not a turn on/off sort of thing. Disengage them if you don't want them, problem solved

Edited May 11, 2018 by zhukov032186

[Gman109]

Zhukov, to answer your question, yes. I have a 34" Gsync Asus 100hz LCD, plus I sit pretty far back in VR as well. As I said, having a DX Racer chair - if you don't have one, you won't understand - the armrest are VERY far outboard, which, makes me have to mount the STICK very far outboard.

 

 

This speaks to USSR Rik's point - agree Rik, salute to you, it is personal pref, all the way, and that's what I wanted to make clear in both my video and posts (and future videos and post). Thank you, very reasonable post Rik.

 

 

Streakeagle - VERY cool, love to see some pics of that F4 Phantom stick if you're able to. F4 is one of my favorite fighters, fell in love after reading Mark Berent's 5 book series on the Vietnam war and his F100/F4 flying in it. Fantastic, great post Streak, really interesting info.

 

 

Regarding the dry clutches on the VKB Gunfighter. Again, personal pref, but I have mine completely spun out as to not provide ANY friction at all. And IMO unless you're a helicopter (dedicated) sim pilot, who wants to be able to push his cyclic ahead and have it "stick" in place (you can use software/sim control in DCS to do this somewhat IIRC), I would avoid using the dry clutch adjustments in any positive settings (ie putting friction on) all together. Just my opinion.

 

 

Also, regarding the TM Warthog stick - I agree, that and the Cougar stick (have a couple still, one modded base as well that is FANtastic), are arguably the best sticks made still. The metal stick/buttons (most of them), are great, and there is a strong argument that getting a Gunfighter or Virpil base, getting the adapter (in VKB's case), and running the metal TM stick, as "the" way to go as well. I'm going to run my WH stick in my Gunfighter Mk1 "base only" unit I snapped up off of Ebay this way. Looking forward to that too once they get stock back in for the adapters too. If (and when, fingers cross), Virpil and/or VKB make metal sticks modeled on their existing sticks...heh, that'll be a great day, I'll do the happy dance with that news.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Gman109

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Regarding the dry clutches on the VKB Gunfighter. Again, personal pref, but I have mine completely spun out as to not provide ANY friction at all. And IMO unless you're a helicopter (dedicated) sim pilot, who wants to be able to push his cyclic ahead and have it "stick" in place (you can use software/sim control in DCS to do this somewhat IIRC), I would avoid using the dry clutch adjustments in any positive settings (ie putting friction on) all together. Just my opinion.

 

The reason I'm interested in adding a bit of resistance with the clutches is because I fly light planes and helis RW, and having no drag/damping (whatever you want to call it!) feels strange. My T50 is good but I'm tempted by the Gunfighter if it can provide that feeling of mass to the controls.

[Barefoot Bandit]

The reason I'm interested in adding a bit of resistance with the clutches is because I fly light planes and helis RW, and having no drag/damping (whatever you want to call it!) feels strange. My T50 is good but I'm tempted by the Gunfighter if it can provide that feeling of mass to the controls.

 

Interestingly, a good friend of mine is a commercial airline pilot, she flies A320, A330.A340 and A350's, next time I meet her for coffee, I'm going to take my Warthog and T-50, and ask her for the feedback on feel. I may even take my cams and springs and do some quick swaps, just out of curiosity. :smartass:

 

For the record, Airbus use side sticks for their aircraft (as an officer, your forced to be a lefty, as a Captain, your forced to be a righty).

 

Z...

Edited May 13, 2018 by Barefoot Bandit