Spudknocker's F/A-18C Stick Grip Review!

[streakeagle]

I must say that the MCG Pro is currently the best stick I ever used. Sure, this is some kind of plastic but the build quality is phenomenal. I'd like to think the price difference is due to the metal used in the Hornet stick, plus licencing fees.

 

I 100% agree: the MCG Pro is the bomb! Just a matter of seeing how long it lasts and how much it costs to fix/replace it when things go wrong.

 

I am not a fan of metal stick grips. The point is to replicate the real thing, which isn't metal (at least not the part your hand touches). I have a real B-8 grip from an F-4 Phantom. It is a very high quality plastic or resin on the outside that is super sturdy, pleasing to look at, and diamond textured on the sides like pistol grips to feel comfortable. It is metal on the inside, which makes it feel heavy/solid. Between the Warthog grip and the MCG Pro, neither of which 100% correctly replicates a real life grip, I will take the MCG Pro, not just because I love the base and can use the analog brake lever with several DCS aircraft, but because I prefer the feel of the plastic with diamond texture to the feel of smooth, cold metal. But the MCG Pro doesn't feel as sturdy or look as nice as a real grip. On the flip side, the MCG Pro is easy to take apart to repair/replace parts.

 

But I still love the Warthog stick and will gladly get the F/A-18C stick as well. There is no rule that says I can only own and enjoy one stick. If the reviews are good for the WingWing F/A-18C hotas, I may get that one as well. I am most likely going to end up with two simpits: one tailored to replicate the F-4 Phantom but can easily be converted back to the Warthog HOTAS, and one loosely favoring the F/A-18C with the intent to also support other modern fighters with MFDs. When I am done, I will end up having enough left over hardware to support making one or two more simpits, but it also means I have some redundancy. When something fails, I won't have to do without while waiting for repair/replacement.

[Sokol1_br]

Thrustmaster uses higher specification buttons and mechanisms generally..

 

:huh: Under the "hood":

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e27/hrvhegeykc/IMG_20150109_220853_zps5dd57673.jpg~original

 

The tactile switch - the exposed PCB at left, don't looks a "higher specification" hardware, and certainly cost less than these:

 

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/B3F-4155/SW967-ND/368375

 

Similar model was used in Tm F16FLCS, F22PRO in 90's.

[BuzzU]

Warthog grip cost $110. F/A-18 grip is $229.

 

What makes it worth twice as much? I'd like to think i'm not a sucker. I won't buy it. TM is too full of themselves.

[Dav IRL]

It feels very nice in hand and is a massive upgrade over the old A-10C style grip.

 

 

Fundamentally and upgrade from the warthog l? It looks really big to be honest

 

 

 

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[McGraw]

This looks nice but you just can’t compare it with an MCG pro unless you are building a pit.

[Kayos]

Not worth it for me unless they come out with another Cougar. I won't fly the F-18 again when the Vipers comes out.

[Sierra99]

$229.99!!!! They can keep it. Obviously TM doesn't realize there are other options.

 

Yeah...about that...I had a chance to handle both a Virpil Stick and base and the Hornet Stick this weekend in Orlando. In my opinion The Virpil stick felt "Cheap" compared to the Hornet. No Comparison.

 

The Price isn't that unreasonable for something that I don't have to wonder about being compatible with my system...

 

As for Winwing...I'll believe it when I see it. I believe there are lots of people out there looking at their Throttle and side panel...but I can get a Hornet stick for 229.00...their Hornet Stick is close to 400.00 if ya use simple math and split the costs of their throttle and Stick. And all of your other sticks may or may not work with it.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Sierra99

[Gladman]

I can see no use for more than one stick so I don't care if others don't work.

 

Your simple math doesnt work when you take into consideration the winwing will come with around 600 dollars with of panels around the throttle its an easy decision.

[RustBelt]

And you're doing the math a bit wrong. The whole setup is $600 then you sell the throttle and and side panel for $400 and the stick just only cost you $200.

 

A lot of people just want the throttle, me included, and they won't sell it that way.

[RustBelt]

Warthog grip cost $110. F/A-18 grip is $229.

 

What makes it worth twice as much? I'd like to think i'm not a sucker. I won't buy it. TM is too full of themselves.

 

The Boeing hologram sticker on the box. Because I guess all our tax dollars aren't enough for them.

[Buckeye]

I can see no use for more than one stick so I don't care if others don't work.

 

Your simple math doesnt work when you take into consideration the winwing will come with around 600 dollars with of panels around the throttle its an easy decision.

 

 

 

How is that one little panel with $1.50/ea Chinese switches $600?

 

 

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[RustBelt]

:huh: Under the "hood":

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e27/hrvhegeykc/IMG_20150109_220853_zps5dd57673.jpg~original

 

The tactile switch - the exposed PCB at left, don't looks a "higher specification" hardware, and certainly cost less than these:

 

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/B3F-4155/SW967-ND/368375

 

Similar model was used in Tm F16FLCS, F22PRO in 90's.

 

For the price they're asking I would expect OTTO P1-1's not a tactile in a fake can.

[hansangb]

How is that one little panel with $1.50/ea Chinese switches $600?

 

 

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That's true of every joystick, no? Unless you consider the CNC, Laser, development cost (it's going to come with some software) manual labor to solder, put it together etc.

 

 

And as for the person who mentioned the TMWH having quality "hardware inside" I do like the tactile feedback of the switches. Feels nice and solid. However, the wiring is a piece of crap. I mean they used the minimum gauge possible with the smallest amount of solder you can get away with. If you just blow on it, with the parts open, you can disconnect a cable.

 

And while my TM is older, and never had a stiction issue, I wish they made the connector stronger. I guess stainless steel would have added too much overhead.

[hansangb]

How is that one little panel with $1.50/ea Chinese switches $600?

 

 

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That's true of every joystick/throtole, no? Unless you consider the CNC, Laser, development cost (it's going to come with some software) manual labor to solder, put it together etc. And injection molding for plastic parts.

 

 

And as for the person who mentioned the TMWH having quality "hardware inside" I do like the tactile feedback of the switches. Feels nice and solid. However, the wiring is a piece of crap. I mean they used the minimum gauge possible with the smallest amount of solder you can get away with. If you just blow on it, with the parts open, you can disconnect a cable.

 

And while my TM is older, and never had a stiction issue, I wish they made the connector stronger. I guess stainless steel would have added too much overhead.

[Gladman]

How is that one little panel with $1.50/ea Chinese switches $600?

 

 

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There's not many places you can buy the panels. PCFlights being one of them. One panel, half a dozen switches, a bodnar board and your into each panel for 100-200 dollars each. The winwing comes with about 4 from what I see.

[Supmua]

Keep in mind also that WINWING is a fairly new player with unproven records (at least in the non-Chinese market). The initial asking price seems reasonable but we have no idea regarding quality, craftsmanship, performance, availability, customer support etc.

 

At least for TM products, I know that I can get new parts or replacements within 1-1.5 weeks (when my throttle board broke recently, TM support got back to me within 2 hours of email enquiry and I received a new one within one week). That is the kind of service that minimizes the aggravation when things break, and the kind of support that people can rely on.

[DataHawk]

Anyone know if its possible to switch the trim and castle switch around for a more AV-8B like stick ?

[Sierra99]

Anyone know if its possible to switch the trim and castle switch around for a more AV-8B like stick ?

 

I have one on order and I'll let ya know...

[Sierra99]

And you're doing the math a bit wrong. The whole setup is $600 then you sell the throttle and and side panel for $400 and the stick just only cost you $200.

 

A lot of people just want the throttle, me included, and they won't sell it that way.

 

The whole setup up is $799.95...that being said...they seem to be standing by their all or nothing business model...

 

.I'll give em a look once they start selling the throttle separately.

[RustBelt]

It is a fully licensed product from Boeing

 

Thing is though, it’s not a Boeing design. The real one is an off the shelf grip with Otto equipment in it. I don’t actually see any value in it being licensed, and I suspect that cutesy hologram sticker is there just to justify the cost of the design overrun. It’s not a BETTER grip than the Warthog/F-16 stick which for under $200 also comes with a whole joystick base.

 

And also as a US tax payer, I paid McDonnel-Boeing to design that plane. If anything it’s “brand” is tenuously in the US public domain since the US Government commissioned the design of the thing.

[RustBelt]

The whole setup up is $799.95...that being said...they seem to be standing by their all or nothing business model...

 

.I'll give em a look once they start selling the throttle separately.

 

I agree too. They keep just saying its a “marketing” so I suspect THEY are buying the units as a set and so that’s the only way they can sell em. It’s a pain because it does look like a nice throttle.

[Waxer]

...I suspect THEY are buying the units as a set and so that’s the only way they can sell em.

 

When you say "THEY" you are referring to WinWing.

 

What information are you basing your opinion on?

[RustBelt]

When you say "THEY" you are referring to WinWing.

 

What information are you basing your opinion on?

 

I literally said the fact that they refer to it as a "Marketing" Also that at some point in one of the many threads they said they "get them" like this. So it's either a repackage and sale, or they have a contracted manufacture, or some mixture of both.

 

Whatever way, it's clear they don't have separated products in their distribution line, everything is one boxed at least in their current runs. Based on some of the ways I've seen Manufacture and Distribution they may not even have them to break open and split up. They may be direct dispatched from the manufacturing center to shipping.

 

Not that stuff like Thrustmaster is any diffrent really. You don't really bother sending stuff to you first before then shipping it to retail. That's just an extra un-needed step.

[Jamison01]

Anyone know if its possible to switch the trim and castle switch around for a more AV-8B like stick ?

I also have one on order, I would guess that you will probably have to print a new faceplate, but I don't know if the switches are on a circuit board. We won't know until somebody gets one in hand and takes it apart.

 

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[flywaldair (Skynet dev.)]

Got my hornet stick in the mail this morning!

 

For those of you living in Switzerland you can currently order the stick here:

 

https://www.conrad.ch/de/p/thrustmaster-f-a-18c-hornet-hotas-add-on-grip-joystick-pc-1848899.html