ACM panel question for F-14 maintainers\crew

[Extranajero]

Thought I'd put this here instead of the home cockpit section. If it's in the wrong place I guess a mod can move it ?

 

I'm building an ACM panel and want everything to be exactly like the original - or as near as I can get it. I've got a question about the 3 pushbuttons for gun rate and missile prep and the missile norm\brst selection.

 

Are they latching switches, or momentary ?

if they are momentary do they have still have a click action ?

 

The station occupied\ready indicators look electromechanical. Is that how they operated ?

 

if anyone can help it'll be appreciated.

[RustBelt]

If they're like similar switches in bigger planes I flew they're momentary with a good click to em.

 

You can buy the real ones, but the price on them is crazy. Can probably fake em with a nice mechanical Cherry keyboard switch and some cunning LED placement.

 

Or EL sheet.

[Extranajero]

If they're like similar switches in bigger planes I flew they're momentary with a good click to em.

 

You can buy the real ones, but the price on them is crazy. Can probably fake em with a nice mechanical Cherry keyboard switch and some cunning LED placement.

 

Or EL sheet.

 

Thanks, the switch action you describe is what I suspect but can't really prove without further input. I know exactly what you mean about the click.

 

The nearest non-aviation switch action to it I have come across is probably the channel and power selector buttons on quality 70's hifi gear.

 

I've got plenty of aerospace type pushbutton switches to choose from - I look for surplus on Ebay and buy whatever I can that's a sensible price, or strip complete cockpit panels down. Some types have a click action, some don't.

 

Recently I bought a small number of Jay El illuminated pushbutton switches - when I decoded the NSN number I found they were produced for the F-16B and the price to the US government was $2.2k per unit :D

[punk]

Thought I'd put this here instead of the home cockpit section. If it's in the wrong place I guess a mod can move it ?

 

I'm building an ACM panel and want everything to be exactly like the original - or as near as I can get it. I've got a question about the 3 pushbuttons for gun rate and missile prep and the missile norm\brst selection.

 

Are they latching switches, or momentary ?

if they are momentary do they have still have a click action ?

 

The station occupied\ready indicators look electromechanical. Is that how they operated ?

 

if anyone can help it'll be appreciated.

 

They should be momentary Jay El or Korry type switches which make the intended electrical action with corresponding change in lighting as far as I know. I know the Korry lights I have do make a soft mechanical click when depressed. But i am not a specialist so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

Salute,

[Spiceman]

The station ready indicators were little rotating drums.

[Extranajero]

I think that the ACM pushbuttons are Jay El - photos of the panel show what looks like aluminium where the black finish has worn off the faces, I know that Jay El use aluminium rather than plastic for their buttons

 

The station ready indicators were little rotating drums.

 

That'll be an interesting challenge, fabricating those and making them work...

[RustBelt]

I don't know why I never thought to look for ebay surplus for these before.

[Bunny Clark]

They should be momentary Jay El or Korry type switches which make the intended electrical action with corresponding change in lighting as far as I know.

Yah, that's certainly what makes the most sense. If they latched that'd be pretty weird since other controls like the ACM switch can change the state of the buttons.