Nightdare Posted July 1 Posted July 1 Thought I'd give the heads up here as well 6 Intel I5 13600k / AsRock Z790 Steel Legend / MSI 4080s 16G Gaming X Slim / Kingston Fury DDR5 5600 64Gb / Adata 960 Max / HP Reverb G2 v2 Rhino FFB / Virpil MT50 Mongoost T50 Throttle, T50cm Grip, VFX Grip, ACE Rudder / WinWing Orion2 Navy, UFC&HUD, PTO2, 2x MFD1, PFP7 / Logitech Flight Panel / VKB SEM V / 2x DIY Bodnar Button Panels
captain_dalan Posted July 3 Posted July 3 They are discontinuing it? A sad day indeed What if what we have already breaks after the warranty expires..... alas.... 1 Modules: FC3, Mirage 2000C, Harrier AV-8B NA, F-5, AJS-37 Viggen, F-14B, F-14A, Combined Arms, F/A-18C, F-16C, MiG-19P, F-86, MiG-15, FW-190A, Spitfire Mk IX, UH-1 Huey, Su-25, P-51PD, Caucasus map, Nevada map, Persian Gulf map, Marianas map, Syria Map, Super Carrier, Sinai map, Mosquito, P-51, AH-64 Apache, F4U Corsair, WWII Assets Pack
draconus Posted July 3 Posted July 3 Anybody use this one? https://flightsimcontrols.com/product/gladiator-nxt-evo-f-14-combat-edition/ 1 Win10 i7-10700KF 32GB RTX4070S Quest 3 T16000M VPC CDT-VMAX TFRP FC3 F-14A/B F-15E CA SC NTTR PG Syria
Dragon1-1 Posted July 4 Posted July 4 On 7/2/2025 at 12:57 AM, RustBelt said: Tomcat hype is over. On to the next plane of the day. Tomcat is never going to stop being the coolest plane to ever fly from a carrier. That said, the stick was always going to be of limited appeal. It's got a bunch of unique features not seen on other sticks, like the weapon selector and the DLC wheel. 5
unlikely_spider Posted July 4 Posted July 4 51 minutes ago, Dragon1-1 said: Tomcat is never going to stop being the coolest plane to ever fly from a carrier. That said, the stick was always going to be of limited appeal. It's got a bunch of unique features not seen on other sticks, like the weapon selector and the DLC wheel. My feelings exactly. I am a huge fan of the F-14 as represented in DCS, but as someone who flies many other modules, would not make this purchase since other grips are much more versatile. 1 Modules: Wright Flyer, Spruce Goose, Voyager 1
JupiterJoe Posted July 4 Posted July 4 Virpil do very nice quality stuff. I have their Mongoose throttle. I was waiting for them to do a force feedback base and expected this F-14 stick to be useable with that base. I guess that's not happening now, so there's no point in me buying one. Intel Core i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz - 64GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 - Microsoft Sidewinder Force-feedback 2 - Virpil Mongoose CM-3 Throttle
Nightdare Posted July 5 Author Posted July 5 On 7/4/2025 at 9:46 AM, JupiterJoe said: Virpil do very nice quality stuff. I have their Mongoose throttle. I was waiting for them to do a force feedback base and expected this F-14 stick to be useable with that base. I guess that's not happening now, so there's no point in me buying one. What's not happening? I got my VFX on a Rhino, so why shouldn't it work on a Virpil FFB base? 1 Intel I5 13600k / AsRock Z790 Steel Legend / MSI 4080s 16G Gaming X Slim / Kingston Fury DDR5 5600 64Gb / Adata 960 Max / HP Reverb G2 v2 Rhino FFB / Virpil MT50 Mongoost T50 Throttle, T50cm Grip, VFX Grip, ACE Rudder / WinWing Orion2 Navy, UFC&HUD, PTO2, 2x MFD1, PFP7 / Logitech Flight Panel / VKB SEM V / 2x DIY Bodnar Button Panels
JupiterJoe Posted July 5 Posted July 5 (edited) 11 hours ago, Nightdare said: What's not happening? I got my VFX on a Rhino, so why shouldn't it work on a Virpil FFB base? If they are developing a FFB base, why wouldn't they make the F-14 stick backward compatible? They've discontinued it, so I don't understand. Edited July 5 by JupiterJoe Intel Core i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz - 64GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 - Microsoft Sidewinder Force-feedback 2 - Virpil Mongoose CM-3 Throttle
Nightdare Posted July 5 Author Posted July 5 1 hour ago, JupiterJoe said: If they are developing a FFB base, why wouldn't they make the F-14 stick backward compatible? They've discontinued it, so I don't understand. I don't get it Did I miss any news the old Virpil grips won't work on their new FFB base? If not, why wouldn't any current grip like the VFX work on it? 3 Intel I5 13600k / AsRock Z790 Steel Legend / MSI 4080s 16G Gaming X Slim / Kingston Fury DDR5 5600 64Gb / Adata 960 Max / HP Reverb G2 v2 Rhino FFB / Virpil MT50 Mongoost T50 Throttle, T50cm Grip, VFX Grip, ACE Rudder / WinWing Orion2 Navy, UFC&HUD, PTO2, 2x MFD1, PFP7 / Logitech Flight Panel / VKB SEM V / 2x DIY Bodnar Button Panels
JupiterJoe Posted July 6 Posted July 6 15 hours ago, Nightdare said: I don't get it Did I miss any news the old Virpil grips won't work on their new FFB base? If not, why wouldn't any current grip like the VFX work on it? Why would they discontinue the F-14 stick (in the first post) if it was compatible with the upcoming FFB Base? Intel Core i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz - 64GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 - Microsoft Sidewinder Force-feedback 2 - Virpil Mongoose CM-3 Throttle
Ivandrov Posted July 6 Posted July 6 (edited) 1 hour ago, JupiterJoe said: Why would they discontinue the F-14 stick (in the first post) if it was compatible with the upcoming FFB Base? Niche stick that at least started to fall in sales. Like typical market stuff. No reason to believe it would not be compatible with the FFB base. The Virpil sticks all use the same connector to connect to their current bases. Edited July 6 by Ivandrov 5
Nightdare Posted July 6 Author Posted July 6 7 hours ago, JupiterJoe said: Why would they discontinue the F-14 stick (in the first post) if it was compatible with the upcoming FFB Base? If the VFX grip is incompatible, then every other grip including their brand new expensive Flanker grip would be unusable for their FFB offering I'm pretty certain that will kill off any future for their FFB products, and most goodwill of previous owners to ever bother with Virpil again 3 Intel I5 13600k / AsRock Z790 Steel Legend / MSI 4080s 16G Gaming X Slim / Kingston Fury DDR5 5600 64Gb / Adata 960 Max / HP Reverb G2 v2 Rhino FFB / Virpil MT50 Mongoost T50 Throttle, T50cm Grip, VFX Grip, ACE Rudder / WinWing Orion2 Navy, UFC&HUD, PTO2, 2x MFD1, PFP7 / Logitech Flight Panel / VKB SEM V / 2x DIY Bodnar Button Panels
wwWolfcom Posted July 7 Posted July 7 16 hours ago, JupiterJoe said: Why would they discontinue the F-14 stick (in the first post) if it was compatible with the upcoming FFB Base? Even it is incompatitable at first release, it would be easy to intergate their own product after few updates. Especially when they use same protocol/interface for their base-stick. Current warbrd d or t50cm3 supports TM grips, outdated/discontinued grips(vpc old t50cm grips etc) internally.
StevethePirate Posted July 14 Posted July 14 On 7/3/2025 at 8:44 AM, draconus said: Anybody use this one? https://flightsimcontrols.com/product/gladiator-nxt-evo-f-14-combat-edition/ My wife was kind enough to buy this stick for me a couple years ago. I can't compare it to Virpil, as I don't have any experience with them. For the money, it's been performing pretty solidly. I'd like to upgrade it with a Gunfighter base sometime in the future.
draconus Posted July 14 Posted July 14 1 hour ago, StevethePirate said: My wife was kind enough to buy this stick for me a couple years ago. I can't compare it to Virpil, as I don't have any experience with them. For the money, it's been performing pretty solidly. I'd like to upgrade it with a Gunfighter base sometime in the future. Thanks for your opinion. Why do you want to upgrade? Is it lacking in precision? Win10 i7-10700KF 32GB RTX4070S Quest 3 T16000M VPC CDT-VMAX TFRP FC3 F-14A/B F-15E CA SC NTTR PG Syria
RustBelt Posted July 14 Posted July 14 On 7/6/2025 at 9:56 AM, JupiterJoe said: Why would they discontinue the F-14 stick (in the first post) if it was compatible with the upcoming FFB Base? They probably had them built in lots and when the current lot got low they decided not to have their manufacturing partner make any more because the min order would mean too much money tied up in a slow moving product. Especially if they’re setting up for a FFB release. For Chinese injection moulding firms the min order can be in the thousands. Assemblers too also have a pretty high minimum to justify setting up the assembly line. So they probably only ever made one large multi thousand build contract for them, and if they sold fast, would run them again. If they didn’t they would move on as they unloaded the rest of their back stock. Tomcat fever in the sim world is over, it’s time to make FFB money and tool up for the euro fighter or whatever new hotness they think will sell. 1
StevethePirate Posted July 15 Posted July 15 17 hours ago, draconus said: Thanks for your opinion. Why do you want to upgrade? Is it lacking in precision? I don't particularly care for the bulky base with the extra buttons and levers on it. I'd like something a bit slimmer and trimmer, and the Gunfighter base does that. I will say that the Gladiator base gives some extra functionality, especially if you don't have a throttle. However, since I like my stick center-mounted, those three levers and buttons are very awkward to actually use, so losing them isn't an issue to me.
draconus Posted July 15 Posted July 15 48 minutes ago, StevethePirate said: I don't particularly care for the bulky base with the extra buttons and levers on it. I'd like something a bit slimmer and trimmer, and the Gunfighter base does that. I will say that the Gladiator base gives some extra functionality, especially if you don't have a throttle. However, since I like my stick center-mounted, those three levers and buttons are very awkward to actually use, so losing them isn't an issue to me. Fair enough and good it's not something with the base precision/feel Win10 i7-10700KF 32GB RTX4070S Quest 3 T16000M VPC CDT-VMAX TFRP FC3 F-14A/B F-15E CA SC NTTR PG Syria
FriedrichNix Posted July 15 Posted July 15 I think it's a shame to discontinue a product like that. The F14 Stick is somewhat very special and different to all other sticks. The point with VIRPIL was, that their base not only support their sticks, but also the Thrustmaster sticks and I believe, you could mount a Virpil Stick also on a Thrustmaster base and maybe loose an axis or so, but I think I read somewhere that the functions of the F14 stick remained (no thumb wheel for DLC Flaps, but buttons and no axis for pinky-lever, but button push). The VKB stuff is unfortunately not compatible with VIRPIL/THRUSTMASTER sticks and bases... 1
Rhrich Posted July 16 Posted July 16 Its no wonder. Most who might want a grip has got it. And while it might be great in the real tomcat (though I would prefer a different layout), I guess its not that suited to a sim environment where you would want more buttons to compensate for lack of cockpit. the real reason I write here though, is an encouragement to those who own it: Make sure to take good care of yours. The item is quite unique and it’s probable that no one will produce anything similar again for a long time. you might therefore own something more hidden and sought after than MH17s black boxes: A piece of PC equipment that might retain and even increase in value. 3
JupiterJoe Posted July 16 Posted July 16 (edited) The lockable twist version, which is the one I would have bought, is now showing out-of-stock. Edited July 16 by JupiterJoe 1 Intel Core i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz - 64GB RAM - Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 - Microsoft Sidewinder Force-feedback 2 - Virpil Mongoose CM-3 Throttle
Nightdare Posted July 16 Author Posted July 16 2 hours ago, JupiterJoe said: The lockable twist version, which is the one I would have bought, is now showing out-of-stock. I have a twist version since release, with the idea I could also us it with Elite Dangerous, locked it the first time I mounted it, never unlocked it since 1 Intel I5 13600k / AsRock Z790 Steel Legend / MSI 4080s 16G Gaming X Slim / Kingston Fury DDR5 5600 64Gb / Adata 960 Max / HP Reverb G2 v2 Rhino FFB / Virpil MT50 Mongoost T50 Throttle, T50cm Grip, VFX Grip, ACE Rudder / WinWing Orion2 Navy, UFC&HUD, PTO2, 2x MFD1, PFP7 / Logitech Flight Panel / VKB SEM V / 2x DIY Bodnar Button Panels
FriedrichNix Posted July 18 Posted July 18 On 7/16/2025 at 1:59 PM, Rhrich said: ... Make sure to take good care of yours. The item is quite unique and it’s probable that no one will produce anything similar again for a long time. ... ...and that's why I ordered a second one to have a spare in case of need! 2
Jackjack171 Posted July 18 Posted July 18 I've always loved the Tomcat, so when this stick was available in 2021, I got it! I'm a niche kind of guy and will not fly the F-14 without it. It's a nice build and nostalgic, I'm glad I got it when I did. Was my first Virpil purchase! 1 DO it or Don't, but don't cry about it. Real men don't cry!
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