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This could be frustrating. You missed the last one by a few weeks. I'm not 100% sure how this works but you should get lucky and they actually have several sales at the end of the year.
There is no guarantee though. If there is nothing happening until Dec 31 it could mean you must wait a long time.
And a bit about the price policy. It will probably not be more than -20$ for the F-18. I predict they will go $59.99 for this one. They tend to offer -50% reductions for modules that are older and 10-20$ for the ones that they are still developing.
Sale is on until January 7 - save 50% on most modules
They also have new cockpits for the Bf109, Fw190 and P-51D. I just returned home from a work trip and had no time to check them yet. But they look good.
Been flying after the update a little bit. The TF 51-D got most upgrades for the P-51, especially the new 3d cockpit. That means you get 1 almost full fidelity module for free (Su-25T has only the old, basic cockpit), and dont need to buy the P-51 if you just want to fly around. TF-51D only has no weapons but also no gunsight which means much better cockpit view.
The P-51 is also the easiest to fly of the warbirds. I still don't like the ww2 birds very much though and fly best with the (popamole) Mig-29. I begin to resent the slowness of the Mig-15 or let alone Yak-52 in comparison to twin engined Mach 2 power of the Fulcrum.
As I wrote before, I am thinking about building my own flightsim controller and finally had time to work on a prototype.
A joystick is probably too hard I think but for throttle and rudder it could work. The basic idea is to use Hall sensors for maximum precision and a Leon Bodnar controller to plug it into USB. I probably goinna use 2 halls sensors so I can choose the one which works best, or turn this into a dual throttle or a rudder pedals ..
I went with buiding something from LEGO first, and hope it will be sturdy enough to be used.
For the question why LEGO? Well because it allows me try something without machines. LEGO is high quality plastic with tolerances of 1/1000th millimeters. There are always glue, tape and screws to make it stronger than a tank ..
Since I have experience building mechanical stuff with LEGO (like catapults) I actually found this an interesting project, and still shudder at the possibilities ..
Here are various staged from the ludicrous ..
.. to the primitive
from the improved ..
.. to the sophisticated
All had some kind of problem which I solved with my last prototype. It's a bit harder than it looks but eventually I came up with this prototype which should work:
I use a couple of mechanical tricks like grease nippels (in which I fill a small drop of sticky oil) a solid full-width axle (instead of those retarded pivots) and an actual counterweight (for which I used lead balls).
You can move it anywhere with very little effort and due to the counterweight it stays there.
Theoretically it should work, I now have spoken to a guy who can teach me how to solder the electronics and then will see.
If somebody has interest in those controller board and sensors, I will be glad toi exchange info. Cost for the throttle with Hall Sensors should be less than 100$, and be more accurate than anything with potentiometers (even the throttle in the Warthog uses them)
Greese nipple (German: Schmiernippel) is a small hole through which you can push oil so that a shaft runs fluid. Clear?
Ball bearings would have been better. But when I told this to a friend who is a mechanic he laughed and said ball bearings for this would be overkill. He's right but I want it to run smooth and smoother
Here is what I have found so far:
LEO Bodnar USB board BU-36 is 25 GBP
1 hall sensor ca 5 €
buttons switches, hat switches idk a couple of bucks each
so I would estimate 50€ for the basic electronics (rough estimate)
Then one has to add the price for the lego which is easily 50$. On the other hand which other controller is remotely as modular and can be gradually? I also have LEGO worth 1000€ so it is not really costing me
anyway ca 100€
The plus is, 1. precision and resistance can be tweaked to my liking. 2. Repairs can be done easily by myself. 3. 100% modular ans scaleable.
The minus so far, I don't know yet how to add many directional switches and buttons to the grip, but otoh it should be doable.
Here a new experiment with composite materials. This should also be no big problem. The grip is from my bicycle, the reason that it's wet is that I cleaned the whole model under the shower because there was lead on the surface. The lead pellets are inside a plastic bag because I want to avoid contamination.
It's sturdy, goes very smooth and could actually be a contender. Though the grip also adds a lot of weight. I dont think I can add a lot of switches on this though.
I had only very little time over the holidays but finally made a bit more progress on the 50€ throttle
The problem to connect the hall sensor and magnet to the rotation axis seems not overly difficult. Much harder is the right tension so that the throttle gives exact feedback and allows very small adjustment. And of course the axis must be totally stiff so that it moves exactly with the throttle and has no play. It should also not break, no pieces come off etc :D
Here is an image of a Mig-21 throttle which I kind of like. I'm still far from that but I think I can build something that is ergonomically similar, though also quite different.
What remains is a major problem of ergonomics, at least if I want to add hat switches and buttons as in a HOTAS control. I don't know if I can accomplish this but I want at least to plan ahead. The layout below is unusual in that it has the lever on the left but so far is the most ergonomic while giving me headroom to connect a 4- or 8 directional buttin on top and other buttons that I can easily reach with thumb/ondex finger.
It also uses more bicycle parts which seems a very good resource. Such parts cost only 5-10 € and are good enough. I already ordered more rubber grips with nice texture, and more special LEGO pieces :D
I have a problem with my rudder pedal. The landing was as perfect as I can I even airbraked with keeping the nose up. Then I browsed in the internet and when I came back, during taxiing the plane veered to the left so I just parked her there.
I sometimes make perfect landings 20m left or right of the runway so you are not far off the truth either.
But the main technique that I fly with ca 300 kmh and -2m/sec and not crash into the concrete has clicked and since then I rarely crash land, also not the other planes.
The DCS: MiG-19P by RAZBAM will be coming later this month! This early, Russian supersonic fighter further completes the line of MiG fighters in DCS World. MiG-15bis, MiG-19P, MiG-21bis, and MiG-29. Named “Farmer” by NATO, the MiG-19 was the first production, Russian fighter capable of supersonic flight and comparable with American “Century Series” fighters like the F-100, F-105, F-106 and others.
The MiG-19 is a great addition to the stable of 1950s fighters, with more to come.
The MiG-23 picture I took from the internet because the DCS MiG 23 is still way out (could be 2020).
I have only recently started researching it and it seem to be a highly underrated plane. It is the only major fighter with swept wing design and extremely fast (some version up to 2900 km/h). It's as fast or faster than a MiG-29 and definitely faster than the MiG-21.
Downside is of course the swept wing is manually controlled and I can already see that the module could be a pain in the ass because of that. the F-14 of the time was much more pilot friendly with automatically adjusting wings.
The LEGO throttle is also coming along. Composite construction with tape and bicycle parts is beginning to create something that feels like a real throttle.
This rubber dildo has such a nice tactile feel, like a much more expensive throttle. I sacrificed a lot of features just to have such a grip.
The major challenge now is to place buttons and hats on such a contraption, but I think I have an idea how it could be done. it's probably best to make a separate button unit from the handle, placed under it to the right where thumb and index finger can reach. I think this could work.
If parts come off there is always glue and a drilling machine is also in reach (I already managed to bend and ruin a few LEGO parts, something which I never accomplished in my childhood)
If somebody has interest in those controller board and sensors, I will be glad toi exchange info. Cost for the throttle with Hall Sensors should be less than 100$, and be more accurate than anything with potentiometers (even the throttle in the Warthog uses them)
This is fascinating stuff. I would like to know more about which controller board and sensors you use.
I did my own head tracker, which was quite simple compared to this. I've daydreamed about making my own hotas, but my mental plan usually gets stuck around how to build the proper shapes for the stick. I don't know anything about machining or woodworking or whatever would be needed in this case. It's probably wiser to do some prototypes and go about this step by step like you're doing. Do you intend to do something "nicer" later on?
The throttle project has stalled somewhat because I need special parts, but I have the mechanic almost perfect.
For the controller, I plan to use the one from Leo Bodnar. There is one card for ca 30 GBP that should work, but the 50 GBP card seems to be simpler (no diodes etc)
Ah and the hall sensor is not totally clear to me how to arrange the sensor and the magnets. A high quality potentiometer actually works much simpler by just turning the know. There are complete hall pots which from the outside look like normal pots, however they seem really expensive (30-40€ for 1 pot)
Is there a modern/jet-era equivalent to something like IL-2 1946 (lots of content, not "study-sim" level detailed, somewhat friendly to newer players)?
Is there a modern/jet-era equivalent to something like IL-2 1946 (lots of content, not "study-sim" level detailed, somewhat friendly to newer players)?
