Ok, show n tell time! Ive always been really proud of the brand I chose, although I do not think my stick has "Force Feedback" something that I wish it had considering how much I paid for it.

Here is my Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS setup, all stock, no modifications. Anyway I can add force feedback or is there no customization for that?


And probably the rarest set of Pedals on the whole forum, I had to look for months on ebay (although iRONICALLY they are up for sale at about 1/3rd the price I Paid on Ebay right NOW, so I strongly recommend these pedals if you need a pair http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R4...t=See-All-Categories) They came out in the early 1990's, doesnt even have a USB, uses an oldskool Gameport adapter.

Thrustmaster Rudder Control System



Luckily my Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS has a gameport adapter so I didnt need to put a USB/Gameport adapter on the pedals.

I know Ive probably made a past thread several months ago on this but Im really proud of my setup.

I broke off the plastic runners on my pedals early on into ownership and they now sometimes run into the allen bolt and metal edges making it hard to push them if you have a heavy foot. I dont know why they made most of everything of high quality metal and then threw on some really easy to break plastic runners on them, other than the plastic runners they were pretty high quality. Im thinking of customizing them with sheet metal runners to eliminate that problem and have an even higher quality set of pedals in the end.

Although my Dad who was a real pilot complains that we have to pull one foot backward and push the other foot forward to get the pedals to move the rudder which is not how a real airplanes rudder pedals work, whereas if I had gotten the CH Pedals they would probably be more realistic in that I would just have to push one foot down to get the rudder to move. Hopefully the metal runners will help fix that.

Not a bad set up.
I used to have the Saitek X-45 and a pair of CH rudder pedals but my old roomate started dating a Meth addict and soon anything that wasnt bolted down in that house was goooone. Including my P.C.! So I acked my stuff and started over, built me a new and better rig and got me a Walmart $20 joystick, Saitek ST-290.

But soon I will be getting a new Hotas setup.

Those Thrustmaster pedals used to be moderately common 10 years ago. USB killed them and Thrustmaster never bothered with a USB version.

Closeup of the modded X-45

Guillemot ForceFeedback Joystick
(Rubber belts drive the forces... can't beat that)


Homebuilt controller box (3 Joysticks are in there, well, the electronics from 'm, and I've added some more buttons and sliders in the meantime, as well replaced some stock pots with home-built-Hal-sensor-magnetics stuff)


Homebuilt rudder pedals, in the meantime those have been heavily changed, and also got the Hal-sensor option in 'm...

I had posted these a couple years ago and not much has changed since then.
I have a CH Fighterstick and a heavily modified Pro Throttle which uses additional parts from a cannibalized Throttle Quadrant.
I also use the Pro Pedals and I TrackIR3. I got it right when they were release and still works like a charm. When it finally dies I will replace it with a newer version.

My Archie Bunker style chair from the 70's is still going strong despite some obvious wear. I snagged it from my old barracks shortly before they demolished it.

Here's an oldish picture of the Franken-Tripehound HOTAS that I built a few years ago - southpaw handle courtesy of Mark Fletcher.
It's made up of a CH Fighterstick, Pro pedals, and the innards and some parts of a second fighterstick. I designed and built it because I have no right arm but I wanted as much on the stick buttons as possible. It works well.
My friend Mark also fitted a pot in the head of the stick which I use for the throttle. TrackIR 3Pro finishes it all off nicely.

They are not "my" pics, but they do depict what's in my arsenal:

Cougar (Evenstrain mod)




SIMPED rudders gameport version (R.I.P. Dieter)


Lilliput FA-801 Touchscreen (with TouchBuddy software and WBK's IL-2 excellent profile)


TrackIR4 + TrackClip Pro + TrackIR5 software Beta4
5.1 Creative audio
SyncMaster 226BW

Just thought I would show the new toys I got just the other day, a G15 keyboard and some big can headphones (steelseries Siberia)

What were you eating?

Potato Salad is my guess.

I was more concerned on the effect the Lava lamp has on his mood when trying to be a killer.

here is my setup, nothing fancy

here is mine

and the switch boxes

You can never have enough rotaries.



So I added a few more to the throttle of my X-52.

holy cow Cuda, thats some serious overkill! Nice setup

I didnt realize how many people customized their flight controls. Did you make those switch boxxes yourself Cuda? Cool setup, I take it you like flying multiengined airplanes because of all the throttles you have.

My setup is only good for single engined fighters, Im not one for flying bombers.

What are rotaries for pepper?

Nice custom stick norton, Im sure that helps to add to the imersion.

Amazing some of you are on dinky CRT monitors and are into flight simming.

Based around a BU0836, a fantastic GNU head tracker, a car's universal joint, real joystick grip, and a car's electric window and mirror control panel.

WTF??? Im amazed that so many people are use to making custom setups, Im not that mechanically inclined or inventive myself to make my own flight controls. And I use to think I was thinking outside the box for replacing the crappy plastic runners on my pedals with some steel plated ones, but now I reallize that I am nothing compared to most of you.

Do you prefer your homebuilt custom controls over store bought ones? I mean I guess if they do the job than thats good enough right?

Saitek Cyborg Evo FFB, Saitek rudder pedals, and a home made switch box (BU086). The buttons aren't labelled because I have different laminate cut-outs depending on what game I'm playing.

The three rotaries are mapped to trim, the levers are throttle, pitch and mixture (in 10% bands)

My "Flight Console" (with BU0836), EEE-PC 900 (for UDSpeed/Devicelink) and Logitech Force 3D Pro (waiting for X52 to arrive):





More "Flight Console" photos: http://s202.photobucket.com/al...sola/?albumview=grid

My home-made Rudder Pedals:


Old version: _ ______ Upgraded ToeBrakes: