Forum: F-16 Simulators

Lots of pictures, and my project still is in its early stages. I figure I will document it here.

What I am recreating is the cockpit of a F-16E Block 60 aircraft, and will be utilizing a 56 inch flat screen TV for the primary visuals, plus (3) 10.4 inch TFT monitors for the three MFDs. The real ones are 8.4 inchers, but I picked up the 3 10.4s for 65 dollars each - so I can just work the extra into the design (hiding the R/L MFD behind the HUD Box, and the center one through using a taped front bevel to the center pedestal. I am making this to fit inside of a limited footprint, so some of the "non-essential" panels have been removed/rearranged. Once I get somewhere where I can build a full tub, I will fix the L/R consoles back to their original form.

The primary reference photo showing the differences between the Block 60 vs the 50 or the MLU (52).

My plan drawing - scale it to 103% for a 1:1 ratio. It's almost complete - I need to finish designing the FUEL panel and INSTR panel on the R AUX Console. The left and Right primary consoles are not exactly accurate - I live in a barracks room (no roommate!) so I shortened the consoles and removed the least used and unimportant panels. Once I get out and get my own place to keep this thing, I'm going to redo the consoles as accurate.

Hope you all enjoy this!

John

UPDATE #1 - 11APR09

MLU Misc panel. I'm going to use this until I can design a Block 60 series one. I got it all wired up to a DB25 connector to plug into my interface.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii13 ... GE_046.jpg
2 out of my 3 MFD screens up and running.

Replica throttle arm made of mostly wood. Has a functional adjustable friction plate. Im running the Cougar HOTAS and just need to make an adaptor to attach the throttle grip to the arm, then figure out where to route the cables from it, then rig the pot to an arm coming out the bottom.

UPDATE #2 - 11APR09/1851

Finished up my design for the Korry ICP, which features an intergrated DED (Data Entry Display)/PFD (Primary Fault Display). I need to tweak it a little if I find someone to CNC it, but this one is designed to hold me over with a hand made plate.

Also, assembled my PHCC Motherboard assembled from a raw PCB - this will support up to 32 analog inputs and will allow up to (16) 64 input daughter boards plugged into it, plus several daisy chained LED or 7segment driver boards. (All of which are assembled but not pictured.)

UPDATE #3 - 15APR09

Update:

It's like Christmas! This is what came out of the Box I got today.

The keys from the Block 50 ICP I got sent me. All I need for him to make now is (right vertical row, from top to bottom) is "NAV", "HUD WARN", and "FLT ACK", plus the same rocker switch from the Block 50/52 ICP, and I need to order 4 standard B50/52 thumb wheels.

Warning Panel well backlit. Each of these blocks will have an LED placed behind them.

Landing Gear Panel. Awesome quality...except it seems that a piece of paper got laid over it while it was still drying and ended up smudged pretty bad. Realistic weathering... Wink

Closeup of the EW Panel and the HMCS Panels....I love them. I can't wait for my OSRAM Display and dome keypad boards to get in for the EW![/img]

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WOW! Looks like you're well on your way! Not that you need it but here are some links for flight simulator supplies try http://www.opencockpits.com/index.php?newlang=english a spanish and english webpage and http://www.simkits.com/
Best of luck, can't wait to see how this comes out! Wink

Massive update: Just catching up with my 'pit logbook. Hope y'all enjoy this.

UPDATE #4 - 17APR09/1538

Just finishing up the Solidworks drawings for the tub. This is the tub that all the parts will sit in.

I'll have some neat pictures of a replica ACES II here soon. My CNCer came up with some improvements to the design, so I'm getting it reworked. He is actually talking about selling these as a kit for other simulator builders.

UPDATE #5 - 23APR2009/1157

Well, Bought a pair of the Logitech Z-10 speakers, used, just for the LCD screen and electronics.

Ripped the speakers apart, took out all the electronics, and now I have a display that will function as my DED (Data Entry Display) which will be mounted inside my ICP.

Picture of the real Korry ICP:

UPDATE #6 - 06MAY2009/1600

Well, came into quite an arrangement with a CNCer. Gonna be able to fabricate more parts than I thought I would. Just gonna have about a 6 week spin up time and then he will crank em for me.

Woohoo!

Here is a few renders of models I have been working on:

ACES II (Actually his model - getting a copy for free cause I made his website for him.)

Korry ICP Model

Decided to hold off on electronics til I finish getting all my panels and such.

UPDATE #7: 22MAY2009/0415

Just got some parts for the ACES II.

All I ordered was the seat cushions and the risers. He threw in a set of decals, and a ejection arming lever.

The arming lever looks resin, so I am guessing it is one of Dunk's replication products.

The risers don't have the Koch fitting, I may worry about finding one cheap....or just going with a similar fitting from bits and pieces of a T10C I have laying around.

Lap Belt (With all hardware to include mini-Koch fitting.)
&
Oxygen bottle with fittings.

UPDATE #8: 02JUN2009/1925

Finally got in a large order from my supplier.

By the end of the month, I should have my ACES II Seat and the majority of my structure.

As promised:

Left Console:

Overall

Test

Fore Left Console

Right Console:

Kinda Overall View

Forward Right Console

Rear Right Console

Got a couple panels missing in these layouts, plus the spacers and back panels.

Until I had the consoles laid out....that REALLY REALLY brings home the fact of how small and cramped the cockpit is...but I imagine a cockpit would have to be very small to reach everything when you are strapped in tight and pulling or pushing gees.

UPDATE #9: 16JUL09/0819

MASSIVE Update!

Built my ACES II Seat.

[span style='font-weight: bold;']Dry fit of the center column. [/span]

Center column near complete.

Parts for one of the sides, minus detail panel.

Side assembled, minus the detail panel (Its easiest to attach the detail panels last.)

Rocket Tube glue drying.

Sides to the seat.

Back of center column complete.

Completed Center Column.

Seat finished, but unpainted. (Front view.)

Seat finished, but unpainted. (Back view.)

Painted Seat.

Color balance was wierd on this one. The actual color is a darker primer grey with a blue undertone.

Back detail shot.

All in all, needs one more sanding and painting probably. Rules of thumb - when buying paint, buy twice as much as you actually think you need...and Krylon 360 degree swivel nozzles are amazing.

Total time for build was about 7 hours. (To include multiple coats of paint/glue drying.)

UPDATE #10: 27JUL09/1640

Another update! Got some goodies in:

EW Panel Jettison Switch (The knob/rotary thats one there is from an Apache; will get replaced with the proper one at a later time - still gotta find a line on knobs. Would crap myself for a set of real ones.)

Real EW Panel Switch/Light PCB

OSRAM Board

All together now!

This EW is gonna look NICE!

And some more goodies.

Last few panels

Brow Light's/Master Caution.

Lit Up!

Panel Indicators

Does anyone have any picture of F-16F Block 60's second seat cockpit ?

I could get one but I'd probably be fired from my job Shrug

Ah well. Thanks anyways. You're in UAE, I guess ? And if you could not post its image, could you atleast tell me that how many MFD's are there in 2nd-seat cockpit ?

No, I'm a flight chief with the 162 FW in Tucson. We fly fly the block 60 for UAE pilot training. We are at this time TDY to Nellis for Red Flag supporting UAE maintainers and aircrew. I will tell you that the UAE and the U.S. are very protective of the block 60's configurations and capblities. The photographs you see of the front cockpit are approximate and not necessarily accurate. Regards, elguapo

OMG. You mean, that some panels or entire consoles could be different from the one's shown in images ? Thanks anyways borther.

OMG. You mean, that some panels or entire consoles could be different from the one's shown in images ? Thanks anyways borther.

Give my regards to UAE's pilots. It will be the first time ever that our brothers will be out there in a hell-like enviornment, constant beep alerts telling you to check your six, and fireballs all around you ( if u let your imagination go wild ), oh man, wish I could have been there as well.

yasirbhojani wrote:

OMG. You mean, that some panels or entire consoles could be different from the one's shown in images ? Thanks anyways borther.

yeah, I had a friend who was a crew chief on a Block 30 for the ANG. I got the chance to sit in the cockpit of one. He was amazed at how much I knew (even knew the startup seq at one point, course I wasnt aloud to touch anything!) but when I asked him about a strange panel on the bottom left he said "Cant tell you, its classified"

Wow.

OMG. That means that even the block 15 cockpits might be different from the ones shown in the images as well...That means, I have been trusting images too much....Thanks for the info brother.

man you got skills bro..how the heck do u get all the cockpit panels??wow you guys are amazing...so much talent here...i can build RCs but this is on a whole different level. i salute you

Whoa...just seeing this. Most impressive!

Last edited by FlightDreamz on Jan 23, 2010 - 02:40 PM; edited 1 time in total

Looks great so far! What program are you going to run on it? Falcon 4.0 or something similar? Love the ejection seat.

Forum: F-16 Simulators

Homebuilt F-16E Block 60 Simulator