Vulcan Bomber...

[matthew73]

Hi folks. Welcome to my Vulcan Bomber flight sim cockpit project. I have been considering doing a cockpit for years. Im hoping to do a 3 projector setup with monitors at back of instrument panels. I chose the Vulcan because of the wrap around windows (i.e. 737, etc), simple avionics systems (i.e. cheaper i hope), Jerry Anderson 1950s noir, and because i fell in love with the Iris Vulcan since i got it. Im in the really early stages of learning how to do an Fsx cockpit so that i can rip up my ORBX scenery. Ive got heaps to learn. Started on the seats, as i had MDF laying around.

If the sim does not work out, then im gonna have a pair of cool looking chairs.

[Shawn]

Looks like an awesome start to a unique cockpit, I really looking forward to see how this one progresses. I don't think I've ever seen a Vulcan cockpit build.

Shawn

[Geremy Britton]

Wow, this could be a fantastic pit! It reminds me of another unique cockpit on our forum - the superconnie.
Props to you if you manage to pull this off, fantastic choice for a legendary aircraft!

Let me know if i can help you in any way...

All the best

[matthew73]

Thanks Shawn. And thanks Geremy, i will be needing much help with my project. Im still trawling through the threads and tutorials before i go posting all sorts of questions and requests for information on cockpit buiilding. Im still yet to research all the FSUIPC stuff, IO cards, panel studio editing, etc. All help and suggestions would be most appreciated. Cheers.

[matthew73]

Work continues on the seat pan/bucket for the Martin Baker Mk3KS ejection seat. As far as i can tell, there was a few variations on the bucket shape between models. Some had an outwards step on the right hand side wall. I chose, the straight one as it was easier. This seat pan is quite common across many of the Martin Baker seats. This seat pan will include the folding armrests, negative G strap, leg restraint loops and snubbing units, and two fireing handles. The seat pan will be filled up by the survival pack equipment that the pilot will sit on. Have not decided yet weather to do the early style fabric covered one, or the yellow fibreglass suitcase type. Most of the rivets on the seat would be occluded by a stack of equipment. Ive put down the ones that would be most visable.

Any help and suggestions most appreciated.

57195720572157225723

[50sqnwop/ag]

another avro a/c on the go! Hussah!
Is it just going to be a 1 man show or you putting the co pilots and rear crews posts in? I'm using a rear crew seat from a V bomber as the pilot seat in my lanc sim.....

[matthew73]

The plan is to have the two seats on the flight deck, which will be alot less roomy than a 737. I hope to model the flight engineer, and perhaps the other 2 crew members, with voice activated co pilot programme. (to go through all them checklists). The Iris Vulcan has a great flight model, but low systems fidelity. I hope this will free up time and money for other things. Thanks for checking in. Cheers.

[Shawn]

Didn't really know what a Vulcan cockpit looked like so I did a quick google search and found this.

360 degree Vulcan Bomber (http://www.kenmcbride.com/National-Museum-of-Flight/vulcan/)

Awesome looking cockpit, from the yoke to the throttle quadrant, nothing looks like a typical aircraft part. Makes me wish I had the time to undertake something like that.

Shawn

[remcosol]

Looks great!!!! if you want i can supply you with some pictures of the seat, i have one at home. It is a great airplane and very pretty!!!

Maybe this gives you an idea of the seat:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/IMG_0784.jpg

Regards Remco

[matthew73]

Thanks Shawn for the 360 pic. That will be most helpfull. I had not come across it before.

Thanks for that image Ramcosol, you make me envious to have such cool kit. I will study your image closely and i will probably ask a few questions about the harness assy. Ive been trying to get my head around all the placements of the lift lines, leg loops, leg restraints etc. I see you have the right hand seat. These things cost a fortune now. Ive seen one, 25 % less complete than yours, polished, for sale $25,000. Believe it or not. Thanks heaps for the offer. Cheers.

[remcosol]

The seat of 25000 dollars was that the chrome one?

It should be possible to buy a semi comlpete one for a lot less, if you can find one..... I think we bought our seat for around 500 pounds, 25 years or so ago.

The seat you are building looks very good! If you need close up pictures just mail me and i will take some and mail them to you. It might take a day or to for me to react because i am not always able to mail .

Best regards, Remco

[matthew73]

Hi folks. Here are some pics of the progress on my Martin Baker Mk3KS ejection seat.

The first and second image is of the older style "harness release, manual overide handle". Its made of 3mm alluminium flat bar, and a slab of MDF for the grip. It will have lovely black and yellow stripes on its upper half. The third image is of what i believe are called the "leg restraint line snubbing units". Made from MDF and pine. One end of the "leg restraint lines" attach onto its lowest, front position. As far as i know, the snubbing units hold the leg restraint lines in position, then release them upon fireing of the seat, they reel inwards to pull the legs of the victim, err, i meen the aviator, so that he does not leave his kneecaps behind on the lower edge of the instrument panel of the aircraft. REMCOSOL! I will need some help on their position please? ( in next post ). The fourth image is of some strapping that i bought at my local market for $15 bucks total. The green one will be for the parachute lift lines, and leg loops. The sand colored one will be for the parachute restraining straps, and for the wedge pad restraining straps. The fith image is of the leg restraint lines, which is elastic tie down strap. It mounts at one end to a unit thats under the seat. Im trying to determine exactly how they mount at the bottom front of the snubbing units. I just cant find a diagram or large, clear image of it with the lines insitu.

Im now starting to explore the inner workings of FSX airplane models and stuff to learn how to build my sim. And other aspects of cockpit building and Fsx interfaceing. So at the moment, this project is just like building a full size plastic scale model at home. And the cockpit is sometimes the most fun part to build in a kit. Cheers.

57425743574457465745

[matthew73]

Hi REMCOSOL. Hope you are doing well. Can i have some help with my leg restraint lines please? I have been studying diagrams and many photos on the web to determine the placement of the leg restraint lines. Many of the images of these seats are either from museams, private collections, decommisioned A/C and restored cockpits. Its hard to find an image of a complete seat with the details i want.

In the third image in the post below. You see the leg restraint line snubbing units with pilot hols drilled in the bottom front section. Could you please tell me how the restraint line attaches to it. Does the line thread into the unit, or does it attach via a clip, link, shackle, etc?

Your seat is the most complete one that i have seen outside of an aircraft. As far as you know, are your leg restraint lines placed correctly ? ( i.e. factory ). Could you please describe their position and attachment to the seat and them buckles. Yes, the crome/polished seat was the $25,000 modern art master piece. No takers yet.

Any help, from anyone, greatly appreciated. Thanks, and take it easy.

[remcosol]

Hi!

I Will make Some pictures today and post them here. Somewhere ive got the original drawings of the seat I'll try to find them because I can remember that the legrestraints were crossconnected on that. Most pictures show them the way I've connected them now.

Your seats are looking very nice keep up the good work!

Best regards Remco

[remcosol]

Hi Matthew,

Here are some pictures:

I'll start off with the left hand side of the seat (seating direction):

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02787.jpg

This is the release handle, as you can see it is black and gold colored.

The next is the leg restraint system. It is basically a clip that goes in to the seat:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02789.jpg

Then runs trough the cutting meganism:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02790.jpg

you can pull the ring on the cutting meganism to take the whole strap out ouf the seat(when the seat was removed for maintanance etc.)

Then it goes to the bottom of the aircraft where it is connected to another clip, so if you eject from the aircraft the restraint gets pulled and finally cut by the cutting meganism:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02791.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02792.jpg

To release yourself from the leg restraint system just pull the lifesupport package handle and the clips release (fall out ) of the seat:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02793.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02794.jpg

The link between lifesupport and leg restraint system:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02795.jpg

The clips:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02796.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02797.jpg

To reconnect: do the opposite i.e connect life support and the as it is locked plug in the clips again:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02794.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02812.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02798.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02799.jpg



The leg restraint straps :

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02802.jpg

All connected:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02814.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02815.jpg


The parachute handle:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02800.jpg


top backside of the seat: (canopy and the seat firing meganism)

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02803.jpg

Top right: (barometer unit that activates the release meganism): Wich is atached to the seat rail ( installed in the aircraft i have my seat installed on the real rail and fixed that to a display rig)

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02807.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02808.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02809.jpg

And some general pictures:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02813.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02811.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee180/Sti-tjuh/DSC02810.jpg.

I hope this will help you out!

Best regards ,
Remco

[matthew73]

Thanks REMCO for taking your time to take all them pics and putting together that post. You have exceeded my expectations, several times over. Gonna have to sit down with a coffee and study. Thankyou. Cheers.

[remcosol]

Your welcome ! I am glad I could help out !

If you need more pictures just tell me then I'll make some more.

Good luck studying :)

Best Regards Remco

[matthew73]

http://youtu.be/AzVTE_exvjg

This a vid that i made a few months ago. It feature the IRIS sim Vulcan B2 flying over the Pacific north west USA scenery by ORBX. This vid was partly responsable for inspiering my home cockpit. Please enjoy. Cheers.

Ive made some more progress on the first of my ejection seats. I just got my copy of FSPanel studio and am yet to experiment with it. Also got a pair of Saitek pro flight throttle quadrents. The throttles were easy to set up and fun to use. Lets hope there reliable. Cheers.

[50sqnwop/ag]

I've got x2 saitek throttle quadrants, they are doing ok so far (had them just over a yr) the saitek yoke is another matter though, tis a P.O.S! luckily you just need a joystick! ;) FSpanel studio is a good bit of kit, used it for my lanc panel and extra pop up screens until I can get more monitors.

[matthew73]

Thanks for your comments. Yes the Vulcan does have joysticks, but they do not stick out of the floor like most jets. The Vulcan joystick, sticks out from the main instrument panel. So i will be using two yokes, but the normal two handed "yoke type" grips will be removed, and replaced with a single stick with the usual buttons and triggers etc This set up goes left and right, and in and out, just like a yoke on a Cessna. I will heed your warning re: Saitek yoke. Im either gonna use a pair of commercially available yokes and modify them. Or. I will build from scratch. Ive been toying with the idea of useing a mountain bike suspenion fork leg for each yoke. First, seperate left and right leg from each other. Remove the springs from the forks, and adjust dampening and fork fluid weight to adjust the feel of the in/out of my new yoke. The fork staunchion will rotate left and right within the staunchion outers for bank left and right. Fabricate and fit a joystick to each leg. Then mechanically link the left and right units together useing heavy duty, stiction free, rose jointed link. Then set up potentiometers and card to make it work. Not sure how i will run wires from joystick switches as the stauchion will be full of fork oil and sealed up. Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Cheers.

[matthew73]

5949595059515952


Here are some more pics of my (semi scale) Martin Baker Mk3KS ejection seat. Ive been busy doing other stuff so progress has been a little slow. Learning heaps about wood work and makeing do with what tools i have. I couldnt help but notice many more posts within the cockpit builders thread, so i will enjoy viewing them. Cheers.

[Geremy Britton]

Looking very good Matt, i can see the work that's gone into that. Looking forward to comparing the finished piece with the real product! :)

[remcosol]

Looking good !!! I am looking forward to the next pictures !

[matthew73]

An update.... Work on the first of my 2 seats continues. Many of the components for the second seat have also been fabricated but far from finished. I have installed FSPanel studio and have experimented with my first custom panels. So far so good, FSPanel studio looks complicated, but they some how make it so easy and no difficulties yet. I have learnt many new things about Fsx itself, including how the views and windows work. I have set up a custom panel that is displayed on a 19 inch screen to compliment my main display. It makes for fun flying.

Im still learning the very basics and im astounded at the effort and technical skill that is required to build many of the sims that i read about in these threads. Especially all you Boeing and Airbus guys. Keep up the good work. The systems that i plan to replicate dont go far beyond that of your average G.A. plane.

And thanks again Remcosol. Cheers.

[stevem]

matthew73, cool project! I am thinking of building the same.

What did you do for instruments? I am probably going to have to write new instruments using Sim Innovations software, but I don't want to, if I can help it. Thoughts?

Do you have pics of your Vulcan sim?

[remcosol]

Hi Matthew how are things going?