The beginnings of an F-4 pit

No photos to show yet, but I have found a cost effective way to imitate dzus rails, so I am going to be able to easily mount my panels in a way that looks a lot like the real F-4 left console. After I get back from taking Spring Break (formerly known as the Easter break) with my son, I should very quickly get all three panels mounted, then begin working on the throttle mechanism.

Finally, some visual progress worth posting. I have removed the Warthog Throttle and installed the real F-4 control panels that surround the throttle levers. The installation isn't as neat as it could be, but that won't matter. Once I acquire more panels or fashion reasonable imitations, I will need to remove much of the remaining wood (horizontal areas painted black) and remove the sloppy aluminum cross pieces that are currently attached to that wood.

Coat hanger wire was too big to emulate dzus rails, I don't have anything smaller in my home stash of building/repair materials. So, I need to go get some "piano" wire of the appropriate diameter... but I am thinking flexible stranded steel cable may be better because it looks like the wire is supposed to flex or stretch to create firm tension holding the panels down when the fastener is turned to lock onto the wire.

Now the real work begins as I try to replicate the real F-4 throttle axis mechanism starting with only the levers. They need to "snap" outboard with a firm "click" to move past military power and "snap" back in to restore the military power limit. The finger-lift detents must be used to go from idle to off. The pilot's manual specifies the angles for off, idle, full military, and full afterburner. I am thinking of using wood blocks sandwiched between wood sheets or aluminum plates to limit the throttle movements per those requirements incorporating the finger-lift interlocks and the full military limit.

Great build! Love the f4!

I finally made some progress on getting the throttle levers mounted. As soon as I have them in, I will post new pics. Then I need to get everything hooked up to a USB controller.

As time goes by. Streakeagle nice progress! Do you remeber, when I gave you the pictures of all the seperate panels? Long ago. I buried my project that I had during that time and sold it.

But I was able to make my dream come true and get a real F-4 cockpit. When restoration has finished I will try to get a VR ride in it.

But I was able to make my dream come true and get a real F-4 cockpit. When restoration has finished I will try to get a VR ride in it.

Awesome cockpit! Wish I had the opportunity to do the same.

I still have all the images you sent me. I have throttle handles and started making my own quadrant to mount them on, but I could really use the original throttle quadrant.

Throttle handles are good. Do you have technical data how the throttles are built in? If not, let me know. Most T.O.s are downloadable.

Throttle handles are good. Do you have technical data how the throttles are built in? If not, let me know. Most T.O.s are downloadable.

No, I do not have technical data and could really use it. I have some photos and the pilot manuals that gave me some good data and I operated real throttles at museums... but detailed documentation would always be appreciated!

Question why an f-4pitdcs doesn’t offer a flying module for it?

No, I do not have technical data and could really use it. I have some photos and the pilot manuals that gave me some good data and I operated real throttles at museums... but detailed documentation would always be appreciated!

Okay I will collect some useful docs for you this week.

Question why an f-4pitdcs doesn’t offer a flying module for it?

1. Because I love the F-4.

2. Because I started building it before I even owned any DCS World modules.

3. Because the F-4 is going to be in DCS World, which I assumed would be the case from the day the MiG-21bis was announced.

Belsimtek made my day when they announced they had started the F-4E. Belsimtek typically released an aircraft fairly quickly after making any kind of announcement, so I thought it would be fairly soon. Then ED formally absorbed Belsimtek and put the F-4E on indefinite hold. Not happy, but enjoying the other aircraft until I can have it. The F-14 is almost F-4 era tech and is a two-seater, so it is providing a reasonable substitute. The MiG-23 is pretty much a single seat, single engine F-4, so I am looking forward to that aircraft, too.

Okay I will collect some useful docs for you this week.

Thank you very much!

I worked on RF-4Cs in Okinawa and Korea and the Martin Baker looked like a transformer back then...crazy. Looks great so far!

Hey, BTW, we need a pilot body-less QF-4 to shot down as a drone in game, thanks ED!

Question why an f-4pitdcs doesn’t offer a flying module for it?

I agree, F-4s are so 1990s!

Here are some drawings from the technical order.

and the rest...

Awesome! Thank you very much.

I may have just made a major breakthrough. I just found an F-101 Voodoo throttle quadrant minus the grips on eBay for a very reasonable price. It looks awful similar to the F-4 throttle quadrant. I have grips. So this might work. For the price, I am going to take a chance as it could save me a lot of engineering effort if the quadrant works well enough and the grips fit.

The 101 and the F-4 are both Mister Mac´s birds and not far away from each other. So I think you are true that they are very similar. I´m curious about that project!

If your interested. There an air museum in Kalamazoo Mi. Thats got an F-4 pilot sim on display. I think I got some photos floating around. Wouldn't be difficult to get measurements of that.

I really hope I can bolt my grips in place of the F-101 grips. From the F-101 manual, the main difference I can see is that instead of lifting detents to go to idle, the throttle grips have to be thrown outboard they same as afterburner. If my grips fit, I can live with going outboard for idle, but if I will try to modify the quadrant to use finger lift detents if I can do so without damaging any of the original hardware.

Unlike the F-4 manual, there is no diagram showing the range of motion of the throttle levers identifying the angles for stop, idle, mil, and afterburner. I can't tell if there is room to move the levers forward after going outboard to advance the afterburner stages either.

This may not work at all, or even if it does work, it might not work as well as I want it to, but I can't wait to get it and find out.

If your interested. There an air museum in Kalamazoo Mi. Thats got an F-4 pilot sim on display. I think I got some photos floating around. Wouldn't be difficult to get measurements of that.

I have been to both the Naval Aviation museum at Pensacola and the USAF Museum at Dayton. I was able to operate the throttle levers and get a feel for how they worked. But it is difficult to take very good measurements while sitting in the cockpit with the ejection seat installed, especially with other people waiting for their turn in the cockpit. I took a tape measure and a clipboard with me on both trips. I also bought a 1/32 scale high detail cockpit model and a micrometer to get ballpark measurements.

But nothing beats having real parts or better yet a complete nose section with seats, panels, and stick :)

But nothing beats having real parts or better yet a complete nose section with seats, panels, and stick :)

You´re right man :pilotfly:

I just got my F-101 Voodoo throttle. I don't have time to take it apart and test fit the F-4 handles, but visually it looks very compatible and way ahead of anything I was capable of making myself in terms of quality/sturdiness/feel. The main problem is whether the inboard/outboard toggle function will work, but at a glance, I would say I have a 90% chance that the F-4 lever is dimensionally identical and that I can figure out how to get it apart far enough without breaking anything so I can swap levers.