I looked at my laughable home made Hurricane cockpit panel, and have decided I want (and probably have always wanted, ever since I built my first Airfix Hurricane in the late 60’s) a proper, full on 1:1 scale replica.
The “Big Push” came when I came across, and purchased, this push switch.
This particular switch type is found in a multitude of British WWII aircraft. From the Hawker Hind, to the Avro Lancaster. On my own cockpit panel I settled for a couple of Maplin push buttons to simulate the real thing.
In the Hurricane, there are two of these switches located on the bottom left of the cockpit panel. One is marked Starter and the other Booster Coil (although this can’t be activated in CoD). I want to do this right. So I have tracked down, and ordered another push switch
So anyway, there I was with just this one switch. A real switch. That ‘maybe’ a real Hurricane/Spitfire pilot has actually used. What I needed now was something to “mount” the switch on.
After a trip to the shed to have a ferret around all my off-cuts from my original build, I found some spare hardboard. Here is the left, and blind flying panel marked and ready to be cut out.
All panels at the primer stage.
Top Coat
Assembled on to the frame to keep them together
Blind flying panel fitted. Ready for the real expensive work to begin …..
So there we have it. Stage One Complete. The Cockpit 1:1 panel.
Disclaimer
I am under no illusion that this can turn really expensive, really fast. But hey, you only live once and I have lived on tree bark and slugs in the past, so not a problem!
One of stumbling blocks, is going to be instrumentation. Especially the following (which are as rare as rocking horse shit, and probably come up for sale once every 30 years)
Gauge (dial)
Water Temp
Oil
Oxygen Regulator Mark VIII C (more on this later)
Directional Giro
Gauge (other)
Oil Pressure
Fuel Lb
Apart from the unique Hurricane Fuel Selector Switch (none to be found). The other cockpit switches I am not too fussed about. Spitfire spares has these, and they also come up on fleabay quite regularly. At least there was only one type in the early days, which fitted in to the various cockpits.
Oxygen Regulator Mark VIII C
On my trawl of the internet I came across the following Company who manufacture instruments for flight sims:
http://www.simparts.de/epages/15465782. ... Categories
In amongst their products are a few P51-D Mustang bits (including a cockpit panel to fit instruments), and some ME109 bits.
There was also this statement:
Can simparts/simsystems produce customized panels
Yes, as simsystems is specialized in short run fabrication. Our in-house design services are provided by an experienced team of engineers and fabricators.
From print to production, the entire process is completed rapidly and efficiently. We can start your project via blueprint or bring us your existing panel and we will duplicate it.
So I fired off an email with a picture of the Oxygen Regulator (see below) asking if they could reproduce it, and if they could, how much would it cost.
Their answer received today was (sic):
thanks for your request. depending on the documentation we can redo a panel exact like the one shown on the picture.
Depending on the software that is used the gauges can be implemented if supported by software.
What software will be used for the simulation or should it only be a mockup version.
depending on the documentation we will charge a small ammount for engineering and programming the custom firmware
I replied saying I only need a dummy (as they gauges don’t get any data in CoD). Here is the picture I sent them:
While typing this up for the forum, I have just received another email from them (sic):
Dear Sir,
if you only need dummys, estimated pricing would be something arround 350,00 € includung engineering and production. If you are interested I can do a detailed proposal for you.
best regards
350.00 Euros is about £257 (cheaper than the real thing by about £300)!
I have since found a 1:1 scale picture (copyright davidbathe.com)
Trouble with the davidbathe.com image, is that the left hand gauge has BOOST. I’m pretty sure that is incorrect. Can’t see a pilot wanting to BOOST his oxygen! Having said that, the gauges are on a 1:1 scale, so it’s the dimensions I was actually after.
Other interesting finds
Mk II Gunsight. Mega-expensive (even if you can find one). Even rarer to find one with an oval sight glass.
Quite by accident, I stumbled across a chap who created a 1:1 scale resin kit. These were created in November 2014. There was one production run, and that was it. When they were gone, they were gone. These were created from a cast of the original gunsight.
I fired off an email, thinking I would get an answer to the effect they were all sold out. But yesterday morning (04 May 15) received a reply that he has 5 left (4 now, because I purchased one). These are selling for 130 Euro, plus 26 Euro shipping.
On my travels across the internet. I found out that my contact also made a run of the Luftwaffe Rivi Gunsight for the Me109. As per the RAF Mk II above, this is also made out of Resin.
Questions:
1. Does anyone know what font was used on the labels attached in various positions around the panel
2. Anyone interested in perhaps getting a group buy for the Mark VIII C gauges
3. Does anyone want contact details for the gunsights? The guy who does these only does a limited production run. Once only. He has 4 Brit Sights left. I don’t know how many Rivi Sights he has.
4. Do you want me to continue to post updates with my own cockpit panel project?
No, I need to buy one myself